TRAIN services between London Liverpool Street and Norwich via Shenfield are being disrupted due to a broken down train in the Marks Tey area.Delays of up to 45 minutes can be expected.

COMMUTERS are enduring major delays on the main line to London today due to a broken down freight train at Marks Tey.

Delays of up to 80 minutes are expected after the freight train suffered a fault at about 5.30am.

It meant trains could not pass in either direction, leaving some travellers with long waits on trains before they reached their destinations.

Trains between Norwich and Liverpool Street Station have been reduced to an hourly service as a result, while services are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.

National Express East Anglia, which runs services on the line, said delays would continue throughout the morning.

At Ipswich station, passengers were frustrated with yet more delays after overrunning engineering work caused chaos twice already this year.

Aaron Eaton said: “It's not every day but it does happen quite a lot - so much so that you get used to delays after a while.

“I'm going to be late for work but it is not unexpected. It seems to be getting worse.”

Senthil Kumar said: “I'm frustrated and I'm going to be late. I travel regularly and it often happens. It seemed to be alright in February but the problems have come back and it is very frustrating.”

And Christine Hall added: “I hope I'll be on time because I left leeway because you never know when delays will happen.

“I tend to use my car but I'm going in to central London so I thought the train would be better.”

A spokesman for National Express East Anglia said passengers would be able to claim compensation for delayed journeys.

He added: “We apologise to anyone that has been affected by the delays. It has been very frustrating because there have been some complications in the freight company trying to move the train.”