Travel: Rail services expected to improve following yesterday’s disruption

Commuters are expecting to face an improved rail service today after Monday’s storm continued to cause wide-spread disruption. Dozens of people turned up to train stations across Suffolk and north Essex yesterday only to find the majority of services cancelled.

Engineers spent the day clearing lines of fallen trees and overhead wires which had come down after gusts of up to 80mph hit the region.

A spokewoman for rail operator, Greater Anglia, described the clean up job, which involved removing some 230 trees, as “enormous”.

“We apologise for the fragmented service that was offered yesterday, we ran as many train services as possible,” she added.

“Network Rail has removed around 230 trees which were obstructing the lines around our network and some of which were resting on the overhead line equipment.

“They have also dealt with several major de-wirements, as well as other overhead line and signalling problems.”

Services between Norwich and Ipswich to London Liverpool Street were cancelled until about 1pm. A limited timetable ran for a few hours until normal service was resumed at about 4.15pm yesterday.

Limited services to the majority of lines were also being offered from about lunchtime yesterday.