Commuters East of London Are Being Told Not to Travel From Three Stations

A container train partially derailed at Barking on Friday, October 23, and the fallout is still hitting c2c passengers. National Rail says the GB Railfreight train, travelling from London Gateway, came off between Woodgrange Park and Barking, blocking Barking platforms 7 and 8. Its latest update says disruption is expected until at least the end of Thursday, October 29.

There are no c2c trains between Barking and Grays via Dagenham Dock, Rainham and Purfleet, and passengers are advised not to travel from those stations. Replacement buses run half-hourly between Upminster and Grays, calling at Rainham and Purfleet. Around 1.2 kilometres of track is affected, and Rail Business Daily describes removing the train as a complex operation involving GBR Anglia, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and GB Railfreight.

Tickets are being accepted on several alternatives, including London Buses between Barking and Grays, First Essex buses between Purfleet and Grays, and Greater Anglia between Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria. They are also valid on the District line between Barking and Upminster and on the Jubilee line between West Ham and Stratford. London Overground has no trains between South Tottenham and Barking Riverside.

Passengers who choose not to travel are entitled to a full refund. If a train is cancelled, ticket holders can use another operator’s service within two hours of the original departure. With the investigation and recovery still in progress, anyone commuting through south Essex this week should check National Rail’s live updates before leaving home.

Sources: National Rail, Rail Business Daily