Travel · Rail, Channel & ferries · 7 November 2026
Saxmundham junction upgraded to powered system
Network Rail has confirmed the completion of a major renewal at Saxmundham junction, which is now a powered junction. The work, carried out over nine days, aims to improve reliability and support future freight services for the Sizewell C site.
Network Rail has announced that engineers have completed a major renewal of Saxmundham junction. The work involved upgrading the site from a manually operated system to a powered junction with modern equipment. This change is intended to improve railway reliability and support future rail freight services.
Balfour Beatty, working for Sizewell, carried out the work in collaboration with Network Rail and Atkins engineers during a nine-day programme. Greater Anglia services between Halesworth and Ipswich resumed following the completion of the work. Joe Kennedy, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia, said: "The renewed Saxmundham junction will help provide a more reliable railway for passengers and freight customers, while also supporting future rail freight services that will help reduce the number of lorries needed on local roads during the construction of Sizewell C."
Sizewell C is committed to moving 60% of bulk materials by rail or sea. By the end of the year, up to four trains a day are expected to serve the project. Each train carries the equivalent load of up to 50 HGVs. Damian Leydon, Site Delivery Director at Sizewell C, added: "Each train carries the equivalent load of up to 50 HGVs, and by the end of the year up to four trains a day will be serving our project, preventing thousands of HGV movements on East Suffolk's roads every year."
The announcement does not specify further details on the operational schedule beyond the expected frequency of services by the end of the year.
Written by StreetOwl from Network Rail’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
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