COMMUTERS are being asked to POSTPONE their journey between Ipswich and Colchester until at least 9am. 

Due to a broken down freight train between Ipswich and Colchester all lines are blocked.

Greater Anglia train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised.

Disruption is expected until 11am. 

Greater Anglia said: "At 8.30am we will inform you if the situation has improved to a level that we can lift this advice.

"A freight train locomotive became defective late last night just north of Colchester station on the Colchester bound line.

"The damage to the locomotive requires a specialist team to attend with the equipment necessary to enable the locomotive to be moved."

Greater Anglia is unable to run trains between Colchester and Ipswich until the line reopens, a limited service will operate between Ipswich and Norwich in both directions.

The service between Clacton/Walton and Colchester is not affected and is expected to run as normal.

Alternative routes are available as below:

Greater Anglia services between Liverpool Street and Norwich via Cambridge and Ely (Journey time Liverpool Street to Cambridge 70 to 85 minutes, Cambridge to Norwich 80 minutes).

London Underground: Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines between Liverpool Street and King's Cross (journey time 10 minutes) to Connect with Great Northern / Thameslink services between King's Cross / St Pancras and Cambridge / Ely (journey time 46 minutes to Cambridge, 67 minutes to Ely) for connections on Greater Anglia, Cross Country and East Midlands Trains services between Cambridge / Ely and Norwich. (Journey time 60 Minutes Ely-Norwich) Greater Anglia services between Liverpool Street and Ipswich via Cambridge (Journey time Liverpool Street to Cambridge 70 to 85 minutes, Cambridge to Ipswich 82 minutes).

London Underground: Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines between Liverpool Street and King's Cross (journey time 10 minutes) to Connect with Great Northern / Thameslink services between King's Cross / St Pancras and Cambridge for connections to Ipswich (journey time 46 minutes to Cambridge, Cambridge to Ipswich 82 minutes).

UPDATE 8.42AM: 

Following a broken down freight train between Ipswich and Colchester all lines have now reopened.

Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 11am. 

A Greater Anglia spokesperson said: “We apologise to passengers who were delayed on the mainline between Norwich and London Liverpool Street today. This was due to a broken down freight train in the Ardleigh area.

“The line was closed between Manningtree and Colchester while engineers worked to fix the problem. From 5am passengers were advised not to travel on this part of the network during the morning peak.

“Additional staff and Land Sheriffs were deployed at stations to help passengers and 15 buses were in operation between Ipswich and Colchester.

“Services returned to normal at 9am. Anyone who has been affected by the delays should claim delay repay at www.greateranglia.co.uk/delayrepay”