Commuters faced mounting delays today after a freight train broke down at Hatfield Peverel station.
The problems began when one of the train's wagons split from another. For safety reasons it could not be moved.
The First Colchester to London train at 4.45am was affected by delays as only a single track was in use.
Travellers on early services faced hold-ups of around 25 minutes, mounting to as much as an hour from 8am onwards.
Freight train inspectors were called to the station.
A spokeswoman for First Great Eastern said she expected the problem would be sorted out by lunchtime.
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