Overview
Early-morning services on c2c’s Essex Thameside route were severely disrupted on Tuesday, 13 May 2025 after a trespass incident between East Tilbury and Tilbury Town forced an isolation of the 25 kV overhead line equipment. The power shutdown triggered a temporary suspension of train movements across the corridor, cascading delays across the wider c2c network at the height of the commuter peak.
Timeline of Events
| Time | Location | Operational Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 06:45 | East Tilbury – Tilbury Town | Trespasser reported on the running lines; traction current switched off. |
| 08:00 | Pitsea | Unrelated signalling system fault compounded service disruption. |
| 08:45 | Barking | Emergency services attended a separate incident, further restricting train movements. |
| ≈ 13:30 | Network-wide | Full line speed restored and normal timetable resumed. |
c2c implemented ticket acceptance agreements with Greater Anglia, Transport for London (TfL) and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to keep passengers moving while Network Rail engineers and emergency responders cleared the running lines and restored signalling integrity.
Operator Statement
Rob Mullen, Managing Director, apologised for the inconvenience:
“We recognise the extensive delays caused during the morning peak and appreciate our customers’ patience while we worked with Network Rail and the emergency services to reinstate a safe service.”
Passenger Compensation
Passengers delayed on 13 May are entitled to Delay Repay compensation under the c2c Passenger’s Charter:
- c2c Smartcard holders
- Automatic Delay Repay if the Smartcard was tapped in and out. Where automatic payments do not match the actual delay, customers should amend the claim in their online account or submit a manual claim.
- Paper tickets, Oyster and contactless bank cards
- Submit a manual Delay Repay form via the c2c website.
- Pay-as-you-go contactless (TfL)
- Download the seven-day journey statement from the TfL portal and attach it to the c2c claim form.
Full guidance and claim links are available on the c2c delay compensation portal.
Context for the Industry
Trespass events remain a leading cause of unscheduled power isolations on 25 kV AC infrastructure, generating knock-on delays disproportionate to the initial incident footprint. The additional signalling failure at Pitsea demonstrated how compound faults can rapidly erode peak-period resilience, while the emergency-services response at Barking highlighted the operational complexity of running a mixed-traffic, multi-operator corridor into London Fenchurch Street.
