Freight rail services to Thames port terminals remained suspended into the week beginning 26 October 2026 after a container train partly derailed at Barking in east London on Friday 23 October. The GB Railfreight train was travelling from London Gateway towards Hams Hall near Birmingham when it derailed at about 13:10, operator c2c has reported.

No passengers were on board and no injuries were reported. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch was notified and attended the scene. Around 1.2 kilometres of track requires replacement, with damage also reported to signalling, overhead line equipment and rolling stock, and two wagons were cut up on site.

Ports and passengers affected

Forth Ports confirmed there were no freight rail services at Tilbury or Tilbury2 during the week beginning 26 October, while London Gateway was operating a reduced service. For passengers, c2c trains were not calling at Dagenham Dock, Rainham or Purfleet, with disruption expected to continue through the following week and into the weekend after 27 October.

Recovery still under way

The derailed train had been removed by the time of c2c's 27 October update, but no firm timetable for restoring normal operations had been given. Replacement buses were running and tickets were being accepted on local buses, Greater Anglia services and the District and Jubilee lines. The incident is a reminder of how a single freight derailment can ripple through both port supply chains and commuter services.