CHAOS greeted thousands of north Kent rail commuters returning to work today after the Bank Holiday weekend.

One of the largest engineering operations ever undertaken in the UK was meant to take place on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link through Swanscombe and finish by Monday night.

This morning commuters arrived at railway stations to be told trains were not running and they would have to cram on to crowded buses instead. Connex apologised for the disruption but said it was not their fault.

A Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) spokesman said: "During the weekend CTRL performed a very complex piece of engineering to demolish part of a chalk spine carrying the North Kent Line through Swanscombe.

"We then had to slide into the gap a massive replacement bridge structure. The bridge, which is 111 metres long and weighs in excess of 9000 tonnes, was pushed 50 metres into place using 30 hydraulic jacks.

"It was one of the largest operations of its type ever undertaken in the UK.

"Unfortunately the operation, scheduled to take place during a 74-hour railway possession when trains were halted over the bank holiday weekend, ran a few hours behind schedule and some services this morning were cancelled while the work was finalised.

"We are sorry that services on the North Kent Line was disrupted by our over-running works and apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers."

CTRL, Network Rail and Connex worked together to put in place contingency measures. Bus services operated instead of trains. A normal service was restored shortly before 5pm today.

earlier one commuter Dennis Chick, 58, of Rainham, said: "I think it is disgusting. It is such a poor standard of service on this line I have decided to leave myself at least an hour leeway on my journey time every morning.

"The bus service they provide is not adequate for the amount of people travelling to work in the morning. You end up feeling like a tin of sardines."

He added: "It is atrocious we have to start our day like this before we have even got into work."