Brighton Main Line passengers advised to plan ahead as buses replace trains on Sunday 13 July

Network Rail has issued the following press release about urgent engineering works on the Brighton Main Line on July 13. This will affect Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express passengers travelling between London, Gatwick Airport and the south coast.

Essential and urgent engineering work on the Brighton Main Line north of Gatwick Airport means that passengers need to plan ahead and check before they travel.

Urgent engineering work will take place on the Brighton Main Line on Sunday 13 July, closing all four tracks north of Gatwick Airport. This means that no trains will be able to run between Gatwick Airport and East Croydon, as well as in some parts of Surrey.

The closure will allow Network Rail to carry out essential work to replace the deteriorating switches and crossing, the moveable rails that allow trains to switch track, at Stoats Nest Junction, which is located between Purley and Coulsdon South.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “We know closing the railway is frustrating, and we’re really sorry for the disruption this causes. We always try to avoid doing this kind of work during the summer, but replacing this section of track is essential to keep services running safely and reliably.

“If we don't do the work now, there’s a risk we’d have to bring in speed restrictions or even close the line at short notice, which would mean even bigger delays to passenger and freight services.

“The Brighton Main Line is usually very busy, so if you’re travelling on Sunday 13 July, please plan ahead and check before you travel as your journey will take longer.”

Passenger advice

With the main line blocked between London and the south coast, via Gatwick, passengers intending to travel on 13 July should plan ahead and allow significantly more time to travel – especially to Gatwick Airport.

• Customers travelling between London and Gatwick Airport should use Southern trains between London Victoria and East Grinstead for frequent bus services between East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport / Three Bridges.
• Customers travelling between London and the South Coast should use train services to/from East Grinstead, where replacement bus services will be running to/from Three Bridges for onward journeys.
• Direct Southern trains will also run between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, via an alternative route. Please note, this will take considerably longer than the usual service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport
• Replacement buses will run between East Croydon and Redhill /Tattenham Corner and between Redhill and Tonbridge.

Queuing systems will be in place, and space may be limited on buses, so passengers who must travel should leave plenty of time to make their journey.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Service Director for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “I know that these works will be very disruptive for our passengers, and I am very sorry for any plans which may have to change as a result of this. It’s important that our colleagues at Network Rail replace these points as soon as possible.

"Hundreds of our services cross this section of track each day – and it is vital to have reliable infrastructure which is less susceptible to closures at the last minute.

“For those who must travel on the Sunday, we’ve put a lot of work into planning services to work around the closure. This could include buses, and journeys will take longer than usual.

“Please check your journey before travelling, and again before you leave for the station. Our staff will be on hand to help you complete your journey.”

Journey times will be extended, and passengers should allow significantly more time for their journey on 13 July, especially if heading to Gatwick Airport for a flight The latest information is available on the Southern and Thameslink websites.

We’re sorry for the disruption and thank rail passengers for their patience while we carry out this essential work.