Press release —
Emergency landslip works mean buses replace trains between Redhill and Tonbridge
Network Rail issued the following press release on Friday:
- Buses to replace trains between Redhill and Tonbridge between Wednesday 28 October and Sunday 1 November
- Engineers installing sheet piles to protect railway from a further landslip in Godstone area
- Passengers encouraged to plan ahead and check before they travel
Network Rail engineers will carry out emergency works near Godstone between Wednesday 28 October and Sunday 1 November inclusive to stabilise the railway following a landslip, with buses replacing trains between Redhill and Tonbridge during this time.
Engineers monitoring embankments in the Surrey area have detected movement in the ground beneath the track in Godstone. To keep trains safely running a speed restriction has been imposed until the works can get under way on Wednesday.
Passengers are advised to check online before travelling and to allow extra time for their journeys. The car park at Redhill Station will also be partially closed to accommodate the replacement buses running between Redhill and Tonbridge.
During next week’s five-day closure, 208 10m-long sheets of metal will be piled in to stabilise and strengthen a 126m stretch of embankment. This will prevent further movement that would otherwise have a greater impact on services. At the same time, engineers will also carry out extra maintenance work on the tracks to help towards removing some of the speed restrictions which are currently requiring trains to run at slower speeds than normal.
Nad Campbell, Project Manager for Network Rail, said: “We’re sorry for the disruption and short notice. We know closing the line between Redhill and Tonbridge will frustrate passengers, and we have not taken this decision lightly.
“Our engineers will work around the clock to install a metal wall that will prevent further ground movement.
“Our teams are preparing the site ahead of the closure. Until then, we will continue monitoring the affected area and take any additional measures needed to keep the railway safe.
“Thank you for your patience while we carry out these essential repairs. We’ll do everything we can to reopen the railway as soon as possible.”
Tom Easdown, Southern’s Head of Stations said: “I appreciate how disruptive this closure will be to our customers between Redhill and Tonbridge, and I’m sorry for the impact this will have on journeys next week.
“We’re working hard behind the scenes, with our colleagues at Network Rail, to keep people moving, including arranging bus services, ticket acceptance and all of the latest information will be available on our website.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Plan My Journey
Buses will replace trains between Redhill and Tonbridge from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November, for urgent work to repair the railway in the Godstone area.
Rail replacement bus services
A bus service will run between Redhill and Tonbridge, calling at all stations. It will additionally also call at Edenbridge Town for connections with train services on the Uckfield line.
Redhill station car park
The car park at Redhill station will be partially closed from Sunday 25 October. This is to allow for the safe operation of replacement buses.
Journey planners
Online journey planners such as on National Rail Enquiries have been updated. These show a change of bus at Edenbridge Town, however you will not need to switch to a different bus to continue your journey to Redhill or Tonbridge.
Please check southernrailway.com for the latest updates.
Please note, this emergency work is separate from the long-planned closure between Tonbridge and Wadhurst affecting South Eastern services from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November.
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DFTO works with train operators and Network Rail to lay the foundations for Great British Railways (GBR) - working together to deliver a better railway for everyone in Britain. Ahead of the establishment of GBR in 2027, DFTO is responsible for bringing privately operated passenger services into public ownership, ensuring stability, accountability and continuity for customers and taxpayers. The group’s current train operating companies are: c2c, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, GTR, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and WM Trains. DFTO now runs 12,000 rail services every day and delivers over one billion customer journeys across its networks each year.
