Engineers have worked over the Early May Bank Holiday to complete vital railway upgrades in Wessex, Sussex and Kent.
A large fleet of engineering trains, rail-road vehicles and other machinery supported the engineers in their work, which included both station and track upgrades.
The work across the Southern Region will mean a more safe and reliable railway with improved facilities for passengers.
John Halsall, managing director for Network Rail Southern region, said “I would like to thank all of our staff who worked tirelessly over the bank holiday and I am sorry to anyone who was inconvenienced by our work. We need to continue with these upgrades as they are critical to keeping people and freight supplies moving as the country battles coronavirus.”
The work, which was completed between Friday 8th May and Sunday 10th May, included:
- Sussex route
- 460 metres of the track was renewed at Clayton Tunnel on the Brighton Main Line was renewed
- Cooksbridge level crossing was upgraded with new sleepers, ballast and track
- Kent route
- Improvements were made to the track and drainage between Tonbridge and Ashford International, as well as between Sevenoaks, Paddock Wood and Tunbridge Wells
- Switches and crossings were refurbished at Gillingham and Paddock Wood to improve the reliability of junctions.
- Paddock Wood, Marden, Dover Priory, New Beckenham Shortlands and Lewisham all received station maintenance over the bank holiday weekend.
- Wessex Route:
- Tracks and points were refurbished between Epsom, Leatherhead and Effingham Junction.
- Signals were upgraded between New Malden and Fulwell and also between Staines, Weybridge and Ascot.
- Ballast was replaced at Feltham to improve reliability and prepare for the new train care depot for South Western Railway.
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