The North Downs Line between Guildford and Gatwick Airport is to be closed for the next 16 days because of vital engineering work near Shalford in Surrey.

The line will be closed from Saturday, 1st to Sunday, 16th February, with buses replacing trains between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.

During the closure, engineers will lay new wheel timbers on the railway bridge over the River Wey south of Guildford. The new timbers will be replaced with ones made from fibre-reinforced foamed urethane and are predicted to last 30 years longer than the old wooden ones.

Network Rail will take advantage of the line’s closure to carry out other work, including:

• Upgrading the track by replacing the existing jointed track with long welded rails.
• Modernising the signalling in the area so that it is controlled from the Guildford Area Signalling Centre.
• Replaced single-lane barriers at all four level crossings in the area with double-lane barriers to prevent vehicles from crossing the track when the barriers are down.
• Stabilising one of the cuttings adjacent to the railway in Gomshall.
• Cutting back diseased or overgrown trees and hedges near the railway that could pose a significant threat to trains.

The work is part of an ongoing programme of maintenance to improve the reliability of services on the North Downs Line and reduce the risk of speed restrictions or a significant closure of the line while emergency works are completed.

Rail-replacement buses will replace Great Western Railway (GWR) train services, between Guildford and Redhill, stopping at all stations, whilst there will also be rail-replacement buses directly between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.

The closure will not affect Southern and Thameslink trains between London, Reigate, Redhill, and Gatwick Airport.

The line between Guildford and Gatwick Airport was also closed in November 2023 for rail improvements ready for when Great Western Railway doubled the number of direct services between Reading and Gatwick Airport.

“I’m sorry to any passengers whose journeys will be disrupted while our engineers complete these important upgrades on the North Downs Line. This vital upgrade work will benefit passengers in the long run as they will experience smoother and more reliable journeys. The level crossing upgrades we are undertaking will significantly improve safety for both passengers, motorists and pedestrians alike, while replacing the wheel timbers on the railway bridge over the River Wey with a synthetic material will mean fewer closures and disruption for passengers in the future due to their increased lifespan. I’d like to thank our passengers in advance for their patience and understanding.”

Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex route director