A landslip at Ockley in January worsened, causing major delays to the line between Horsham and Dorking.

The landslip was only minor before heavy rainfall left the line suspended in mid-air.

Repairs have been underway, meaning that the line will reopen as anticipated on the 16th February.

The line has been impassable since the end of January until engineers could work to rebuild and stabilise the ground. They have done this through 324 soil nails installed on the embankment, taking the habitats around the area into account.

Passengers can check journeys online to see when normal services resume.

“This was a significant landslip for our teams to respond to, and I can only apologise to passengers who have been impacted by this closure.

“The team worked around the clock to rebuild the railway at Ockley in just a few weeks, which is an incredible achievement, but we know how important this railway is to people and how crucial it was to get regular train services back on track.

“I’d like say a huge thank-you to passengers and to the local community for their patience and support while we made the railway safe again.”

Network Rail Sussex route director, Lucy McAuliffe