Geotechnical specialists have conducted a thorough assessment of the embankment under the railway between Tonbridge in Kent and Redhill in Surrey as part of emergency repairs at the site.
Network Rail released a statement on March 31 stating that the line would need to be closed “for at least two weeks” while urgent repairs are carried out on the embankment which carries the railway.
The railway body said it had dealt with “repeated track defects at the site” due to issues with the embankment.
Following the assessment by geotechnical specialists, Network Rail is preparing “more substantial works” to address the underlying causes of the problem and said it would share “further details on the anticipated timescales for re-opening” the line “in the coming days”.
Network Rail said it would be working closely with environmental and ecological specialists to minimize any impacts on wildlife at the site.
Network Rail engineering and asset management director Mark Killick said: “We are really sorry for the disruption that this lengthy closure will cause for customers, and we are working around the clock to get this line back up and running.
“The work that we are doing now will leave this line in a much better and more reliable state for the future.
“In recent months we’ve seen extreme levels of rain, including the wettest February in this part of the country for 200 years.
“This has put stress on parts of our infrastructure, particularly earthworks.”
A series of landslips have hit the rail network in Great Britain in 2024 with Network Rail saying climate breakdown is to blame.
Killick went on to say “We are working on site now to understand the cause and full extent of the problem and we will share more updates as soon as we can on how long we expect this repair work to take”.
GTR customer services director Jenny Saunders said: “We’re very sorry about the disruption to the line between Redhill and Tonbridge, and the impact on our customers.
“While these vital works take place, we’ll do everything possible to keep people moving with rail replacement buses and having tickets accepted on suitable alternative routes.
“However, journeys will take longer so we’d advise customers to plan ahead and allow extra time. The latest information will be available on the Southern website.”
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Tags: Urgent repairs shut railway line Tonbridge Redhill midApril
