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Thursday 15 Jan 2026

Buses replace trains between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier this weekend for emergency engineering work

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

• Emergency engineering work will repair a minor landslip in the Lymington area on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January
• Repair work has been brought forward following heavy rain and the effects of Storm Goretti
• Passengers are advised to check before travelling and allow extra time to complete their journeys

Buses will replace trains between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier this weekend as engineers carry out emergency engineering work.

The line closure on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January will allow engineers to repair a minor landslip near Battramsley, which was first identified over the Christmas period.

Engineers spotted movement in the ground underneath the track and immediately slowed trains down to 5mph for the safety of passing trains. Trains have been travelling at 20mph through the area since temporary repairs on New Year’s Eve with the site being regularly monitored to ensure safe running.

Permanent repairs were planned for the end of February, however, after heavy rain and the effects of Storm Goretti, ground conditions have changed again, and repairs have been brought forward.

On Saturday 17 January, rail replacement buses will operate every 30 minutes between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier. On Sunday 18 January, buses will operate every 60 minutes. Any further service changes for the start of next week will be confirmed in due course.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel and to allow extra time to complete their journeys. Journey planners will be updated in the coming days.

Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Tom McNamee, Infrastructure Director, said: “We’re sorry for the disruption this weekend and the short notice of this line closure. We understand that closing the Lymington branch line will be frustrating for passengers and it’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly.

“The safety of our passengers is paramount, and after recent heavy rainfall, we need to step in quickly to make sure trains can run safely. Our engineers will work around the clock to put in a long-term fix, rebuild the embankment and ensure the track is back in alignment.

“We’d like to thank passengers for bearing with us while we carry out these essential repairs. We’ll be doing everything we can to get the railway back open as soon as possible.”

Across the weekend, engineers will install a steel wall deep into the ground to support the embankment that the railway is built on. These sheet piles will act as a solid barrier, holding the slope in place and stopping the earth from moving.

The closure will also give engineers time to rebuild the supporting ground, replace the ballast that holds the track in place, and realign the track to make sure it’s level and safe. These repairs are essential to restore the strength and stability of the railway.

Once the repair is complete, one train per hour will run between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier at a reduced speed. Engineers will monitor the area of the landslip before returning to the normal service of two trains per hour.