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Friday 18 Mar 2005

EASTER WILL DELIVER EGG-CELLENT RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS

Region & Route:

| Southern

Taking advantage of the Easter bank holiday weekend, Network Rail is pouring resources and money into a full programme of essential engineering work across the south. Robin Gisby, Network Rail Director of Operations and Customer Service said: “Network Rail is committed to rebuilding the railway and Easter is a good opportunity as there are fewer people using the trains. All of our resources will be employed in carrying out these essential improvements which will increase performance, bringing long-term benefits to passengers.” Our largest engineering project will take place in the Basingstoke area where lines from Winchfield to Winchester, Winchfield to Andover and Basingstoke to Reading will be closed from the early hours of Good Friday until Tuesday 29 March. On Sunday 27 March, the closure will be extended to Woking. During the closure more than two miles of track will be renewed, and around 10,000 tonnes of ballast and 4,600 sleepers replaced. Thorough track maintenance will also take place as well as upgrades to the power supply and structural work to the Micheldever subway and Battledown flyover in Oakley. Alternative travel arrangements have been made by South West Trains who will operate replacements bus services all weekend between Basingstoke and Winchester and Basingstoke to Andover. First Great Western Link will also operate a bus service between Basingstoke and Reading. Thameslink services between Blackfriars and Tulse Hill will be closed on Saturday 26 March and Sunday 27 March to allow work to be carried out on a rail-over-road bridge. Thameslink will provide a replacement bus service which will run from London Blackfriars, calling at Elephant and Castle, Loughborough Junction, Herne Hill and Tulse Hill. In addition on Sunday 27 March, due to signal and track maintenance work at Kings Cross Thameslink, all Thameslink services from the south will depart from London Bridge. In Sussex, the only major work over the Easter weekend will be upgrades to the power supply between Barnham and Bognor Regis. This will lead to a closure of the line between these stations on Sunday 27 March and Easter Monday. Engineering work in Kent over Easter includes the closure of lines between Sittingbourne and Sheerness-on-Sea from Good Friday to Tuesday 29 March to allow track renewals and major re-signalling work to be carried out. Lines between Canterbury East and Dover Priory will also be closed on Sunday 27 March and Easter Monday for railway points and foundation work. Engineers will be working on the Sole Street and Strood to Gillingham line on Good Friday, when we will carry out structural surveys as well as upgrading sleeper fastenings and some drainage clearance work. Further work includes the closure of lines between Ladywell and Hayes on Sunday 27 March, and the Dartford to Strood line on Sunday 27 March and Easter Monday for track maintenance work. South Eastern Trains have made arrangements for buses to replace all services affected by engineering work. The work has been specifically programmed around the Easter holidays to ensure peak travel periods are largely unaffected. This engineering work has been planned in consultation with Network Rail’s customers, the train and freight operating companies. Passengers are advised to check their travel arrangements with National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or individual operators before making their journey.