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Friday 25 Jul 2025

FOUR WEEKS TO GO: Buses to replace trains between Barnes and Kew Bridge while engineers make vital improvements to Barnes Bridge

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

South Western Railway passengers on the Hounslow Loop should be aware that buses replace trains between Kew Bridge and Barnes will be closed between 23 and 31 August while we complete vital strengthening works on Barnes Bridge.

Over the course of the closure, the middle girders, which support smaller beams on the bridge, will be removed and replaced with new girders. These girders do most of the heavy lifting when supporting the tracks and trains above, acting as the backbone of each span.

The wheel timbers, blocks which run under the tracks on bridges, on the line heading away from London will be replaced with new, longer-lasting and eco-friendly ones. These will have a lifespan of 50 years, which helps reduce future maintenance and have a positive impact on our carbon footprint.

During the line closure, buses will replace trains between Kew Bridge and Barnes stations. On the weekend of 30-31 August, buses will replace trains between Feltham and Barnes. This closure impacts the Premier League fixture between Brentford and Aston Villa with fans encouraged to plan ahead to ensure they don’t miss kick off and can also safely return home after the game.

Engineers will also be refurbishing and strengthening the passenger footbridge at Chiswick station. This includes installation of new steel work, removal of the temporary scaffold support, water-jetting and re-painting. To ensure these works are completed efficiently, we‘ll be closing the station footbridge from 2 August to 15 September. A footpath diversion will be in place, requiring residents to use Grove Park Bridge to safely cross the railway.

Mark Goodall, Wessex Route Director, said: “There is never a good time to close the railway and the decision was taken to carry out these works to encompass the August Bank Holiday and finish before the schools started again as fewer people travel during that week. We appreciate it is unfortunate to have a line closure clashing with Brentford’s first home game of the Premier League season. Our works are planned over 12 months in advance and we are working with both clubs to ensure that fans are well aware ahead of the game.”

Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director at South Western Railway, said: “These upgrades will help keep the railway reliable and resilient for many years to come, and we’re grateful to our customers for their patience while they are carried out. With rail replacement buses in place, we recommend checking before you travel and allowing some extra time for your journey.”

This work follows on from the renewals we carried out last year between 28 July to 2 August 2024. Last year, engineers renewed and strengthened the pins that join the steelwork together, allowing us to lift a speed restriction from the bridge. This meant that trains could run faster over the bridge, improving the reliability of journeys. We also renewed the wheel timbers beneath the track running towards London.