Media centre

Tuesday 6 May 2025

Network Rail completes repairs following landslip at Three Bridges

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Sussex

A programme of repairs to an embankment supporting the busy Brighton Main Line has been finished.

Network Rail has successfully completed emergency embankment repairs on the Brighton Main Line near Three Bridges, following a landslip in late January. The repairs have permanently stabilised the embankment, ensuring the safety and resilience of the railway.  

Maintenance teams discovered the landslip between Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport in January. One track was taken out of use out of while engineers worked to stop the landslip by building a 30-metre sheet pile wall. While the sheet pile wall allowed all lines to quickly reopen, work continued trackside to make sure the embankment was protected for the long term. 

The steepness of the slope was reduced to reduce the risk of slippage, and thousands of tonnes of stone were used to backfill the embankment.  

The location of the landslip, next to an allotment and the Gatwick stream meant the work was very challenging and the team had to work around local wildlife, with daily checks for dormice, newts and other protected species taking place.  

As a thank you to the local community the project team built dormice and bird boxes, reinstated vegetable beds at a nearby allotment and donated unused hay bales to a local donkey sanctuary,  

Lucy McAuliffe, Sussex Route Director, Network Rail, commented: “A landslip on the Brighton Main Line near Three Bridges had the potential to cause major disruption to passengers and freight customers.  

“Colleagues worked tirelessly to stop the landslip and keep trains safely moving. Thanks to their efforts, there was minimal disruption to train services, and this critical section of railway has been fully operational throughout the last few months.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of passengers and lineside neighbours during the repair process.”