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Monday 4 Nov 2024

Network Rail successfully completes four major projects across Kent, East Sussex and South London as part of October half term engineering work

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Kent

| Southern: Sussex

Rail passengers have been thanked for their patience while Network Rail completed major projects on the Isle of Sheppey, suburban south London, and in the countryside of Kent and East Sussex.

After four years of preparation work, a new signalling system was brought into use in the Tulse Hill, Peckham Rye and Crystal Palace areas of south London to improve reliability for Southern, Thameslink and London Overground passengers. The new signalling system replaces the old equipment which had controlled the movement of trains in the areas since the early 1980s.
Engineers installed 23 km of new signalling, power supply, and telecoms cables, 61 new signals, upgraded power supplies and removed the old system for recycling.

Specialists completed the replacement of 40 steel ropes on the 1950s-Kingsferry Bridge that links the Isle of Sheppey with the mainland. The steel ropes, which were last replaced in the 1990s, lift the bridge to allow vital commercial shipping to access docks along the Swale. 

Near Hastings, engineers repaired brickwork and sprayed concrete along 1,282 metres of the 1851-built Ore tunnel to keep the railway infrastructure inside the tunnel safe from water damage. The work will improve reliability for Southern passengers along the Marshlink route which connects Hastings with Ashford.  

On the Medway Valley line, a 200-metre sheet pile wall was built to stop landslips delaying Southeastern trains on the route between Paddock Wood and Strood for the future.  

Around a kilometre away, at East Farleigh station, the station buildings and signal box, which date from 1844, were repainted and refurbished, protecting a heritage asset for the future.

David Davidson, Network Rail’s Kent route director, said: “Our teams were extremely busy across Kent and East Sussex over the October half-term with three major projects successfully completed. 

“The work will keep the Kingsferry Bridge open for rail passengers, motorists and vital commercial shipping. Work in the Victorian era Ore tunnel will keep trains moving safely and reliably between Hastings and Ashford, while works to protect the railway from landslips will ensure safer and more reliable journeys for passengers using services between Paddock Wood and Strood.”

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, added: “It's vital that we continue to invest to modernise our assets and give passengers the delay-free journeys they expect, and I want to thank our teams for the work they’ve carried out as well as passengers whose journeys were affected.

“Signalling upgrades between East Croydon and London Victoria in 2022 saw delays cut by more than half and we’ve delivered this latest phase of signalling upgrades in the Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye areas will improve reliability and help contribute to improving the performance of this important stretch of railway.”

Scott Brightwell, Operations and Safety Director, added: “We would like to thank our customers for their patience over half term, particularly those who were affected by the critical repairs to the Kingsferry Bridge. We know engineering work can be disruptive and change people’s plans but by working closely with Network Rail and planning these works well in advance we can help to make customers aware, provide alternative travel options and reduce the risk of unplanned and short notice disruption.”

Chris Fowler, Network Operations and Performance Director for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “This work was essential to making our railway more reliable but I know it will have really affected some of our customers whose journeys would have been rerouted and extended. Thank you for your patience.”