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Tuesday 12 Jul 2005

PADDOCK WOOD LINE RE-OPENS FOLLOWING FACTORY FIRE

Region & Route:

| Southern

The Paddock Wood to Maidstone West branch line re-opened today following extensive repairs to the railway damaged by the factory fire in Paddock Wood.   The line was immediately closed following last week’s fire because it was unsafe for train services to pass through the thick black smoke drifting across the line. Network Rail engineers were initially unable to access the line and carry out repairs while the emergency services secured the factory site. However once the site was given the all-clear, a team of more than 20 engineers worked throughout the week replacing signalling cables and equipment, as well as track and sleepers that had been damaged by the fire alongside the line.   Network Rail Route Director Dave Ward said: “We have had to be patient while we waited to access the railway line and inspect the damage caused by the fire but once we were able to do so, our engineers wasted no time in carrying out these essential repairs. It is a tribute to their hard work and the close working with the other agencies involved that we have managed to carry out this extensive work and get the line reopened so quickly.”   The Paddock Wood to Maidstone West line reopened today at 4pm with South Eastern Trains operating an hourly shuttle service between Maidstone West and Paddock Wood tonight. South Eastern Trains expects to resume a full service tomorrow morning. For more details passengers should contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 or go to www.nationalrail.co.uk