Media centre

Rail engineers are fighting back against the effects of the hottest summer on record by repairing nine miles of track defects with almost 3,000 tonnes of stone to keep passengers moving in the south east.

The railway between Axminster and Crewkerne reopened as planned on Sunday (23rd September) morning following a nine-day closure, during which Network Rail successfully installed two 550-tonne underground culverts to improve resilience of the railway through Devon. 

Network Rail is advising passengers who travel on South Western Railway services to check their journeys before travelling this evening (Thursday 20^th September) and tomorrow (Friday 21^st) morning due to severe weather forecast across the south which will require speed limits for trains.

Plans are afoot to refurbish a railway bridge which will mean it can stay open for the masses during Faversham’s annual Hop Festival.

Rail passengers travelling through Devon and Dorset have been reminded to check their journeys before travelling from this weekend as Network Rail delivers a £9.5 million scheme to protect a flood-prone stretch of railway in the south west.

People in Polegate will need to plan their journeys in advance as the town’s level crossing is closed for vital work that will boost reliability for rail passengers.

Lewes MP Maria Caulfield helped add some finishing touches to Network Rail’s revamp of a busy railway footbridge today, 7 September.