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Friday 16 Jan 2026

UPDATE: Buses replace trains between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier until further notice to continue landslip repairs

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

• Engineering work will repair a minor landslip in the Lymington area 
• Repair work had been scheduled to begin tomorrow (17 January) but following heavy rain on Thursday, the embankment has shifted further meaning the Lymington Branch Line will be closed on 16 January as well.
• Passengers are advised to check before travelling and allow extra time to complete their journeys

Buses are replacing trains between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier as Network Rail engineers carry out urgent engineering works.

The line closure on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January will allow engineers to repair a minor landslip near Battramsley, which was first identified over the Christmas period.

Engineers spotted movement in the ground underneath the track and immediately slowed trains down to 5mph for the safety of passing trains.

Trains have been travelling at 20mph through the area since temporary repairs on New Year’s Eve with the site being regularly monitored to ensure safe running.

Repairs were planned for this weekend, however, after heavy rain on Thursday 15 January, ground conditions have changed again, so the line must be closed earlier than planned for safety reasons.

Today, 16 January, replacement buses will run every 30 minutes. On Saturday 17 January, rail replacement buses will operate every 30 minutes between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier. On Sunday 18 January, buses will operate every 60 minutes. Any further service changes for the start of next week will be confirmed in due course.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel and to allow extra time to complete their journeys. Journey planners will be updated in the coming days.

Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Tom McNamee, Infrastructure Director, said: “We’re very sorry for the additional disruption and the short notice of this line closure. We understand that closing the Lymington branch line will be frustrating for passengers and it’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly.

“The safety of our passengers is paramount, and after yesterday's heavy rainfall, we were forced to block the line for safety reasons. Our engineers will work around the clock to put in a long-term fix, rebuild the embankment and ensure the track is back in alignment.

“We’d like to thank passengers for bearing with us while we carry out these essential repairs. We’ll be doing everything we can to get the railway back open as soon as possible.”

During the repair works works, engineers will install a steel wall deep into the ground to support the embankment that the railway is built on. These sheet piles will act as a solid barrier, holding the slope in place and stopping the earth from moving.

The closure will also give engineers time to rebuild the supporting ground, replace the ballast that holds the track in place, and realign the track to make sure it’s level and safe. These repairs are essential to restore the strength and stability of the railway.

Once the repair is complete, one train per hour will run between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier at a reduced speed. Engineers will monitor the area of the landslip before returning to the normal service of two trains per hour.