Nine-day line closure underway for West Sussex trains
Major engineering work is taking place on the Arun Valley line
From today (Saturday 14th August), no trains will run via Horsham for nine days as a major engineering project gets underway.
Network Rail engineers work to rebuild a section of the West Sussex railway between Arundel and Three Bridges.
It means that until next Sunday (August 22nd), no trains will run along much of the Arun Valley line, from Arundel to Three Bridges including Horsham and Crawley, and the Mole Valley line between Horsham and Dorking.
The ÂŁ22m project is being undertaken to replace 1980s track and infrastructure with new, more reliable equipment, as well as deep cleaning, refurbishing, decorating and essential maintenance of stations along the line.
Buses will replace trains for services running through Arundel, Amberley, Pulborough, Billingshurst, Christ's Hospital, Horsham, Littlehampton, Faygate, Ifield, Crawley and Three Bridges.
Limited services will run between Crawley and Three Bridges from Monday until Friday.
Services on longer distance coastal journeys to Chichester, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Portsmouth will still be running, but journeys will take longer.
Network Rail Southern Region Investment Director Paul Harwood said:
"We never take the decision to close the railway for extended periods lightly and would like to thank passengers for their patience as we work to address historic underinvestment in the region’s railway and enhance the capability of the line.
"This investment was originally planned for several bank holiday closures, supported by a long series of weekend closures over two to three years.
"By doing the work over nine consecutive days and two weekends, the overall disruption to passengers can be significantly reduced, while fast-tracking the delivery of the reliability, safety and capacity benefits of the project.
"Over the next year, we will continue to work closely with Southern, Thameslink and South Western Railway colleagues, as well as local stakeholders to ensure passengers are made aware of the changes to their journeys and the alternative options to keep them moving."
Meanwhile Keith Jipps, Govia Thameslink Railway Infrastructure Director, added:
"Network Rail’s work is essential for creating the punctual and reliable railway that our customers deserve.
"Passengers should be aware that journeys will be significantly longer while the work goes on."
What's being done?
A section of rail, sleepers, ballast and drainage will be renewed at Horsham station including nine sets of switches and crossings.
Track improvement work at Pulborough, Warnham and Barnes Green (Barnes Green Level Crossing will be closed from Thursday 19 August to Sunday 22 August).
In depth inspection and maintenance work will be carried out across 43 miles of closed track during the 9-day line closure
Replacing track circuits (the part of the signalling system that detects trains) along the Arun Valley line, and replacing signal heads between Horsham and Crawley.
Deep cleaning, refurbishing, decorating and essential maintenance of all closed stations – Crawley, Ifield, Faygate, Littlehaven, Holmwood, Ockley, Horsham, Christs Hospital, Billingshurst, Pullborough, Amberley, Arundel and Warnham.
Work at Ockley to stabilise the cutting by installing a sheet piled wall which will help to prevent landslips
Enabling work for the upgrade of Parsonage Road level crossing to a full barrier CCTV crossing to improve safety, and recontrol of Littlehaven signal box to the Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre (ROC) in June 2022
Extension of platform 2 at Littlehaven station.
According to Network Rail, the engineering works will:
• Help facilitate enhanced reliability and safety, minimising disruption to passengers.
• Involve the complete renewal of nine sets of old switches and crossings, the movable sections of track that guide trains from one track to another and allow them to cross paths.
• Renew a section of rail, sleepers and ballast, and track drainage replaced at Horsham station. The upgraded track will give passengers "smoother, more reliable" journeys, while the drainage improvements will maintain track quality for the long-term.
• Enable work for the upgrade of Parsonage Road level crossing to a full barrier CCTV crossing to improve safety, and recontrol of Littlehaven signal box to the Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre (ROC) in March 2022.
• To give passengers additional benefits, Network Rail and train operators are looking at options to refurbish stations when they are closed.
People can find out more about the project online, where there will also be updated travel advice when alternative travel options are published.