Gatwick rail line closes for 13 days for upgrades

Buses will replace the trains, usually operated by Great Western Railway, throughout the entire closure

A railway line between Surrey and Gatwick Airport will close for almost two weeks to allow level crossings and signals along the route to be upgraded.

From Sunday until Saturday 27 September no trains will run on the North Downs Line, between Guildford and the West Sussex airport.

Buses will replace the trains, usually operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), throughout the entire closure.

Network Rail said it would use the opportunity to upgrade the level crossings at Chilworth, Tangley, Brook and Burrows Lane.

Brook and Burrows Lane level crossings are being replaced by "state-of-the-art" level crossing technology to make them safer for both train and road users, they said.

The crossings will be fitted with radars to scan the crossing before trains approach, only lowering the barriers once all vehicles are clear.

Several level crossings will be upgraded on the North Downs line

Meanwhile, Chilworth and Tangley level crossings will be fitted with CCTV systems, which will be used by the signaller to safely operate the barriers.

All four crossings will have new signalling installed and will feed back to Guildford Area Signalling Centre.

Some local road closures near each level crossing will be in place during the works, Network Rail confirmed.

A total of16 signals will be upgraded on the line between Shalford and Gomshall. Network Rail said that by upgrading the signals - the railway's traffic lights - fewer faults would occur and services would be more reliable and safer.

Southern and Thameslink trains to and from London, Reigate, Redhill and Gatwick Airport are not affected by these works and will continue to operate.