Rail upgrade work completed by engineers

Rail upgrades in Kent and West Sussex have been completed by Network Rail

Railway track upgrades in parts of Kent and West Sussex have been completed over the bank holiday weekend.

The work aimed to protect the railway from landslips and repair key infrastructure, Network Rail said.

It included track refurbishment between Sole Street, Strood and Rainham, while engineers carried out track maintenance, cleared vegetation, carried out drainage works and inspected track and structures along the railway.

Network Rail said passengers and nearby residents set to benefit from smoother journeys.

A new pedestrian footbridge was installed over the railway at Otford, Kent

Just south of Otford station, near Sevenoaks, the finishing touches were made to a new footbridge linking public footpaths in the area, so that a foot crossing can be closed, reducing the risk of accidents.

Work was also carried out on railway embankments between Redhill and Tonbridge, and between Sevenoaks and Paddock Wood, while engineers also made repairs to Bletchingley Tunnel, between Nutfield and Godstone stations.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said engineers work hard to keep the railway running “safely and reliably”.

“We were able to complete a large amount of work simultaneously, which was far less disruptive to passengers than it would have been at any other time.,” she said.

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