Newington: Line reopens after landslip repair work

Network Rail engineers worked round the clock to repair the damage to the line at Newington

A stretch of railway line that was closed for a week after a landslip has reopened.

Network Rail said heavy rainfall created a 40m (131ft) crack in the track embankment at Newington, Kent, on 23 February.

The damage caused material to slip five metres (16ft) down the embankment.

It said 3,000 tonnes of stone was needed to repair the damage, with the line having to be shut between Sittingbourne and Rainham.

Bob Coulson, Network Rail's Kent route infrastructure director, said: "I'm really sorry for the disruption customers experienced following the landslip.

"The safety of our customers and colleagues has always our number one priority and we didn't take the decision to close this critical part of the railway lightly.

"Our teams have now completed emergency repairs, having worked tirelessly over the last week to repair and stabilise the embankment as quickly as possible."

Network Rail said the landslip happened as a result of climate change.

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