A landslip in Surrey has left one of the tracks of the railway between Horsham and Dorking hanging in mid-air, with continued disruption expected for customers until the middle of February.
The slip, on an embankment to the south of Ockley station, has meant that the two tracks on the line between Horsham and Dorking have been left impassable by trains.
Southern Railway customers are advised to check before they travel for the next few weeks, as there will be major changes to train services. During the closure, rail replacement buses and ticket acceptance with a local bus operator will continue to be in operation until the work is complete and lines reopen.
Network Rail Sussex route director Lucy McAuliffe said: “This is a significant landslip which is already having an impact on our customers. While the line is closed and our teams carry out the repairs, some journeys will take much longer until the repairs are complete. I can only apologise for the disruption that customers are experiencing on this part of the network.
“We need to stabilise the embankment, stopping it from moving, and then rebuild the railway where it has slid away. We’ll keep everyone informed of our progress and we will be working around the clock to ensure that the railway is reopened as quickly and as safely as possible. In the meantime, please do check before you travel.”
The embankment is made of a mixture of soils, saturated after days of heavy rain, on top of a wet winter so far. The slip happened when the soil gave way along a nine-metre section of embankment, sliding out from underneath the tracks, in what engineers call a ‘rotational failure’.
Network Rail and its suppliers have now finalised a design for the work needed to repair the railway, which will involve the installation of around 47 steel piles to stre ngthen the embankment.
Jenny Saunders, Southern’s Customer service director said: “I am very sorry for the continued disruption to passengers on the Horsham to Dorking line after the landslip at Ockley over the weekend. Safety is at the very core of our railway, and it will take engineers some time to restore the embankment so trains can safely run again.
“We have a comprehensive plan to keep passengers on the move, including rail replacement buses and ticket acceptance with other transport operators. This will mean that journeys take longer than usual and I would encourage everyone to check online before travelling.
“We are working very closely with our colleagues at Network Rail to provide updates as the work progresses.”
Image credit: Network Rail