Emergency Repairs on Railway Cause Service Disruption Between Sittingbourne and Gillingham

Network Rail announces urgent embankment repair work at Newington, leading to a week-long closure of the railway line between Rainham and Sittingbourne. Replacement bus services and amended train schedules are in effect until March 4.

 

Network Rail has declared that urgent stabilization efforts are underway to rectify a landslip adjacent to the railway at Newington, necessitating the closure of the line between Rainham and Sittingbourne for the forthcoming week. This development follows substantial rainfall that triggered the landslip last Friday, revealing a significant 40-meter-long crack and a substantial slip down the embankment, compelling the closure of both railway lines through the affected area to ensure passenger and staff safety.

In response to the emergency, Network Rail has orchestrated a comprehensive repair strategy, mobilizing a dedicated team of engineers and equipment to commence work immediately. The repair process, which is set to unfold over the next seven days, involves around-the-clock efforts to regrade the embankment, incorporating the excavation of the slipped material and the introduction of a new embankment profile reinforced with 3,000 tonnes of stone. This intervention aims to diminish the embankment's gradient and bolster its stability, with the materials to be delivered via an engineering train and strategically placed using a rail-mounted digger.

During the closure, Southeastern train services between Sittingbourne, Newington, Rainham, and Gillingham will be substituted by a limited bus service. Additionally, an adjusted train service will connect London Victoria and Gillingham, alongside other modified routes. Network Rail is also implementing noise and vibration monitoring measures to mitigate the impact on local residents during the repair works.

Bob Coulson, Network Rail’s Kent route infrastructure director, expressed apologies for the inconvenience caused to commuters and assured that restoring safe rail services is a top priority. Southeastern’s operations and safety director, Scott Brightwell, echoed this sentiment, apologizing for the disruption and advising passengers of the available limited bus service and the anticipated busy conditions on alternative routes. Passengers affected by delays are encouraged to claim compensation through Southeastern's Delay Repay scheme.