The South Western Railway (SWR) line between Effingham Junction and Guildford has reopened today (Friday, December 27) after emergency repairs were needed to an embankment which was ‘moving’ next to the railway tracks. Tiny sensors buried into the embankment at Clandon detected movement meaning the line had to be closed Saturday, December 21.
A speed restriction of 20mph along the line will remain in place until further notice. Network Rail engineers have now installed 50 sheet piles – 8 metre long sheets of metal – to prevent any further movement in the ground.
The embankment will continue to be further strengthened with the installation of a 30 metre section of soil nails (steel rods) to help underpin the railway, which will be completed while trains are running. A SWR spokesperson said: “With engineering work still taking place in the Brookwood area, through to Sunday, January 5, customers should continue to check before travelling.”
Tom McNamee, Network Rail’s Wessex route infrastructure director, said: “We’re acutely aware of the impact of closing this stretch of railway, however, the safety of our passengers and colleagues will always be our number one priority. I recognise some of this work – particularly the piling – would have been noisy and disruptive to any local residents living nearby, whom I would also like to apologise to and thank them again for their understanding.”
Over the Christmas Day and Boxing Day period, when passenger trains were not in operation, Network Rail’s engineering team was hard at work across the Wessex route. The ballast and sleepers beneath the tracks just outside London Waterloo station were renewed by engineers.
These tracks form the junctions that guide trains into the platforms at Waterloo, making their maintenance crucial. In Southampton, 12,000m of new cabling was installed by teams, ensuring another 50 years of power for signalling equipment in the region.
The level crossing on Mount Pleasant Road in Southampton was also upgraded, and the signal heads on the gantry outside of Southampton tunnel, near Northam Road Bridge, were replaced. Between Farncombe and Petersfield, piles and cabling cabinets were installed by engineers in preparation for further upgrades, while between Feltham and Whitton, old worn-out rail was replaced, resulting in a smoother ride on the Windsor Lines.
Major work is still ongoing to upgrade the South West Main Line in the Woking area and also on the Lymington branch. These projects are set to be completed on Sunday, January 5, with normal operations resuming on Monday, January 6.