Network Rail and train operators are calling on passengers, colleagues and industry partners to mark their calendars for February half term 2027, when a major nine‑day closure is planned on the Brighton Main Line. From Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 February, a pivotal stretch of this intensely used corridor will shut to allow an extensive package of engineering upgrades.
The works form part of a long‑term programme of investment aimed at boosting the reliability, resilience and safety of one of Britain’s most operationally demanding routes. Over the closure, engineering teams will deliver a concentrated mix of track renewals, earthworks strengthening, drainage improvements, bridge maintenance and tunnel works—tackling multiple infrastructure needs in a single, coordinated window.
Key Engineering Interventions
- Track renewal: Engineers will install new rail at Plumpton and Haywards Heath, alongside renewed track and new switches and crossings at Preston Park. Additional enhancements at Keymer Junction near Wivelsfield are designed to cut delays and improve overall performance.
- Earthworks: Stabilisation at Haywards Heath cutting and Balcombe Stamford rock cutting will reduce the likelihood of landslips and rock falls, strengthening the route’s resilience.
- Drainage: Repairs at Stone Hall Bridge near Balcombe will improve water management and protect track assets.
- Bridges: Essential maintenance on the iconic Ouse Valley Viaduct will help safeguard the structure for future generations.
- Tunnels: Balcombe Tunnel will undergo structural improvements to support continued safe operation.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “The Brighton Main Line is one of the busiest rail corridors in the country, with complex and intensively used infrastructure. This work is vital to reduce faults, improve journey reliability and keep services running safely for years to come.
“We know closing the railway is an inconvenience, but the extended closure over February half-term 2027 allows us to deliver a huge volume of work at once, avoiding repeated disruption across multiple weekends or during the busy summer season.”
Jenny Saunders, Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink Customer Service Director, added: “This major work next year is crucial to keeping services reliable for our Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink customers. Trains will be diverted and buses will replace services on affected routes for nine days, so we’re asking passengers to save the dates in their diaries.
“By giving people as much notice as possible, we’re encouraging everyone to begin thinking about their travel options for next February, especially as some may find it easier to plan to work flexibly where they can over the affected period.”
During the closure, services will begin and end at Three Bridges, with rail replacement buses serving Brighton and Lewes. Southern will operate a direct service between London Victoria and Brighton, but trains will divert via the Arun Valley and Littlehampton, resulting in longer journey times.
A major passenger‑information campaign is expected later this year, offering detailed guidance on alternative routes, replacement services and travel‑planning advice. Customers will be encouraged to plan ahead and allow additional time for their journeys throughout the nine‑day upgrade window. Updated information will also be made available via online journey planners, including National Rail Enquiries, closer to the start of the works.
Image credit: iStock
