Essential work in the Ore tunnel to improve drainage and prevent water seeping through the tunnel walls, damaging the railway equipment inside it are to take place next month.
Sections of brickwork will also be repaired, with parts of the tunnel lined with sprayed concrete, and 700 yards of track replaced.
The work will provide more reliable journeys for passengers and be another step towards reducing journey times in the future.
To take full advantage of the closed line, Network Rail engineers have scheduled a wide range of other improvement works to reduce future engineering closures. These include:
- Replacing 700 yards of track through the tunnel 1,402-yard (1,282 metre) long tunnel, and around the Ore area;
- Refurbishing four sets of switches and crossings (otherwise known as ‘points’) to improve reliability;
- Repairing the footbridge at Ore station and the Briscoe Road bridge in Guestling;
- Surveys and maintenance of embankments/cuttings to prevent landslips;
- Maintenance of drainage culverts between Winchelsea and Hastings.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex Route Director, said:
“Working in cramped tunnels is challenging and unfortunately, due to the nature of the conditions, work takes longer”.
“We have planned the work to take place, in part, over the October half-term holidays to reduce disruption to school travel and because trains are typically quieter during school holidays. That means fewer people are likely to be affected overall.”
The works are part of our Sussex Railway Upgrade plan to modernise the railway network to improve passenger journeys across Sussex.
Between 2024 – 2029 Network Rail is investing £900m as part of the Sussex Railway Upgrades to modernise track, signalling, stations, structures and earthworks.
Image Credit: Network Rail
