Essential maintenance on the Brighton Main Line on Sunday

August 9, 2021

Passengers who wish to travel on routes between London and the Sussex Coast are being asked to plan ahead as essential maintenance work is carried out in the Coulsdon area.

From 00:01 to 14:00 on Sunday 15 August 2021, train services will be reduced to a single line working in both directions between East Croydon and Earlswood. As a result, train services will be limited, and are expected to be very busy.

Where possible, we advise passengers to travel later in the day between London and the Sussex Coast.

Alternative arrangements for passengers

While this essential work takes place, a limited train service will run in the East Croydon to Gatwick Airport section of the line. This means: Only one train will run every 90 minutes between London and Brighton, this will run to and from London Victoria via East Croydon and Gatwick Airport. This will be the only train operating as a “through service” There will be no rail service between Redhill and East Croydon. Rail replacement buses will run between Redhill and East Croydon, and East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport Trains will run between Redhill and Brighton, Redhill and Ore via Lewes, and Redhill and Portsmouth & Southsea every 60 minutes.

Shaun King, route director for Sussex said: “I’m sorry for the disruption to passengers’ journeys from this work, but only by doing this kind of job can we continue to offer reliable journeys for passengers. I’d urge passengers to check before they travel this weekend.”

Chris Fowler, Customer Services Director for Southern, said: “Services between London and the South Coast will be extremely limited on the Sunday morning while Network Rail carry out this essential work, so we advise customers not to travel before 2pm unless your journey is absolutely necessary.

“If you do have to travel, allow plenty of extra time, and please wear a face covering in crowded spaces, out of respect for others.”

A summary of the main arrangements is available below:

Travel between London and Brighton

There will be one train every 90 minutes between London Victoria and Brighton. This train cannot stop at stations between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport and there will be no other London to Sussex coast services running on the route between London and Brighton via Gatwick Airport

Travel between Redhill and the Sussex Coast

Trains will run every 60 minutes between Redhill and Ore via Lewes, Redhill and Brighton, and Redhill and Portsmouth & Southsea It will be possible to connect with the train running to London detailed above at Gatwick Airport, or if travelling to/from stations between Gatwick Airport and East Croydon, to use the replacement bus services detailed below

Travel between London and the Sussex Coast

It will be possible to use the every 90 minute train service between London Victoria and Brighton and change trains at Gatwick Airport or Brighton for wider coastal services towards Ore via Lewes or Portsmouth

Travel in the area between Redhill and East Croydon Rail replacement buses will run between Redhill and East Croydon Ticket acceptance will be in place on Metrobus Route 100 Ticket acceptance will be in place in the South Croydon and Purley Oaks areas on local TfL buses

Travel between East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport

As a supplement to the every 90 minute train service running between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, a rail replacement bus service will run between East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport This means it is possible to use the train service between East Grinstead and London Victoria with the use of a bus to connect to other train services at Gatwick Airport

Travel between Three Bridges and Arundel via Horsham or Dorking to Horsham

Please note that this railway is closed for the Arun Valley Improvement Project on Sunday 15 August. For details of replacement bus services in this area, please refer to https://traveladvice.arunvalleyproject.co.uk/

Photo credit: Network Rail