Network Rail infrastructure upgrades across Kent, Sussex and London

Network Rail infrastructure upgrades across Kent, Sussex and south London were completed over the festive period, with a 12-day programme focused on targeted renewals and maintenance, as outlined by the Network Rail Media Centre.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Network Rail works Kent Sussex south London: points and track

Across the 12 days, teams refurbished track and equipment at switches and crossings (points) at Ashford, Gatwick, Three Bridges, Elephant and Castle, Wadhurst and Lee, a package also summarised by Railway-News. The locations sit within the wider Kent Sussex south London rail works delivered during the holiday window.

In London, wooden sleepers were replaced and track was re-aligned on bridges and viaducts between Cannon Street and London Bridge. The same programme included power supply upgrades at London Bridge and Cannon Street, along with further power supply upgrades in the Loughborough Junction area.

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Power supply upgrades and conductor rail replacement programme

Looking further ahead, Network Rail said that, in the coming years, around 150 km of electric conductor rail will be replaced, alongside 92 km of high-voltage cable. The intention is to reduce power drops that can result in stalled trains, failed signals and disrupted journeys.

South Bermondsey rebuild and Lewisham signalling upgrades

South Bermondsey station has been fully rebuilt, with new steel frames, a non-slip surface, improved drainage and upgraded lighting installed to improve safety and the overall passenger experience, a station rebuild that Railway Supply also highlighted as part of the festive engineering programme.

Separately, work progressed on Lewisham signalling upgrades in preparation for the arrival of a new signalling system due to be switched on in south-east London next Christmas.

David Davidson, Chief Operating Officer for the South Eastern Railway, thanked passengers for managing journey changes over the festive period and praised colleagues who worked over Christmas and New Year. He said there is never a good time to close the railway, but with passenger numbers lowest at this time of year, fewer people’s journeys were disrupted.

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