Four-day partial rail shutdown commences

A segment of a railway line in Kent is scheduled for a four-day closure to facilitate landslip remediation efforts. This specific section, connecting Paddock Wood and Maidstone West, will be inaccessible from October 31st through November 3rd, with bus services substituting for rail transport. Network Rail confirmed that the portion of the line extending from Maidstone West to Strood will continue to operate. Concurrently with the closure, a wall measuring 200m (656ft) in length is planned for construction alongside the railway tracks close to Teston, situated between East Farleigh and Wateringbury. This structure is intended to prevent soil and debris from impacting the tracks should a landslip occur. The temporary shutdown will additionally enable other maintenance activities along the line, such as the repainting of the signal box at East Farleigh and the replacement of deteriorated rails at Maidstone West. The replacement bus services will operate every thirty minutes throughout the day, mirroring the regular train service frequency. During the entirety of this service interruption, train operations will be suspended at Beltring, Yalding, Wateringbury, and East Farleigh stations. Passengers holding parking season tickets for any of the affected stations along the route are permitted to utilize alternative parking facilities at either Paddock Wood or Maidstone West. Furthermore, Southeastern has issued a warning that on November 3rd, an additional closure will affect the line between Ashford International and Tonbridge. Consequently, no trains will pass through Paddock Wood station on that specific day. Network Rail stated that the timing for these works was chosen to coincide with a school half-term week, a period when rail network usage is typically lower. The schedule for the bus services is accessible via Network Rail’s or Southeastern’s journey planning tools. For updates, follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or by WhatsApp to 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available for review.