Significant maintenance is set to commence on the Ore Tunnel in Sussex, impacting services between Hastings and Rye.
- Network Rail will undertake extensive repairs from 19 October to 3 November 2024, focusing on improving drainage and structural integrity.
- Services will be disrupted with buses replacing trains for most routes between Hastings, Rye, and Ashford International during the work.
- The improvements include replacing 640m of track and refurbishing infrastructure to minimise future closures.
- Network Rail schedules work during school holidays to reduce travel disruption.
Significant maintenance is poised to overhaul the Ore Tunnel, a crucial link between Hastings and Rye, set to take place from 19 October to 3 November 2024. Network Rail intends to bolster the tunnel’s infrastructure, primarily focusing on enhancements of the drainage systems and refurbishing the tunnel lining to avert water seepage, marking a pivotal step in prolonging its operational lifespan.
The scope of work involves a comprehensive set of upgrades, including concrete spraying on the tunnel’s lining, soil and rock nailing, brickwork repairs, and selective track replacement. These measures are vital to ensure the tunnel’s structural integrity and functionality. Network Rail plans to replace 640 metres of track within and surrounding the Ore region, augmenting the rail system’s reliability by refurbishing four sets of switches and crossings.
To mitigate potential engineering closures in the future, additional efforts are being made beyond the tunnel itself. These include refurbishments on the footbridge at Ore station and the Briscoe Road bridge in Guestling, approximately 4 kilometres from Ore. Maintenance and surveys on embankments and cuttings are also scheduled to prevent landslips, along with essential drainage culvert maintenance between Winchelsea and Hastings.
During the specified period, transportation services will witness disruptions. There will be no train services between Hastings, Rye, and Ashford International on the weekend of 19 and 20 October, with buses deployed as substitutes. From 21 October to 3 November, buses will replace train services between Hastings and Rye at all hours, while a shuttle train will operate between Rye and Ashford International during limited hours. Rail replacement buses will serve outside these timings.
Lucy McAuliffe, representing Network Rail in Sussex, acknowledged the inevitable disruptions, expressing apologies for inconveniences caused. She highlighted the strategic timing of the repairs during the school holidays, which typically experience reduced commute volumes, hence limiting the overall impact. Meanwhile, Jenny Saunders from Govia Thameslink Railway, operating Southern trains, expressed gratitude to customers for their patience and urged them to plan their journeys by checking schedules and expected stopping points.
This comprehensive upgrade aims to secure reliable rail operations and futureproof the infrastructure in this vital region.
