Weekend disruptions on Brighton Main Line until end of March

Until the end of March, there will be weekend disruptions to Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express train services on the Brighton Main Line.

Anyone using these services should plan ahead as a series of winter maintenance closures means changes to services and buses replacing trains over two weekends in February and the last weekend in March.

This weekend, Saturday, 15th and Sunday, 16th February, engineering work will take place between East Croydon and London Victoria with changes to train services and extended journey times.

On the weekend of Saturday, 29th and Sunday, 30th March, Network Rail will replace track at Haywards Heath, rail on the Ouse Valley viaduct, and undertake brickwork repairs and inspections in the Balcombe, Patcham, Haywards Heath and Lewes tunnels.

Saturday, 15th February

Southern will run a reduced service to and from Victoria

Trains towards London Victoria will not stop at Battersea Park.

Passengers to Battersea Park from Clapham Junction should travel to London Victoria and change for a train towards Battersea Park.

The service between London Victoria and London Bridge will not run.

Services between Littlehampton / Eastbourne / Hastings and London Victoria will be diverted to and from London Bridge.

Services between London Victoria and Reigate will only run between Reigate and Redhill.

Sunday, 16th February

Southern services will be diverted to run to and from London Bridge.

Thameslink and Southern services to Gatwick Airport from London Bridge will continue as normal.

The following services will not run:

Southern or Gatwick Express services will run from London Victoria.

Between East Croydon and London Victoria.

Between London Victoria and London Bridge via Crystal Palace.

Between London stations and Reigate.

Between London Bridge and East Croydon via Sydenham.

Between Watford Junction and Clapham Junction.

Rail-replacement bus services

Between East Croydon and Clapham Junction, calling at Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streatham Common, Norbury, Thornton Heath, Selhurst and West Croydon.

Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd February

Most services between London Victoria and Brighton will be diverted via Horsham and Littlehampton with extended journey times.

Passengers travelling between London Victoria and Brighton should use the direct train service via Horsham and Littlehampton.

Services between Brighton and Eastbourne / Hastings will run to an amended timetable.

Tickets to / from Brighton will be accepted on direct train services between Three Bridges and Brighton via Littlehampton.

Tickets to / from stations between Three Bridges and Preston Park will be accepted on Southern services.

The following services will not run:

Between Three Bridges, Brighton and Lewes.

Between London Victoria and Littlehampton via Hove.

Thameslink services between Three Bridges and Brighton.

Rail-replacement bus services

Between Three Bridges and Preston Park/Lewes, and between Balcombe and Brighton.

Saturday, 29th and Sunday, 30th March

No trains will run between Three Bridges and Brighton, Hove or Lewes. Rail-replacement buses will provide an alternative service.

On Sunday, 30th March, Southern services between London Victoria and Brighton will be diverted via Horsham, Littlehampton and Hove and run to an amended timetable.

Anyone intending to travel over these weekends should check their journeys in advance at https://www.southernrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/pl…

The weekend disruptions come soon after services on the Brighton Main Line got back to normal after a landslip between Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport. January also saw disruptions to services due to engineering work between Gatwick Airport and East Croydon.

“These closures will impact a lot of people over two weekends this February, and I’d like to apologise for any disruption they might cause. The work, by Network Rail, is essential and will keep our services running punctually and reliably. While we will have buses, these will be very busy, so we’re encouraging people to beat the queues and take diverted train services wherever possible.”

Jenny Saunders, customer service director for Southern and Gatwick Express