Passengers Warned of Major Disruption Between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings This Easter
Upgrade Work to Tackle Age-Old Landslip Woes
Network Rail is urging travellers to plan ahead this Easter as a nine-day engineering blitz hits the line between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings. Teams will be working hard to shore up vulnerable cuttings and embankments at Wadhurst, Frant, and Snape Wood to tackle recurring landslip problems.
The upgrades include constructing reinforced concrete walls at Wadhurst and Frant to stop trees and soil sliding onto the tracks. At Snape Wood, hundreds of five-metre soil nails will be hammered deep into slopes to steady the ground. Plus, 500 metres of track in Mountsfield tunnel near Robertsbridge will get a full replacement along with rebuilt track slabs.
Buses Replace Trains – Brace for Disruption
While the vital work takes place, Southeastern train services will be suspended with buses running between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings. It’s the third major closure through Wadhurst since late 2021 but considered the lesser evil compared to multiple weekend shutdowns.
Officials Stress Long-Term Gains
“It’s great to see the huge investment being made to improve the reliability on the line between Tunbridge Wells to Hastings,” said Fiona Taylor, Network Rail’s Kent route director. “Completing the work in an extended closure means we avoid causing more disruption with repeated weekend closures.”
“Closing the railway isn’t ideal but necessary for these crucial improvements,” added Scott Brightwell, Southeastern’s operations and safety director. “Passengers should check journeys on the Southeastern website or app to plan around the changes.”
Passengers Asked for Patience
Network Rail thanked travellers for their understanding as this multi-million-pound upgrade aims to fix reliability headaches linked to the line’s 170-year history. Travellers advised to stay updated and expect delays during this critical Easter engineering effort.
