Southeastern: Timetable Altered To Allow For Landslip

13 January 2014, 06:00

Morning services to London will depart a few minutes earlier than usual to help minimise disruption while Network Rail work to fix a landslide at Wadhurst. The temporary timetable will be in place until further notice.

Alison Nolan Customer Relations Manager for Southeastern said: "We know it's been a difficult time for customers on the Hastings line with the recent bad weather and the landslip at Wadhurst. Network Rail advise it will take several more weeks to fix the damage and reinforce the sides of the cuttings to ensure the safety of the railway.

"We've had to run services at a reduced speed and this is having a knock-on effect to the rest of the network. From Monday, we've put in a contingency timetable to counter the extra time it's taking for the trains to pass through Wadhurst. We hope this will minimise the disruption and give passengers a more reliable service while this work is continuing.

"We'd like to apologise to our customers for the disruption and thank them for their patience during this difficult time."

Network Rail's route managing director for Kent, Fiona Taylor, said:  "Safety is our top priority and we will have to runs trains more slowly while the landslips near Wadhurst are being fixed.

"We realise passengers on this line have endured a tough time in recent weeks and we really appreciate their patience. These slips were caused by the huge amount of rain that fell on the area during December and early January and will take several more weeks to repair."

The service alterations include:

AM peak hour changes:

0517 Hastings to Charing Cross to depart 3 minutes earlier to Wadhurst

0537 Hastings to Cannon Street to run 3 minutes earlier to Wadhurst

0548 Hastings to Tunbridge Wells will not call Etchingham

0605 Hastings to Charing Cross to run 2 minutes earlier to Wadhurst, will not call Frant

0612 Ore to Charing Cross will not call Etchingham or Stonegate

0628 Hastings to Tunbridge Wells to run 3 minutes earlier to Etchingham and call additionally at Stonegate

0639 Ore to Cannon Street to run 3 minutes earlier to Wadhurst

0701 Hastings to Charing Cross to run 6 minutes earlier to Battle, 4 minutes earlier to Wadhurst

0727 Hastings to Cannon Street to run 2 minutes earlier to Etchingham, 3 minutes earlier at Stonegate
 

PM changes:

1650 Hastings to Charing Cross will not call at Stonegate or Frant

1719 Hastings to Charing Cross will not call at Crowhurst. Runs earlier between Battle and Wadhurst

1819 Hastings to Charing Cross will not call at Frant

Off peak services from Hastings to London will not stop at Sevenoaks and Orpington until 2150.