Significant repairs to the Ore tunnel will result in the closure of the railway line between Hastings and Rye from Saturday, October 19, to Sunday, November 3, 2024.

During this period, buses will replace trains on the route between Hastings, Rye, and Ashford International as engineers carry out the tunnel work.

Essential work in the Ore tunnel will improve drainage and prevent water seeping through the tunnel walls, damaging the railway equipment inside it.

Sections of brickwork will also be repaired, with parts of the tunnel lined with sprayed concrete, and 700 yards of track replaced.

The work will provide more reliable journeys for passengers and be another step towards reducing journey times in the future.

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On the weekend of Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October there will be no trains between Hastings, Rye and Ashford International. Buses will replace trains.

From Monday 21 October every day through to Sunday 3 November, buses will replace trains at all times between Hastings and Rye.

A shuttle train service will run between Rye and Ashford International between approximately 7:30am and 6:30pm on these dates. Outside of these times, rail replacement buses will operate.

To take full advantage of the closed line, Network Rail engineers have scheduled a wide range of other improvement works to reduce future engineering closures. These include:

• Replacing 700 yards of track through the tunnel 1,402-yard (1,282 metre) long tunnel, and around the Ore area

• Refurbishing four sets of switches and crossings (otherwise known as ‘points’) to improve reliability

• Repairing the footbridge at Ore station and the Briscoe Road bridge in Guestling

• Surveys and maintenance of embankments/cuttings to prevent landslips

• Maintenance of drainage culverts between Winchelsea and Hastings.

All the work will be finished by Monday 4 November 2024.