Because of major repairs to the tunnel at Ore in East Sussex, there will be no train services between Hastings and Rye from Saturday, 19 October to Sunday, 3 November.

Whilst services are suspended, a rail-replacement bus service will operate between Hastings, Rye, and Ashford International.

The closure will not affect services between London and Hastings.

The work is required to improve tunnel drainage and prevent water from seeping through tunnel walls and damaging railway equipment inside.

Sections of brickwork will also be repaired, sprayed concrete will be used to line parts of the tunnel, and 700 yards of the track will be replaced.

As well as replacing track through the tunnel, Network Rail engineers will take advantage of the line’s closure to reduce closures in the future. These include:

• Refurbishing four sets of switches and crossings.
• Repairing the footbridge at Ore station and the bridge at Briscoe Road in Guestling;
• Surveying and maintaining embankments and cuttings to prevent the risk of landslips;
• Maintaining drainage culverts between Winchelsea and Hastings.

Service Alterations

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 to Sunday 3 November

• There will be no trains between Hastings and Rye.
• A shuttle train service will operate between Rye and Ashford International between approximately 7:30 am and 6:30 pm
• Buses will replace trains.

Changes to services to/from Eastbourne, Lewes, Brighton

Saturday, 19 October to Friday, 25 October

• An amended train service will run between Brighton / Eastbourne and Hastings.

Monday, 21 to Friday, 25 October and Monday, 28 October to Friday, 1 November

• An amended train service will run between Lewes and Hastings.
• The mainline service to London and Tonbridge from Hastings will be unaffected.

Passengers intending to travel during the period of closure should check with www.nationalrail.co.uk.

By their very nature, tunnels require continual maintenance. In August, Network Rail completed a £10m repair programme for the Blackheath tunnel in South-East London, and in July the Severn Tunnel was closed for 16 days during a renewal project.

“We know there’s never a good time to close the railway and we’re sorry for the disruption to people’s journeys. Working in cramped tunnels is challenging and unfortunately, due to the nature of the conditions, work takes longer.

“We have planned the work to take place, in part, over the October half-term holidays to reduce disruption to school travel and because trains are typically quieter during school holidays. That means fewer people are likely to be affected overall.”

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail Sussex Route Director