National Rail starts repair work after landslip near Gatwick

The landslip is located between Three Bridges and Gatwick on the Brighton Main Line with work to repair beginning on Sunday evening.

Network Rail has advised that train services will continue to be disrupted and that it will issue a further update as soon as possible. 

The area where the landslip caused issues (Image: Network Rail) The landslip was caused by substantial rainfall, and was located at Tinsley Green, Crawley by engineers on January 27. 

Network Rail has been developing a plan to repair the damage along a 30-metre stretch of the railway. 

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There are four tracks on this section of the railway, and the nature of the landslip means that only one track has been taken out of use.

Network Rail has been talking to local residents and businesses to warn of the potential for increased noise levels while steel piles are installed along the railway embankment.

Engineers are on site to repair the damage caused (Image: Network Rail) The first phase of work will involve the installation of 6-metre long steel piles, which will be done at track level over the next week.

The second phase of work will be carried out from the bottom of the embankment, when the slope of the embankment will need to be rebuilt with new material added to the earthworks.

Lucy McAuliffe. Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “We know that there’s never a good time to close any tracks on the railway, but the Brighton Main Line is a crucial link between the south coast, Gatwick Airport and the capital. Repairing this landslip now will stop it getting worse. 

“It is a challenging site to work on, and we are very mindful of our neighbours. But by doing this work as safely and as efficiently as possible, we can get the railway fully reopened as soon as we can”.