Partial four-day railway line closure begins

Part of a Kent railway line will be closed for four days so landslip repair works can take place.

The line between Paddock Wood and Maidstone West will be closed from 31 October to 3 November and buses will operate in place of trains.

The section of the line from Maidstone West to Strood will remain open, Network Rail said.

During the closure, a 200m (656ft) wall will be built along the railway line near Teston, between East Farleigh and Wateringbury.

In the event of a landslip, the wall will prevent soil and debris from reaching the tracks.

The closure will also allow other repair works to take place on the line, including repainting the signal box at East Farleigh and replacing some worn out rails at Maidstone West.

The buses will run at half-hourly intervals through out the day - the same frequency as the usual train service.

Throughout the entire closure, there will be no trains at the following stations: Beltring, Yalding, Wateringbury and East Farleigh.

Customers who have parking season tickets for the closed stations on the line can use an alternative car park at either Paddock Wood or Maidstone West.

Additionally, Southeastern is warning that on 3 November, the line will also be shut between Ashford International and Tonbridge.

On this day, no trains will operate through Paddock Wood station.

The works have been selected for a school half-term week as fewer people travel on the rail network, Network Rail said.

The timetable for the buses can be seen on Network Rail or Southeastern's journey planner.

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