Skip to content

Eastleigh-Fareham rail line closed for stabilisation works

Network Rail Eastleigh - Fareham rail lineNetwork Rail
Network Rail said the stretch of line was built in the 1840s over clay soil which "reacts badly to extreme weather"

The railway line between Eastleigh and Fareham has been shut to allow for work to stabilise banks along the tracks.

The cutting, outside a tunnel in Fareham, has failed a number of times.

A landslip at Botley in 2014 saw services suspended for more than a month. In 2016, temporary repairs were made following Storm Frank.

Network Rail said it needed "a permanent fix to keep trains running safely". A bus replacement service will run until the line reopens next Monday.

Network Rail Botley landslipNetwork Rail
There was a landslip just a couple of miles away at Botley in February 2014

Trains between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, via Basingstoke, will start and terminate at Eastleigh and Fareham.

Network Rail said the stretch of line was built in the 1840s over clay soil which "reacts badly to extreme weather".

During the work, retaining walls will be built to make the slope between Botley and Fareham less steep.

Passengers are advised to check ahead before travelling.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].