Gatwick to Guildford trains resume after closure

The rail line connecting Guildford in Surrey and Gatwick Airport in West Sussex has reopened after a 16-day closure.

Improvements and repairs were being carried out on the The North Downs Line, including to four bridges which cross the tracks.

Network Rail said new materials used in the repairs would last longer than the wooden components they are replacing.

Work has also been carried out to prevent future landslips.

Old wooden wheel timbers, which carry the track across the bridges, have been replaced with new ones made of a synthetic material that will last 30 years longer.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail's Wessex route director said: "By replacing the wheel timbers on the railway bridge over the River Wey with a synthetic material it will mean fewer closures and disruption for passengers in the future due to their increased lifespan."

Cuttings at Gomshall near Guildford have been reinforced, new signalling installed and track replaced by sections with fewer joints, reducing the need for future maintenance and making journeys smoother.

The line will be closed, with a bus replacement service, for follow-up work on 23 February.

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