Rail Passengers Must Check as Huge Track Upgrade Changes Train Times

Published on: 9 Apr, 2020
Updated on: 12 Apr, 2020

Guildford Railway Station

The rail infrastructure in the Guildford area is undergoing its biggest investment in nearly 40 years and passengers are urged to check journey times before travelling.

Work to upgrade track and signalling starts on Good Friday (April 10) and although services will resume from the station to London Waterloo via Cobham and Stoke D’Abernon from Tuesday, April 14, other services will not resume until April 20.

Bus replacement services will be in place during the vital works, the details of which can be found on SWR and GWR websites.

The upgrades to track and signalling will provide more reliable journeys for passengers between London Waterloo and Guildford, Woking and Portsmouth, Reading and Redhill, and Guildford and Aldershot. The essential work will also enable removal of two-speed restrictions.

Guildford junction was last upgraded in the early 1980s, and after almost 40 years of heavy traffic, plus a rising demand, the works will provide a more reliable railway for years.
Mark Killick, Network Rail Wessex route director, said: “We apologise to those affected during the essential upgrades.

To ensure the ongoing reliability and safe running of the railway, these much-needed works in the Guildford area are vital.

“I urge people who need to travel by rail to check before they do.”  Alan Penlington, Southwestern Railway customer experience director, said: “We know closing the railway will be inconvenient for those making essential journeys, but we will ensure people can still complete their journeys via replacement bus services and alternative rail routes.

“Journey planners have been updated and we urge anyone who needs to travel over the Easter period to check in advance, because journeys may take longer than usual.”

The main work will be done between Friday, April 10 and Sunday, April 19 and will affect trains operated by SWR, GWR, Cross Country and Southern as follows:

SWR services between Woking/Guildford and Haslemere and between Guildford and Aldershot will be replaced by buses;
SWR will run a limited service between London Waterloo and Guildford, via Cobham & Stoke D’ Abernon, from Tuesday, April 14;
GWR services between Reading and Gatwick airport will terminate at Ash. Replacement bus services will run between North Camp and Redhill;
CrossCountry services between Newcastle and Guildford will terminate at Reading; and
Southern services to Guildford will start and terminate at Epsom.

Responses to Rail Passengers Must Check as Huge Track Upgrade Changes Train Times

David Wragg Reply

April 11, 2020 at 11:08 am

This is good news, but what would really help reliability on the Waterloo to Portsmouth line (the ‘Portsmouth Direct’ in railway terms) would be either a flyover or “dive-under” (ie an underpass) for the “up” [London bound] line at Woking.

Land was left for this, but it has now been built on.
- Stephen Spark Reply
  
  April 15, 2020 at 7:42 pm
  
  I completely agree with David Wragg. I’ve never understood why it wasn’t done. I think the old Southern Railway intended to do it but doubtless, that scheme was cancelled by the war.
  
  Building on strategic land of this kind adjacent to existing lines and stations is so short-sighted. It’s still being permitted, for example at East Croydon station, and now, Guildford.