Rail passengers travelling to Gatwick Airport and through South London are being warned of significant disruption over three consecutive weekends this month.
Essential Engineering Work Planned
Network Rail has confirmed a series of closures on the Brighton Main Line between Brighton and East Croydon to carry out vital maintenance. The work is scheduled for the weekends of January 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25, 2026.
The infrastructure manager stated that teams will be installing new track rails and refurbishing key components like crossings and switches in areas including Purley and Coulsdon. This programme is designed to boost long-term reliability and safety on one of the country's busiest routes.
Additional drainage repairs at Caterham are also planned to help reduce weather-related cancellations in the future.
Impact on Services and Passengers
The partial suspension will directly affect services operated by Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express. All passengers are being strongly advised to plan their journeys ahead of time.
During the closures, rail replacement bus services will run between key stations. Buses will connect Gatwick Airport with Purley and East Croydon. They will also cover the branch lines between Reigate and Redhill, and between Redhill and Tonbridge.
For travel to Central London, alternative arrangements are in place. Buses will link Three Bridges or Gatwick Airport to East Grinstead, where a frequent train service to London via East Croydon will operate. A diverted train service between Gatwick Airport and Victoria, calling at Clapham Junction, is also scheduled.
Future Disruption and Rationale
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail's Sussex route director, explained the necessity of the work. She described the Brighton Main Line as among the most complex and congested routes in the UK, with some of the oldest and most intensively used infrastructure.
"We know that closing the railway at any time of the year causes inconvenience," McAuliffe said. "However, as this line is a key route for the south coast's leisure and tourism industry, we are using this typically quieter period to complete these essential works. This strategy helps us avoid closing the railway during busier times of the year."
Passengers should note that a further programme of engineering work is already planned for February 1, and the weekends of March 21-22 and May 3. Those works will involve closures between Brighton, Lewes, Hove and Three Bridges.
