Charlton to Blackheath line closure
From Saturday 1 June to Sunday 11 August
The line will be closed for landslip prevention work.
From Saturday 11 to Saturday 18 February (half-term week) the line between Faversham and Dover Priory via Canterbury East will be closed.
During the line closure the usual service between Dover Priory and London Victoria will only run from Faversham to London Victoria.
On Sunday 12 February, these trains will also not stop at Bromley South due to additional engineering work. Replacement buses will run between Beckenham Junction and Orpington via Bromley South.
Services will resume in the morning on Sunday 19 February.
Are there replacement buses between Faversham and Dover Priory during the line closure?
Rail replacement buses will run between:- Faversham and Dover Priory (calling at Canterbury East only).
- Faversham and Canterbury East via Selling (minibus shuttle).
- Canterbury East and Dover Priory (calling at all stations).
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Because of local road closures, replacement buses are unable to stop normally at Aylesham and will instead run from Ackholt Road. |
You can download the bus timetables below:
You can download the rail replacement maps for each station below:
- Adisham
- Aylesham
- Bekesbourne
- Canterbury East
- Dover Priory
- Faversham
- Kearsney
- Selling
- Shepherds Well
- Snowdon
Is there ticket acceptance on other routes?
Other local rail routes are limited, and we don’t have any alternative ticket arrangements in place.
What is the travel advice during the line closure?
We want to thank customers for bearing with us while this essential improvement work is carried out. If you need to travel during the week of the closure then replacement buses are available but please check the times and allow more time for your journey.
Are the replacement buses wheelchair accessible?
Yes – most of our replacement buses are wheelchair accessible.
Will there be station announcements and signs on the bus?
Destination signs will be placed in the replacement buses, agency support staff will also be travelling on the buses, and they will be able to tell customers what stations the bus has arrived at.
Where can passengers find help at the stations if needed?
Many of the stations between Faversham and Dover Priory are usually unstaffed. During the line closure there will be additional agency support staff available to help customers.
If there are no staff available, you can use the Help Points in the stations.
Are the buses accessible to disabled or elderly customers? If not, what arrangements are made for customers?
Southeastern only use buses and coaches which are built to accessible standards. We expect to be able to accommodate all disabled people including wheelchair users in these rail replacement services.
Customers are advised to book through assisted travel before making their journeys. If an alternative vehicle is required it is best if this is pre ordered which Assisted Travel can do.
If you would like to speak to the assisted travel team about your requirements, please call 08007 834 524 or 08007 834 548 (Textphone).
A member of our mobile assist team will also be based at Canterbury East station during the line closure and they will be able to travel between Faversham and Dover Priory to assist customers as required.
For more helpful advice for travel on a rail replacement service, including accessibility and bicycle information, please visit the National Rail website.
Which stations have toilet facilities?
Many of our stations have toilets that are open to the public during the hours when staff are working. They are normally locked when there are no station staff to prevent vandalism. Some of our smaller stations do not have public toilets.
There are accessible toilets at Canterbury East and Dover Priory.
You can check what facilities are available at each station on our station information page.
Can I use another Southeastern car park along the line if my usual station is closed?
Yes – if you have a Southeastern car park season ticket you can use another car park along the closed line.
Improving our railway
What work is being done?
Network Rail engineers are carrying out a £3m project to stabilise cuttings and embankments along the line to help prevent landslips and delays. This is part of the wider £1.25bn South East Upgrade to improve the railway across East Sussex, Kent and South East London.
The work will involve removing thousands of tonnes of earth from sections of cuttings to reduce the steepness of the slopes leading down to the track, and installing rock netting to prevent rocks and earth from falling onto trains.
Cuttings are where the tracks are cut deep into hillsides, and embankments were conversely built to carry the tracks across valleys – reducing the gradients trains have to face on their journeys. The line opened in 1860 when civil engineers knew much less about how steep to make their slopes and what materials to build embankments from.
A 30-metre reinforced concrete wall will also be installed at the bottom of the cutting at Selling Tunnel – one of the most at-risk sites for landslips, which will help protect and keep the railway safe.
Sections of collapsed drainage will be completely rebuilt to stop flooding damaging the track and signalling equipment, which will minimise delays.
Alongside this work, stations along the line will be deep cleaned and refreshed.
What are the benefits of the work?
Reliability of the line will be improved as the reduced risk of landslips will help prevent speed restrictions and delays. You can find out more on the Network Rail project page.