SOUTH Western services between Farnham and Alton will be replaced by buses from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November.
Urgent engineering work will take place near Bentley after engineers detected ground movement at an embankment in the Gravel Hill area, just over a mile from Bentley station.
To prevent further movement, engineers will install a series of 10-metre-long metal sheet piles into the ground that will strengthen the embankment.
Trains are still running between Farnham and Alton but for safety reasons they must travel at reduced speeds until this work starts.
Engineering work is already set to take place in the Woking area on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, with train services only running between Alton and Guildford.
As a result of this additional engineering work, buses will now replace train services between Farnham and Alton, from the start of service on Friday 6 to the end of service on Sunday 8.
Train services will also only run between Guildford and Farnham on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8, with a connecting bus service to Alton.
Buses will be timed to connect with train services arriving into and departing from Farnham.
Journey planners will be updated as soon as possible, and customers are advised to continue to check the South Western Railway website for updates.
Simon Milburn, South Western’s Chief Engineering and Technical Officer, said:
“We’re very sorry for the short notice of these engineering works and the disruption that they may cause. While it is safe to run train services at a reduced speed, we need to carry out strengthening work to prevent any further ground movement at the embankment.
“After we finish work on Sunday, we will remove the speed restriction currently in place and get trains running normally again, which will keep customers moving safely and reliably between Farnham and Alton.
“We’re grateful for the patience of our customers, and those living near the railway in the Bentley area. There will be more work to come on this embankment next year, and we will of course keep customers and local residents updated.”
A larger programme of work to improve railway embankments in the area is planned in 2027. More information will be published in the coming months.
