Two week countdown as Network Rail prepares to start next phase of multi-millon pound upgrades on Portsmouth Direct Line

Bus replacements will be operating between Saturday, March 28 and Thursday, April 2 as Network Rail continues major improvement work between Havant, Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour.

This comes following nine days of closures between Petersfield and Havant last month where drainage improvements, track renewals, signalling, power and telecoms work were completed.

This next phase of work will include structural repairs to Portcreek Viaduct, which connects the mainland with Portsmouth on the Isle of Portsea, and renewal of wheel timbers around Portsmouth & Southsea railway.

During the six-day line closure engineers will carry out a range of improvements including repairs to cable troughing between Farlington and Cosham, structural repairs to Portcreek Viaduct and tamping work through the area.

Engineers will also renew 48 wheel timbers and replace a further 14 wheel timbers outside Portsmouth Harbour station.

Tom McNamee, infrastructure director for Network Rail and South Western Railway, said: “Following the successful completion of the first phase of upgrades last year, we are now starting the next stage of modernising signalling on the Portsmouth Direct Line.

“Some of the signalling equipment in the Havant area is ageing and is increasingly prone to faults. Replacing it with modern technology will improve reliability and help reduce delays for passengers travelling to and from the south coast.

“Some of this work can only take place when trains are not running, so access is carefully planned to complete as much of the improvements as possible while minimising disruption.”

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This latest phase will see an additional £120 million investment on the Portsmouth Direct Line, a multi-year programme to modernise the railway along this route.

Once the full programme is completed in 2028, signalling will transfer from the Havant Area Signalling Centre and will be controlled from the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre.