The Leamington Branch is closed for viaduct work

The railway line through the New Forest is closed while work is carried out to strengthen the viaduct.

The Leamington branch will be closed until November 3 for work to strengthen the wrought iron columns on the viaduct over the River Leamington.

About 1.2 km (0.75 mi) of track will also be replaced to improve reliability.

Buses will replace trains between Brockenhurst, Leamington Town and Leamington Pier during the works.

The single-track Lymington Branch line connects Brockenhurst on the South West Main with Lymington and the Whitelink ferry crossing to and from the Isle of Wight.

The work on the viaduct is the first of two phases aimed at ensuring its continued safety.

This second phase of this work is due to be completed over the Christmas and New Year period, with the line closed from 21 December to 5 January 2025.

Once laid, the new section of track will also be treated by a special Sand Rover machine, which applies a sticky sand-like gel to the tracks to help the train’s wheels grip the road in wet and slippery conditions.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail Wessex route director, said: “We apologize for any inconvenience this work will cause and thank passengers for their patience during this period.

“This work is critical to the continued safe and reliable operation of the Lymington Branch across the River Lymington, which we know is a popular line providing visitors with a regular ferry service to the Isle of Wight.

“We are working closely with our train operating partners South Western Railway and Wightlink Ferry to ensure passengers can continue their journey.”