Residents in the southwest of the city should be aware of upcoming disruptions to the Overground and District lines. Network Rail has announced that both lines will experience partial closures for four weekends over the next month due to essential repairs on Kew Railway Bridge, situated between Kew Gardens and Gunnersbury stations.
Details of the Repairs
The closures are scheduled for the weekends of September 7, 14, and 28, and October 5. The repair work aims to address track faults that frequently cause delays, with the replacement of 570 wheel timbers on the bridge, which have supported the rails for 25 years. In addition to the bridge repairs, engineers will replace timbers with more durable materials, cut back vegetation along the line, enhance train detection systems, and upgrade signals at Richmond. Points, which enable trains to switch tracks, will also be replaced.
Impact on Services
During these weekends, different services will be affected, but rail replacement buses will be available. The detailed schedule is as follows:
September 7-8
No Overground service between Richmond and Shepherd’s Bush, and between Richmond and Gospel Oak.
No District line service between Richmond and Turnham Green.
A special train service will operate between Willesden Junction and Stratford, stopping at Kensal Green, Queen’s Park, Kilburn High Road, South Hampstead, Camden Road, and all intermediate stations.
September 14-15
No Overground service between Richmond and South Acton until 1 pm on Sunday, and no service between Richmond and Willesden Junction for the entire day.
No District line service between Earl’s Court and Richmond to Ealing Broadway.
September 28-29 and October 5-6
No London Overground service between Richmond and South Acton.
No District line service between Richmond and Turnham Green.
Conclusion
Passengers are advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow for extra travel time during these weekends. Network Rail’s efforts to improve train reliability are expected to enhance overall service quality, despite the temporary inconvenience.