Trains cancelled between Maidstone West and Strood due to mud on line at Cuxton
Published: 09:07, 08 November 2022
Updated: 18:25, 08 November 2022
There are still no trains running between Maidstone West and Strood after a defence barrier was "over-topped with mud" this morning.
Heavy rain caused mud to block the track in Cuxton.
Network Rail has had a response team on site since around 7.30am but said services won't be running again until tomorrow.
Meanwhile, there is a replacement bus service, and train tickets can also be used on local bus service routes 6, 71, 101 and 151 at no extra cost.
Network Rail said: "A previous repair, a piled wall, has been over-topped with mud but – crucially – has stopped a landslip.
It added: "We will take a road rail vehicle to the site to clear the railway and also remove spoil and a tree from behind the wall.
"However, this depends on our engineers being sure that removing the spoil won't simply cause more to tumble down in its place."
"It's a delicate balance and we need to make sure that our efforts to reopen the railway don't simply close it for longer by causing a bigger problem."
Southeastern has warned that as a consequence, there is also only a limited service in the other direction along the Medway Valley Line, between Maidstone West and Tonbridge.
Commuters are advised to check before travelling.
More as we get it.
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Cara Simmonds