Southeastern passengers face major changes on Sunday as engineering works close railway lines around Lewisham, with trains cancelled, diverted or skipping stations across south-east London.
Several routes will be altered on Sunday (October 4), with some trains cancelled, diverted or not calling at Lewisham while engineering work takes place between Lewisham and Hither Green, closing all lines.
Lewisham is one of the busiest rail interchanges in south-east London, where several Southeastern routes converge, so the closure is expected to affect journeys across a wide area of the capital and into Kent.
Full list of changes on Sunday
Here is everything you need to know about how Southeastern services will be affected:
- London Victoria to Dartford and Gravesend via Bexleyheath: Trains between London Victoria and Dartford or Gravesend via Bexleyheath will not run. Additional trains will instead run between London Charing Cross and Gravesend via Bexleyheath, giving passengers on the Bexleyheath line an alternative London terminus for the day.
- London Victoria to Dover Priory via Denmark Hill: Services will run non-stop between London Victoria and Bromley South. They will not call at any stations between Victoria and Bromley South, so passengers travelling to or from those intermediate stations will need to find another way.
- London Charing Cross to Hayes: Hayes line trains will not call at Lewisham.
- London Charing Cross to Sevenoaks via Grove Park: Services will also not call at Lewisham.
- London Charing Cross to Dartford and Gravesend via Sidcup: Trains will not run. Additional services will instead operate between London Charing Cross and Gravesend via Bexleyheath.
Replacement buses and ticket acceptance
Replacement buses will run between Lewisham and Dartford via Sidcup, covering the suspended Sidcup line route.
Passengers can also use their train tickets on London bus routes P4, 284 and 122 between Ladywell and Lewisham at no extra cost — handy for anyone whose journey would normally take them through Lewisham station.
What to do if you’re travelling
With lines closed and replacement buses in operation, journeys on Sunday are likely to take longer than usual, so passengers are advised to leave plenty of extra time and check live departure information before setting off.
Anyone who would normally change at Lewisham should plan their route in advance, as Hayes line and Sevenoaks services will pass through without stopping. If you are heading into central London from the Bexleyheath line, the additional trains from Charing Cross are the alternative to use, while passengers on the Sidcup line can use the replacement buses running between Lewisham and Dartford.
Ticket acceptance on the P4, 284 and 122 between Ladywell and Lewisham means passengers can still complete the local leg of their journey by bus without paying extra.
If your usual service is cancelled, the additional trains and replacement buses are covered by the ticket acceptance arrangements set out above, but it is worth checking live running information before you set off in case timetables change at short notice.
A weekend of disruption across London
The Lewisham engineering works are not the only disruption facing Londoners this weekend. Buses are replacing Southern trains across four routes amid engineering works, while a Jubilee line closure is set to hit journeys to the O2. You can see the full list of this weekend’s Tube and rail closures in our round-up.
Why the changes are happening
The changes are down to engineering work taking place between Lewisham and Hither Green, which will close all lines through the area on Sunday. Major engineering work is routinely scheduled at weekends, when fewer passengers travel, so the railway can be maintained and upgraded.
Passengers travelling on Sunday are advised to check their journey before travelling, allow extra time for disruption, and keep an eye on live updates throughout the day.
