Full services have resumed on trains from our region to London Waterloo after 11 days of engineering work on one of the country’s busiest sections of railway.

South Western Railway trains were running normally again on Monday, January 5, following a major programme of upgrades carried out over the Christmas period to the line after Clapham Junction.

More than 350 engineers worked around the clock from Christmas Day to renew about 1,000 metres of track, including the electrified third rail. The project also included replacing switches and crossings to allow trains to move between tracks, upgrading signalling and power systems, installing new ballast and sleepers, and altering platforms at Queenstown Road station to fit the new track layout.

The work was scheduled over Christmas when passenger numbers are significantly lower, avoiding the need for eight separate weekend closures later in the year.

George Murrell, route renewals director for South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding while we carried out these essential upgrades at London Waterloo.

“The improvements will make one of the busiest stretches of railway in the country more resilient and customers can expect fewer faults and delays, together with smoother and more reliable journeys.”

Further work is planned, with two partial closures between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction over the weekends of Friday, January 10 to Sunday, January 11, and Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 1.

Passengers are advised to check journeys in advance using South Western Railway’s journey planner or National Rail Enquiries.