Portsmouth railway lines closed at half-term: Rail replacement buses to run between Portsmouth Harbour and Fareham and Havant
Details have been released about train disruption during half-term
Rail passengers have been warned that buses will replace trains in Portsmouth over half-term.
As previously reported, the lines between Portsmouth Harbour and Havant, and Portsmouth Harbour and Fareham, will be closed during the week after next. From Monday, May 25, to Friday, May 29 rail replacement buses will be running.
All South Western Railway, Southern and Great Western Railway service will start and end at either Fareham or Havant - Southern’s usual Portsmouth Harbour trains will go east to Bognor Regis instead. Trains between Brighton and Southampton will not be affected.
There will be five buses an hour between Havant and Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Bedhampton, Hilsea, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea, and two buses an hour stopping at Portchester, Cosham, Hilsea, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea .
A major part of the work is the Havant resignalling programme, which started in March. Network Rail says it will replace ageing equipment that is “increasingly unreliable”, and that signalling failures in the last year have led to more than 18,500 minutes of delays on the line.
When this work - which will cost £120m - is done in 2028, control of signalling will transfer from the Havant Area Signalling Centre to the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre, which Network Rail says will improve communication between Network Rail and South Western Railway, meaning they can respond more quickly to incidents.
In this closure teams will begin preparatory work for the re-signalling programme, including laying materials and carrying out vegetation management to support the upgrade. Engineers will return in October 2026 and February 2027.
During the five-day closure, engineers will carry out other work including
- Renewing 18 wheel timbers – the long blocks that support the track on Portcreek viaduct. The new timbers are made from fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU), offering a lifespan of up to 50 years, improved durability and reduced maintenance.
- Strengthening two bridges between Fratton and Portsmouth Harbour.
- Cleaning the glass on the high-level platforms at Portsmouth & Southsea station.
- Renewing three sets of switches and crossings in the Fratton area.
- Refurbishing the footbridge at Fratton station.
Network Rail says that in total, engineers will carry out around 1,660 hours of work during the closure.
Tom McNamee, Infrastructure Director, speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, said: “This May, we are continuing to modernise signalling on the Portsmouth Direct Line, replacing ageing equipment in the Havant area that is increasingly prone to failure and can cause delays for passengers. We’re also renewing key components on Portcreek viaduct, where ageing wheel timbers need to be replaced to prevent further unplanned closures.