West Sussex railway improvements included works at 180-year-old Ouse Valley Viaduct

Network Rail Kent & Sussex said it was a ‘busy weekend’ as teams worked to improve the railway for Thameslink, South Eastern, Southern Rail and Gatwick Express customers.

"We worked on bridges and tracks as well as the 180-year-old Ouse Valley viaduct.

The viaduct carries the London-Brighton Railway Line over the River Ouse in Sussex. It is located to the north of Haywards Heath and the south of Balcombe.

A Network Rail spokesperson added: “The Whyke Road footbridge near Chichester had a facelift. The timber walkway was replaced with a glass reinforced plastic material which is more durable and anti-slip.

“In Arundel our teams carried out Switches & Crossings (S&C) renewals. These are moveable sections of track and equipment that guide trains from one track to another and allow them to cross paths, like a junction.”

Meanwhile, Govia Thameslink Railway is warning Sussex customers there will be no trains on the vast majority of its network on Saturday, September 30 and Wednesday, October 4 owing to national industrial action by the ASLEF union.

Jenny Saunders, GTR’s customer service director, said: “We know how difficult this ongoing national industrial action is for our customers and we're really sorry for the continued inconvenience it’s causing.

“So that you can travel with confidence, we’ll be operating the most resilient timetables we can, but when trains are running, they’re likely to be busier than normal, especially in the peaks, and you might need to wait longer than usual.

“Please plan all your journeys carefully in advance, allowing plenty of extra time, and check again before you set off.”