Travel arrangements set to revert back to normal after essential maintenance work was carried out
Kirow crane installing track panels at Filton(Image: Network Rail)
Commuters will now be able to resume rail journeys between south Wales and Bristol following a two-week closure of the route for essential maintenance. After the weekend, travel arrangements should revert back to normal.
Network Rail said work has been completed at numerous occasions on the rail line with track replaced at Filton and Stoke Gifford in south Gloucestershire. There was stone compaction in Pilning and clearing of vegetation near Severn Beach.
As a result of the line being close, further maintenance work was carried out inside the Severn Tunnel.
The line reopened on Saturday morning with usual train services resuming.
During the two week closure, Network Rail installed; 2,185 sleepers, 1,480 tonnes of fresh track stone, 6km of track and 16 switches and crossing panels.
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In order to carry out the work, a total of 20 road rail vehicles, 20 engineering trains and three tamping trains were used.
Planned maintenance work is scheduled to take place on June 29.
The following travel arrangements will be in place on that date:
Passengers between south Wales and Bristol can change at Gloucester or Cheltenham Spa.
Trains between south Wales and London will be diverted via Gloucester until 4pm.
A limited train service between London Paddington and Bristol Parkway.
Replacement buses are planned between Bristol Parkway and Newport until 3.30pm
Network Rail programme director Ross Mahoney said: “Again, I’d like to thanks passengers and residents for their patience over the past fortnight.
“The work completed on this busy section of the route between Bristol and South Wales is no mean feat – particularly in the hot weather conditions which bring their own challenges.”
“All of this work is vital to ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.”
There will be free travel with a valid rail ticket on bus services between Chepstow and Bristol and between Bristol Parkway and Patchway.
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