All trains cancelled - Sat 11 Feb

Wed 15 Feb 2023, 16:16

New update from GWR - line looks likely to be shut until next Wednesday

Following our update on Monday, we’re writing to provide you the latest about the landslip at Cassington Road bridge in Oxfordshire last Friday (10 February) which closed the railway between Oxford and Moreton-in-Marsh.

Network Rail engineers have been on site investigating options to secure the embankment so that the road bridge and railway underneath it can be safely reopened. The land is extremely unstable and currently poses a significant risk to the stability of the bridge.

Detailed design work on fixing the embankment and bridge is being completed and materials have been ordered. From Friday (17 February), sheet piling will start to be installed to reinforce the embankment and the bridge; with the aim of reopening the railway to passengers on Wednesday 22 February, at a cautionary speed.

We are working to safely reopen the road and railway as soon as possible. Until the railway reopens, there is an amended train service operating:

During peak times, London <–> Worcester train services will continue to divert via Swindon

A replacement bus service is operating between Oxford and Kingham, calling at Hanborough, Charlbury and Kingham. Kingham is currently being used as the interchange between train and the replacement bus services as it is more suitable for bus traffic.

A shuttle train service is operating between Worcester/Great Malvern and Charlbury – passengers for onward travel should change at Kingham.

Journey planners are being updated and the replacement bus services are in online journey planners. There also continues to be ticket acceptance in place with Chiltern, CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast, and West Midlands Trains.

For the latest travel information, please visit https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/check-your-journey. We will update you further as we work to reopen the road and railway.