Chiltern Line to London back on track

THE disruption caused to rail passengers travelling between Birmingham and London on the Chiltern Line has come to an end. The line has now fully re-opened after problems caused by a landslip.

The section of railway closed by a 350,000 tonne landslip in January has reopened earlier than expected. Initial estimations suggested it might remain closed until Easter.

Since the landslip Chiltern Line passengers travelling between Birmingham and London have been forced to use bus replacement services for the Leamington to Banbury part of the route between which the landslip took place.

But the cutting – at Harbury Tunnel – has been secured and made safe three weeks ahead of schedule after about 350,000 tonnes of material was moved from the track

Network Rail, which said the cutting had been affected by landslides since it was built in the 1840s, may have to pay a hefty sum of compensation to Chiltern Railways for the disruption caused to its services and for what is expected to be a significant decline in passenger numbers using the route since January.

The route is used by 130 freight and passenger trains each day.