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Network Rail confirm further landslips on Oxfordshire bridge

Byoxfordnewspaper

Feb 16, 2023

Further landslips have continued to hamper urgent work required to repair a railway bridge which serves Oxford.

Network Rail has confirmed the railway line between Oxford and Kingham remains closed at Yarnton with engineers now targeting Wednesday, February 22 as a reopening date.

The additional landslips were confirmed today (Thursday, February 16) after a side wing wall of the road over rail bridge first collapsed on to the line on Friday, February 10.

Network Rail’s team of engineers has been onsite investigating options to stabilise the embankment so that the road bridge and railway underneath it can be safely reopened to traffic.

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But the railway company has said the ground is currently "extremely unstable and poses a significant risk to the stability of the road and utilities in the road".

The landslide has also exposed a gas main, and works are required to protect the pipeline as well as the ground around it.

Nicky Hughes from Network Rail, said: “We have been working closely with our specialist civil engineers and Southern Gas Networks to identify the best plan to stabilise the ground to support the embankment and road over it as quickly and safely as possible.

Evidence of the collapsed bridge side wing and surrounding embankment (Image: Network Rail)

“We have now agreed the supporting structures that need to be put in place, and later this week, once we have the detailed designs, we’ll be on site to erect substantial sheet piling to provide a retaining wall to support the ground above.

“When we are confident that it’s safe to do so, we will reopen the railway under a precautionary speed limit on Wednesday, February 22, which our teams will be working tirelessly to achieve."

An exposed gas main (Image: Network Rail)

The detailed design work is currently being completed off site, and materials are in the process of being moved to the bridge in order for the sheet piling wall to be installed.

This work will begin this Friday (February 17).

Once the sheet piling retaining wall is in place and secure, engineers will work to fully reopen the railway to passenger services under a speed limit from next Wednesday.

Network Rail has thanked passengers and the local community around Yarnton for their patience.

It has also praised Great Western Railway for providing rail replacement bus services for passengers between Oxford and Kingham while the emergency works are carried out.

The replacement bus service is calling at Hanborough, Charlbury and Kingham.

A shuttle train service is also operating between Worcester, Great Malvern and Charlbury with passengers for onward travel advised to change at Kingham.

Passengers are urged to visit the Great Western Railway and National Rail websites for the latest travel information.