Between Friday, 9 and Sunday, 18, and Sunday, 25 June, train services will be diverted or replaced by buses as Network Rail undertakes extensive track renewal work in the Severn Tunnel.
This essential maintenance aims to ensure a reliable and safe travel experience for passengers.
Salt-water exposure within the tunnel corrodes the track, requiring replacement every ten years instead of the typical 25-year lifespan.
To extend the lifespan of the new track, engineers will be using tin-coated sleepers, which will enhance durability.
In 2022, Network Rail successfully replaced 3km of track on the Monmouthshire side of the tunnel.
This June, the focus will shift to replacing the track on the South Gloucestershire side, further improving the overall infrastructure.
The replacement of 3.2km of old track, 5,200 sleepers, and 14,000 tonnes of ballast will be carried out diligently by dedicated Network Rail engineers working around the clock over ten days.
This concerted effort will significantly minimise the disruption caused to passengers.
Benefits of the track renewal project include enhanced reliability during journeys and a substantial reduction in emergency closures required for track repairs.
In addition, by proactively renewing the tracks ensures smoother and safer travel for everyone.
Here's how train services between South Wales and England will be affected during the renewal project:
Dates impacted: Friday 9 June, Monday 12 to Sunday 18 June, and Sunday 25 June:
- Trains between London and South Wales will follow an alternate route between Swindon and Newport, bypassing Bristol Parkway.
- Trains between Cardiff Central and Portsmouth Harbour will operate between Bristol Parkway and Portsmouth Harbour, omitting the usual stops.
- Trains between Cardiff Central and Taunton/Penzance will run between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton/Penzance.
- Patchway and Pilning stations will not have any train services.
- Replacement buses will be available between Bristol Parkway and Newport. Alternatively, passengers can opt to use their tickets on CrossCountry or Transport for Wales services to travel to Gloucester or Cheltenham Spa.
Dates impacted: Saturday 10 to Sunday 11 June:.
- Trains between London and South Wales will not be able to utilize the diversionary route. Instead, buses will replace trains between Bristol Parkway and Cardiff Central.
- Shuttle train services will operate between Cardiff Central, Swansea, Carmarthen, or Pembroke Dock.
- Patchway, Pilning, Newport, and Severn Tunnel Junction stations will not have any train services.
- Buses will also replace CrossCountry and Transport for Wales trains between Newport and Cardiff Central.
To stay updated with the latest information and plan your journey accordingly, we recommend checking National Rail Enquiries or Great Western Railway before traveling.
Mark Dix, project manager at Network Rail, said: “We would like to thank everyone for their patience as we carry out track renewal in the Severn Tunnel, this summer.
“Owing to the environmental conditions within the tunnel, we have an enhanced programme of track renewals, which includes replacing worn sections of track every 10 years, as opposed to every 25 years for less challenging environments.
“This renewal is therefore part of an ongoing maintenance schedule which is more cost effective than multiple weekend closures and vital to ensure the continued safe and reliable running of train services along this busy route.”
David Bailey, GWR's Customer Service Manager for South Wales, said: “These upgrades in the Severn Tunnel form part of an ongoing programme of work that will enable us to maintain services for those travelling to or from South Wales.
“We've been working with other train companies to provide alternatives to ensure that our customers can still complete their journeys during this engineering work.
“Customers for Newport may prefer to travel by train via Gloucester on the weekend of 10/11 June instead of a replacement bus from Bristol Parkway.”
