Train services between Crewkerne in Somerset and Exeter in Devon will be suspended this weekend, Saturday, 17th and Sunday, 18th January, to allow engineers to stabilise the lineside following a landslip near Axminster.

Last week, a speed restriction of 5 mph was imposed on the line after engineers spotted movement in the ground underneath the track. A closer inspection revealed that the embankment’s ground had softened and begun to give way where it meets a water channel flowing into the River Axe.

The work this weekend will provide a permanent fix across a 20-metre stretch of track, enabling trains to resume normal speeds. However, trains will continue running at 5 mph for a week to allow the site to be monitored and ensure the ground is stable.

A retaining wall will be built at the base of the embankment to provide a protective barrier, using large interlocking rocks known as rock armour. That is designed to hold the slope in place and prevent further movement of the ground.

Train services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids will terminate at Crewkerne, with train services between Crewkerne and Exeter being replaced by buses. One bus will run directly between Crewkerne and Exeter, and stop at Honiton, Exeter Central, and Exeter St Davids; another bus will provide a service for all intermediate stations between Crewkerne and Exeter St Davids. During the weekend, the car park at Crewkerne station will be closed to private vehicles to accommodate the buses.

A landslip at Crewkerne in December 2023 resulted in the line between Salisbury and Exeter being closed for a week.

“We’re really sorry for the disruption this weekend and the short notice of this closure. We know closing the line between Crewkerne and Exeter is going to be frustrating for passengers, and it’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly. Safety has to come first, and after heavy rain from Storm Goretti, and the River Axe relief channel next to the railway, we need to step in quickly to make sure trains can run safely. Our engineers will be working round the clock to install a rock wall to stop the earth from moving anymore, rebuild the embankment, replace the ballast that holds the track in place and realign the track.”

Tom Desmond, Operations Director, speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway