Rail passengers are being urged to check before they travel after a major fire near the railway between Stourbridge Junction and Hagley closes part of the Snow Hill Lines.
The fire has affected around 500 acres and led to multiple exclusion zones being put in place.
Network Rail teams secured access to the railway on Friday 16 August and have been inspecting damage to signalling, telecoms, embankments, and lineside fencing, and planning the repairs needed to safely reopen the line.
Given the extent of the damage, passengers should expect the line between Stourbridge Junction and Hagley to remain closed throughout the early part of this. Teams will continue working to reopen the railway as soon as it is safe to do so.
West Midlands Railway is running a reduced Snow Hill Lines service, with Birmingham to Kidderminster trains running between Birmingham and Stourbridge Junction only.
Worcester to Hereford services are running as scheduled, while Birmingham to Worcester services are subject to alteration, so passengers should check before they travel. Rail replacement buses are operating between Stourbridge and Kidderminster.
To help keep passengers on the move, West Midlands Railway passengers can also use their tickets on select Chiltern Railways services.
Denise Wetton, integrated managing director for GBR West Midlands, said: “This is a significant incident for the local community, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by the fire.
“Rail industry teams are working tirelessly to understand the damage, plan the repairs and put in place a timetable and service that can work for local communities while we rebuild the railway.
“We hope to reopen the line as soon as possible, but safety has to come first. In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to keep passengers moving, including rail replacement transport, rail shuttles that operate between the non affected sections of the railway and ticket acceptance on alternative services where possible.
“I’m sorry for the disruption passengers are facing and would urge people to check before they travel using the West Midlands Railway website or National Rail Enquiries.”
Passengers will be kept updated throughout the repairs as teams work to reopen the railway safely.
Passengers should check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.wmr.uk/hotweatherdisruption for the latest updates.
Image credit: Network Rail
