Train services through the Severn Tunnel resumed this morning (Friday 19 July) after 16 days of essential round-the-clock work to renew the track.
The railway line through the tunnel was closed from Wednesday 3 July to Thursday 18 July to allow Network Rail teams to replace the entire 7km (4.3 miles) of track in the Wales-bound direction.
The £10 million project – the largest track renewal in living memory inside the 138-year-old tunnel – was completed on time and on budget.
Ove the 16 days, engineers installed almost 11,000 sleepers, more than 22,000 tonnes of new ballast, and 66 216-metre-long rails. They also removed 21,000 tonnes of spoil.
Salt water and minerals inside the tunnel make for a corrosive environment, and track that would usually last 25 years elsewhere on the railway needs to be replaced around every 10 years.
In addition to the Severn Tunnel track renewal, 900 metres of track was replaced at Cattybrook, Almondsbury, and more than 230 metres of track drainage was replaced at Patchway Gap – between the two Patchway tunnels near Bristol.
Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work means the entire track within the Severn Tunnel has now been renewed within the past two years.
“We are committed to providing lower-carbon and reliable rail transport between South Wales and England – and this major track renewal on such a busy route is a significant part of that.
“I would like to pay tribute to the dedication and skill of the Network Rail teams and our contractors, who worked 24/7 in challenging conditions to safely deliver the largest track replacement in the tunnel for many years.
“I would also thank our passengers and our train operator colleagues, notably those at Great Western Railway, for their patience over the past 16 days while we carried out this work.”
The Severn Tunnel will be closed for follow-up work on the weekends of 27-28 July and 24-25 August.
Image credit: Network Rail
