Bank holiday disruption as tunnel to shut

Follow-up work is being carried out in the Severn Tunnel on 24 and 25 August

Rail passengers travelling between England and Wales face disruption as repair work takes place on a key route this weekend.

Essential works are underway on Severn Tunnel, with engineers remaining on site throughout Sunday. A limited replacement bus service is running, with passengers encouraged to travel by train via Gloucester.

Network Rail bosses have urged passengers to "check their journeys before they travel".

Teams are carrying out essential maintenance to the overhead conductor rail that powers electric trains.

Limited buses will run between Bristol Parkway and Severn Tunnel Junction on Saturday, with a full replacement bus service between Bristol Parkway and Newport on Sunday.

The route was also closed between 3 and 18 July so engineers could replace the track on the south Wales-bound side.

Network Rail Wales and Borders route director Nick Millington said: "We would like to thank passengers for their patience during the initial 16-day closure of the tunnel and again over the bank holiday weekend."

About 200 trains a day use the four-mile (7km) Severn Tunnel between south Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire

A special tamping machine is also compacting stone along a four-mile (7km) stretch of the tunnel.

Train services along the route are due to resume on Monday.