Westerleigh rail landslip: Delays and cancellations to continue

Network Rail said it had to build a temporary road to the site to enable it to get machinery and materials to the landslip.

Work on repairing a landslide which has affected rail services through Bristol is likely to take until next Tuesday.

On Wednesday, part of a bank alongside the railway at Westerleigh collapsed, meaning many services were either cancelled or diverted.

The line is still open but with about one third of normal services.

Additional services will run at 09:15 and 10:36 from London Paddington to Cardiff for Saturday's Wales v Australia rugby match.

Network Rail said it had to build a temporary road to the site to enable it to get machinery and materials to the landslip.

"Around 4,000 tonnes of material will be needed to rebuild the embankment," a spokesman said.

'Safety first'

On Thursday, the Secretary of State for transport Patrick McLoughlin visited the site to inspect the work.

He said while some people may be annoyed because of the delay, safety had to come first.

Rail operator First Great Western said customers should expect <link> <caption>cancellations or delays</caption> <altText>Journeycheck website</altText> <url href="http://www.journeycheck.com/firstgreatwestern" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

"Train services to and from Gloucester will start and terminate at Yate... and restarted from Bristol Parkway or Bristol Temple Meads," a spokesman said.

"Services between London Paddington and south Wales are operating at a reduced frequency and will be diverted via an alternative route between Swindon and Newport."

<link> <caption>CrossCountry trains</caption> <altText>CrossCountry trains</altText> <url href="http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates/all-travel-updates" platform="highweb"/> </link> said some of its services between Cheltenham and Bristol Parkway may be diverted via Lydney.

A spokesman said: "Some services will not run between Birmingham New Street and Bristol Temple Meads.

"Buses are running from Bristol Parkway to Yate, Cam & Dursley & Gloucester."