Eastleigh derailed train: Services resume

Services have resumed calling at Eastleigh

Rail services have fully resumed almost a month after a freight train derailed.

The line between Southampton and Basingstoke was blocked on 28 January after six 52-tonne wagons came off the track at Eastleigh.

Temporary track allowed some services to resume but many trains from London Waterloo were still unable to stop at Eastleigh following the derailment,

The railway re-opened earlier after new track and points were put in over the weekend.

Mark Killick, of Network Rail Wessex, said: "I am sorry to passengers who have experienced disruption to services over the last few weeks."

The line between Southampton and Basingstoke was blocked for following the derailment

The derailment caused significant damage to the track, which carries both freight and passenger trains.

A 520ft (160m) stretch of replacement temporary track was opened six days later allowing some services to run.

Following the derailment the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it had found broken "rail fastenings" at the scene.

Points and track were damaged in the derailment

Four engineers, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the BBC the track was already damaged.

Network Rail said the fault was not visible during inspections. It previously said initial findings showed the derailment was due to an "infrastructure fault".

A landslip between Salisbury and Dean on 18 February means services are still unable to run with replacement buses from Salisbury to Southampton.

It is expected that it will take up to two months to fully repair the railway.