Bicester rail line shut for two days after track bed damage

Part of the track bed was damaged near Bicester North station

A rail line will be closed for two days for repairs to a damaged track bed.

A section near Bicester North station in Oxfordshire subsided on Thursday due to heavy rain, Chiltern Railways said.

The firm has warned passengers not to travel on its services while work is carried out on Sunday and Monday.

The landslip has already reduced services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street, while no trains are running between Marylebone and Oxford.

The landslip affects services on the Chiltern main line

The firm said the line would reopen with reduced speeds on Tuesday.

Managing director Richard Allan said: "We'd like to apologise to customers who are affected by the closure of the railway near Bicester.

"We are asking customers not to travel on Sunday 14 and Monday 15 January while these significant repairs to the railway embankment take place.

"This decision was not taken lightly, but is essential while Network Rail repair this landslip on the Chiltern main line."