Rail services will operate again between Reading and Swindon today (Thursday 24 September) as engineers from gas distribution company SGN have successfully repaired a gas leak near railway land in the Didcot area.
Network Rail and GWR expect to run a normal level of service from Thursday 24 September, following a day of severe disruption to services between Reading and Swindon.
While most services are expected to run to their usual timetable, passengers are advised that some short-notice changes may still occur as GWR works to fully restore normal operations across the network. Passengers are urged to check their journey before travelling.
Passengers who held tickets for travel through Didcot on Wednesday 23, can continue to use them on Thursday 24 September, or apply for a refund at at www.gwr.com, if they chose not to travel.
The gas leak happened during nearby building works. For safety an exclusion zone, which included railway land, was required for remedial work to be completed.
Marcus Jones, route director for Network Rail’s Great Western route, said: “I’m pleased to confirm that SGN’s engineers have now repaired the gas leak near Didcot, and the safety exclusion zone affecting the railway has been lifted.
“We know this incident has caused frustration for customers and we’re grateful for their patience while the necessary safety measures were in place. We’d also like to thank SGN and our train operator colleagues for their close collaboration throughout the response.
“While we expect a near-normal service from Thursday, there may still be some short-notice changes as we work to fully restore the timetable, so please check your journey before you travel.”
GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood commented: “I’m glad to say the gas leak near Didcot has now been repaired, and we expect to be running a near-normal service from Thursday.
“I’m sorry for the disruption this has caused customers over the last couple of days, and I’d like to thank everyone for bearing with us while SGN’s engineers carried out this essential repair work.
“As we work to fully restore normal services, there’s a chance some trains may still be subject to short-notice alterations, so please check before you travel. Our colleagues at stations and on trains will continue to help customers with their journeys, and we’ll keep passengers updated if anything changes.”
Nick Westcott, CrossCountry’s service delivery director, added: “We’d like to thank customers for their patience following a gas leak near the railway at Didcot, which has caused significant disruption to CrossCountry services.
“We know the impact that delays and changes to journeys can have, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience caused. Network Rail and industry partners have ensured the railway can now reopen safely and CrossCountry services between Reading and Oxford will resume.”
Image credit: Shutterstock / Ceri-Breeze
