Sunday, March 3, 2024
Travelers commuting between London Marylebone and Aylesbury through Amersham are encouraged to verify their travel plans due to urgent repair works being undertaken by Network Rail on the railway near Stoke Mandeville after a landslip occurred.
On the 27th of February, a section of the railway north of Stoke Mandeville station in Buckinghamshire was shut down by Network Rail engineers after discovering a defect in one of the tracks. Further examination revealed that the embankment supporting the track had shifted, indicating that extensive repairs are necessary to safely resume train operations.
The landslip, caused by continuous heavy rain, resulted in approximately 5,000 tonnes of material moving across a 20-meter stretch of the railway embankment, compromising its stability.
To address this, emergency repair work will involve the insertion of 120 nine-meter-long soil nails into the embankment to secure the affected area, thereby allowing trains to safely travel again.
Network Rail plans to temporarily close both tracks between the Aylesbury and Amersham stations from Friday, March 1st, to Monday, March 4th, to facilitate these repairs.
During the closure, passengers should expect significant alterations to their usual journeys between London Marylebone and Aylesbury via Amersham, including replacement bus services between Amersham and Aylesbury Vale Parkway stations.
Network Rail’s engineering team will strive to reduce any inconvenience to the local community and businesses throughout the repair process, which may generate some noise. Residents in the vicinity will be notified in advance about the expected disruptions prior to the commencement of the significant engineering work on Friday.
Adam Checkley, infrastructure director for Network Rail, said: “I’m really sorry to passengers and local people affected by the landslip at Stoke Mandeville which is causing disruption to trains between Aylesbury and London Marylebone via Amersham.
“Our major repairs will allow us to safely reopen the railway as quickly as possible and I want to urge passengers to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for the latest travel advice.”
Tony Baxter, operations director at Chiltern Railways, said: “We’re sorry that customers between Aylesbury, Amersham and London Marylebone are being affected while Network Rail undertake urgent repairs to the railway.
“While the embankment is urgently repaired, no Chiltern services will run between London Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway via Amersham from Friday 1 March to Tuesday 5 March.
“A rail replacement bus service will be in operation between Aylesbury Vale Parkway and Amersham while the line is closed. Ticket acceptance has been arranged for TfL services between Amersham and Baker Street. Customers at Aylesbury and Aylesbury Vale Parkway are still able to travel by rail to/from London via High Wycombe.
“Affected customers should check ahead before they travel.
“We’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while we work to keep people moving and reopen the railway.”
The affected track will be closed today and will remain so until Thursday, 29 February, in preparation for major repairs. As a result, Chiltern Railways will operate on a reduced timetable during this period.
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