RAIL SERVICES which saw major disruption yesterday are set to return after major emergency repairs to a gas leak.
On Wednesday, September 23, Network Rail urged passengers not to travel between Reading and Swindon as a gas leak close to railway land in the Didcot area caused stoppages and delays.
Network Rail said the gas leak happened during nearby building works, and for safety an exclusion zone, which included railway land, was required for remedial work to be completed.
Following repair works from gas distribution company SGN, rail operators have said that normal services will resume as much as possible today (Thursday, September 24), though some disruption may still be experienced.
While most services are expected to run to their usual timetable, passengers are advised that some short-notice changes may still occur as Great Western Railway 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.
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 said: “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.”
