A
weak
bridge


which
has
blocked
the
railway
between
Didcot
Parkway
and
Oxford
is
likely
to
remain
closed
for
at
least
two
or
three
weeks,
GWR
has
warned,
which
means
there
can
be
no
through
services
between
Didcot
and
Oxford
over
the
Easter
weekend.

A
shuttle
train
service
is
running
between
Didcot
Parkway,
Appleford
and
Culham,
and
also
between
Radley
and
Oxford.
Trains
are
continuing
to
run
mainly
as
usual
on
the
North
Cotswolds
Line
from
Hereford
and
Worcester
to
Oxford,
but
CrossCountry
passengers
using
the
Bournemouth
to
Birmingham
and
Manchester
route
must
change
to
a
replacement
bus
between
Didcot
Parkway
and
Oxford.

Network
Rail
engineers
are
investigating
the
problem
affecting
Nuneham
Viaduct,
which
carries
the
Cherwell
Valley
Line
across
the
Thames
between
Culham
and
Radley.

The
Rail
Freight
Group
said
the
line
usually
carries
40
freight
trains
a
day.
Diverting
them
is
not
easy,
because
not
all
alternative
routes
have
adequate
clearances
for
the
largest
containers.

Network
Rail
had
been
monitoring
the
viaduct
for
some
time
because
movement
had
been
detected,
and
had
been
trying
to
stabilise
it.
The
very
wet
March
this
year
may
be
a
factor.

GWR
said:
‘Unfortunately,
the
movement
in
the
structure
has
significantly
worsened
in
recent
weeks
and
has
now
reached
a
point
where
it
is
not
safe.’

Replacement
buses
are
running
between
Didcot
Parkway
and
Oxford,
while
GWR
also
advised
its
passengers
from
the
Oxford
area 
to
drive
to
Didcot
and
use
the
multi-storey
car
park
if
they
could.
Chiltern
Railways
has
urged
passengers
not
to
use
its
services
in
the
area
over
Easter
unless
they
must,
because
its
trains
between
Oxford
and
London
Marylebone
are
very
busy.

GWR
managing
director
Mark
Hopwood
said:
‘This
is
a
significant
route
and
we
are
exploring
all
avenues
to
be
able
to
bolster
services
between
Oxford
and
London.

‘To
help
keep
customers
on
the
move
we’ve
mobilised
colleagues
to
assist
at
key
locations.
We’re
also
looking
at
what
we
can
do
in
the
longer
term,
including
the
possibility
of
running
GWR
trains
on
alternative
routes
between
Oxford
and
London.’

Network
Rail’s
interim
Western
route
director
David
Davidson
added:
‘We
are
sorry
for
the
disruption
this
has
caused
for
passengers
and
advise
them
to
continue
to
check
before
they
travel.

‘Safety
is
our
top
priority
and
our
engineers
are
now
working
round
the
clock
to
identify
what
can
be
done
to
make
this
viaduct
safe
for
passenger
and
freight
trains
to
run
again.

‘We
are
disappointed
that
the
work
we’ve
done
so
far
hasn’t
been
successful,
and
our
efforts
haven’t
been
helped
by
the
wettest
March
in
over
30
years.
We
will
continue
to
provide
updates
as
we
work
to
reopen
the
line
as
quickly
and
as
safely
as
possible.’