Trains


have
started
to
serve
Telford
Central
again,
after
a
landslip
near
Oakengates
closed
the
Wolverhampton
to
Shrewsbury
line
on
8
March.
Network
Rail
engineers
had
discovered
that
5,000
tonnes
of
material
had
slipped
beneath
50
metres
of
the
railway,
after
persistent
heavy
rain
over
the
past
few
months
had
weakened
the
structure.

Although
the
line
is
still
blocked
between
Wellington
and
Oakengates,
train
services
were
resumed
between
Birmingham
and
Shifnal
on
Monday.

West
Midlands
Railway
said
it
was
not
possible
then
to
continue
beyond
Shifnal
to
Telford
Central,
because
the
track
layout
imposed
‘operational
challenges’.
In
particular,
there
is
only
one
crossover,
which
is
midway
between
Shifnal
and
Telford
at
Madeley
Junction.

However,
WMR
said
a
safe
method
of
working
has
now
been
agreed,
and
Telford
Central
reopened
to
rail
traffic
this
morning,
with
a
limited
number
of
trains
departing
towards
Wolverhampton
and
Birmingham
again.

The
westbound
train
service
from
Telford
towards
Shrewsbury
is
still
suspended,
while
Network
Rail
engineers
continue
with
repairs.
Network
Rail
estimates
that
the
line
will
stay
closed
for
at
least
another
week,
and
buses
are
replacing
westbound
trains.