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Flooding Causes Rail Chaos

25th July 2007 Due to the flooding in Central and Southern England Virgin Trains, Central Trains and First Great Western have all cancelled a number of services. Other train operators are still operating on their normal routes, but are subject to alterations and delays due to earlier weather problems across England and Wales.

Virgin Trains
Service plan for Monday 23 July - Friday 27 July 2007

The route between Reading and Oxford has been closed and is not expected to reopen before Thursday 26 July.

- A shuttle train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Oxford, departing Birmingham New Street for Oxford at xx03 minutes past the hour and departing Oxford for Birmingham New Street at xx37 minutes past the hour

- A shuttle train service will run between Bournemouth and Reading, departing Bournemouth for Reading at xx46 minutes past the hour and departing Reading for Bournemouth at xx45 minutes past the hour

Full train timings of these services can be found by click on the On-line Journey Planners

Customers intending to travel with Virgin Trains to/from Reading are strongly advised NOT to travel until the weather conditions improve and the direct route is reopened to rail traffic.

Services on other Virgin Trains Cross Country routes are now able to operate normally

Customers intending to travel between Reading and Birmingham are strongly advised to delay their journeys until a later date. If travel is absolutely essential today, customers may travel via London using First Great Western and Virgin Trains West Coast Services, who are both accepting Virgin CrossCountry tickets. However, please note that First Great Western services are extremely busy. Midland Mainline and GNER will also accept Virgin CrossCountry tickets to allow customers from stations north of Birmingham to travel via London

A full refund will be given for unused tickets where a journey has been prevented due to flooding.

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Central Trains

Birmingham New Street - Worcester - Great Malvern - Ledbury - Hereford
Train services will operate as normal between Birmingham New Street and Great Malvern, but are currently unable to operate between Great Malvern and Hereford.

A replacement bus service will operate between Great Malvern and Hereford, calling at Colwall & Ledbury in both directions.

Inspections of the line will take place during this morning, and it is hoped to reopen the line by 1300 on Wednesday 25th July, subject to a continuing improvement in weather conditions.

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First Great Western

Service plan for Wednesday 25 July

London Paddington - Reading - Didcot Parkway - Oxford
The line between Didcot and Oxford is closed, and is expected to reopen on Thursday 26 July, subject to a continued improvement in the weather conditions.

There will be a London Paddington - Didcot shuttle train service.
A half-hourly direct bus service will operate between Didcot and Oxford at xx25 & xx55 in each direction. A limited road transport service will operate to Appleford, Culham & Radley.

There will be an Oxford - Banbury shuttle train service, with connections available between Banbury and London Marylebone with Chiltern Railways. There will be an Oxford - Bicester Town shuttle train service.

Charlbury - Evesham - Worcester - Great Malvern - Hereford
The line between Oxford and Worcester via Charlbury and Evesham is closed, and is expected to remain closed until Monday 6 August at the earliest. The line between Worcester and Hereford is also closed, but will hopefully reopen by 1300 on Wednesday 25th July, subject to a continued improvement in the weather conditions.

Alternative road transport is available as follows (subject to road conditions):

- Between Evesham & Cheltenham. A replacement bus service will operate at xx00 until 2200 in each direction

- Between Honeybourne & Evesham. Use local bus service number 554.

- Between Worcester, Pershore & Evesham. Use local bus service number 551

- Between Witney, Hanborough, Eynsham & Oxford. Use local bus service number 11 (First Great Western tickets will be accepted)

- Between Charlbury, Combe & Oxford. Use local bus service number 20A (First Great Western tickets will be accepted)

- Charlbury to Didcot (direct). Taxis will be provided at 0620 & 0647, and a bus at 0915

- Kingham to Didcot (direct). Taxis will be provided at 0608 & 0637

- Hanborough to Didcot (direct). Taxis will be provided at 0628 & 0654

- Didcot to Charlbury, Kingham & Hanborough. Direct taxis will be provided at 1820 & 1920, and a bus between Didcot & Charlbury (direct) at 1700

- Moreton-In-Marsh to Didcot (direct). A replacement bus service will operate at 0800 from Moreton-in-Marsh, and at 1820 from Didcot

Central Trains services are operating between Worcester and Great Malvern, with an hourly replacement bus service operating between Great Malvern and Hereford.

A near normal service is expected on all other routes, subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.

Virgin Trains and South West Trains will accept First Great Western tickets on reasonable routes, and Chiltern Railways will accept First Great Western tickets between Banbury and London Marylebone.

Customers who have been unable to use their tickets can apply for a refund from First Great Western

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For further information please visit National Rail.

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