Railway lines in southwest England remain closed following damage sustained during Storm Chandra, with reopening dates uncertain due to ongoing concerns about bridge stability and anticipated further adverse weather. The affected lines – Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple, Exeter St Davids to Okehampton, and Liskeard to Looe – have been disrupted since the storm, impacting travel across Devon and Cornwall.
Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) have stated that while visible damage to the tracks has been repaired, specialist dive teams are currently unable to assess the underwater foundations of key structures. High river levels and strong currents are preventing safe inspections, a situation exacerbated by a forecast for further rainfall. , GWR and Network Rail announced the lines would remain closed “until further notice.”
The delays are rooted in the widespread flooding caused by Storm Chandra, which in some locations inundated the railway lines in as many as 25 places. This flooding washed away the ballast – the foundation material supporting the tracks – and raised concerns about the structural integrity of the bridges along these routes. Chris Fuoco of Network Rail explained that the speed of the water, even after river levels initially dropped over the weekend, continues to pose a challenge. “We’re seeing over the weekend the river levels have dropped [but] the speed of the water is still a problem,” he said.
The situation is further complicated by a yellow rain warning currently in effect for Devon and Cornwall, running from to . This is the third such warning in the past week, indicating a sustained period of wet weather in the region. Network Rail anticipates that rising river levels and increased flow rates will further delay the deployment of dive teams needed to inspect bridge foundations.
Daryn McCombe, director of performance and train service delivery for GWR and director of network operations at Network Rail’s Western route, emphasized the priority of passenger safety. “We’ve been able to fix the problems we can see, but it’s really important to make sure that underwater structures remain sound and it’s not safe for divers to enter the water yet,” McCombe stated. The companies are coordinating with weather forecasting teams to identify optimal conditions for the dive inspections.
Bus and coach replacement services have been implemented to mitigate the disruption, but GWR and Network Rail have apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers. Travelers are advised to check for updates on GWR’s website before commencing their journeys. The lack of a firm reopening date introduces uncertainty for commuters and businesses reliant on these rail links.
The disruption highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure to extreme weather events. While the immediate focus is on restoring service, the incident raises questions about the long-term resilience of the southwest rail network in the face of increasingly frequent and intense storms. The need for investment in infrastructure improvements to better withstand such events is likely to come under scrutiny.
The closure impacts three key branch lines. The Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple line serves North Devon, a region popular with tourists and reliant on rail access. The Exeter St Davids to Okehampton line, reopened in after a long period of closure, provides a vital link for communities in rural Devon. The Liskeard to Looe line is a scenic route serving coastal towns in southeast Cornwall, also heavily used by tourists.
The economic impact of the closures extends beyond travel disruption. Businesses in the affected areas, particularly those dependent on tourism and commuter traffic, may experience reduced activity. The cost of providing replacement bus services also adds to the financial burden. While a precise quantification of the economic impact is not currently available, the prolonged disruption is likely to have a noticeable effect on the regional economy.
Network Rail is continuing to monitor the situation closely and will deploy dive teams as soon as conditions allow. The priority remains ensuring the safety of the railway infrastructure and providing a reliable service for passengers. However, the ongoing weather forecasts suggest that a swift resolution is unlikely, and travelers should prepare for continued disruption in the coming days.
