South Gloucestershire track and drainage upgrades
Extensive track and drainage work has been completed in Patchway and Filton, during a two-week closure of the Severn Tunnel
Two weeks of drainage and track renewals between Filton and the Severn Tunnel have been completed – improving the reliability and resilience of the railway for passengers and freight through South Gloucestershire.
From Saturday 23 May 2026 until the early hours of Tuesday 9 June, with trains diverted during Severn Tunnel electrification upgrades, we’ve worked inside the Bristol-bound Patchway tunnel, on the Filton West Curve junction and the Filton Chord.
Project in numbers
- Over 51,200 hours of work over 14 days.
- More than 2km of track renewals, including inside the Bristol-bound Patchway Tunnel and on the Filton West Chord
- 11 pre-formed track panels installed on the Filton West Curve junction
- 900m of drainage improvements
- Construction of a nine-piece footbridge within 24 hours at the new Bristol Brabazon station
Much of the work completed supports plans to reopen the Henbury line to passenger services this autumn for the first time since 1964, with up to 1.3 million passengers expected each year.
Work on the Filton Chord continues over the coming months with a focus on drainage and signalling.