Rail upgrades between Bristol and south Wales

We’re completing vital railway maintenance over two weeks in June, focused on South Gloucestershire and the Severn Tunnel.

From Monday 9 until the early hours of Saturday 21 June, we will be working around the clock to replace track, sleepers and stone in the Stoke Gifford area, as well as renewing points in Filton.

While the line is closed, engineers will also be carrying out essential maintenance on the overhead line that powers trains through the Severn Tunnel, where we replaced track last summer.

In the Severn Beach area of South Gloucestershire we will also be clearing vegetation.

Project in numbers:

Across our two main track work sites in South Gloucestershire we will be installing:

2,185 sleepers
1,480 tonnes of fresh track stone (ballast)
2.6km of track (plain line)
16 switches and crossings panels (which make up points)

We will be using:

20 road rail vehicles – used for digging out track and stone and installations
20 engineering trains – for bringing in materials and removing spoil
3 tamping trains – used to compact the new stone around the track

Compound and access arrangements

With multiple teams taking advantage of the opportunity while the line is closed, we have numerous work sites and access points in use.

The main control centre for the track work – where most of our workers will park and sign in – will be at Hunts Ground Road car park in Stoke Gifford. Minibuses will then take them to their various work sites, reducing traffic on local roads.

Vehicles, tools and workers will access the railway at Filton Abbey Wood Station, Conygre Avenue access point in Filton, Patchway station, Cattybrook access point and Pilning station.

For the Severn Tunnel work, staff will be mini-bused in from hotels to both our Green Lane access point in Severn Beach, and to the main compound at Garthalan Drive in Caldicot in Wales.

Travel information

Monday 9 – Friday 20 June, plus Sunday 29 June:

Trains between London and South Wales will use an alternative route between Swindon and Newport – stopping at Gloucester instead of Bristol Parkway.
A limited train service will still run between London Paddington and Bristol Parkway.
Train services will also be impacted in a similar way on Sunday 29 June until around 1600.
Replacement buses are planned to operate between Bristol Parkway and Newport/Cardiff Central.

Saturday 15 June

GWR trains will run between London Paddington and Bristol Parkway, plus between Newport and Swansea or Carmarthen.
Replacement buses are planned to operate between Bristol Parkway and Newport/Cardiff Central.