A landslip caused by extreme weather has disrupted operations on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, prompting a revised timetable for midweek services.
In February, the embankment adjacent to the track between Gotherington and Bishops Cleeve gave way. This failure is attributed to a combination of last year’s record-breaking hot summer followed by an exceptionally wet winter.
Railway officials first noticed cracks on the embankment back in September and closely monitored the site. However, a series of intense storms in early 2024 ultimately triggered a sudden collapse.
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Sarah Clayton, the railway’s Infrastructure Manager, said, “Cracks appeared along the top of the embankment last September, so we have been vigilantly tracking any movement since then. In January, sustained, heavy rainfall seems to have caused a rapid failure, which occurred in late February.”
Fortunately, the landslip happened on the disused former Up (Malvern) side of the embankment, away from the current tracks. The area is near a similar failure experienced three years ago. After a thorough civil engineering evaluation, it was deemed safe to allow trains to pass, but with a strict speed limit of 5 mph.
Clayton added, “We have implemented drainage improvements along the line, which have helped prevent earthworks failures elsewhere. However, these embankments are over a century old, built with limited geological knowledge at the time. The embankments were constructed using clay excavated from the Greet Tunnel and nearby cuttings.”
“Modern construction methods would use gentler slopes and different materials to ensure greater stability, considering the local ground conditions,” she explained.
Repair works are currently in progress, involving the use of crushed stone compacted at a shallower angle to rebuild the collapsed section. While repairs continue, a revised timetable will be in effect for weekday services until Thursday, May 14.
Trains will run between Broadway and Winchcombe Stations, stopping at Toddington and, on some journeys, Hayles Abbey Halt. Weekend services to Cheltenham Racecourse will proceed as usual, though trains will observe the speed restriction near the affected embankment.