South West rail lines to remain closed 'until further notice'
By George Thorpe
South West
Rail passengers in the South West are facing further disruption as lines damaged during Storm Chandra will stay closed for the foreseeable future. Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) have announced that engineers have been working tirelessly to repair the tracks, but the lines serving Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple, Exeter St Davids to Okehampton, and Liskeard to Looe will remain closed until the underwater structures can be safely inspected and repaired.
The storm caused visible damage to the tracks, but the real challenge lies beneath the surface. Specialist dive teams are needed to check the submerged structures, but the high water levels and fast currents make it unsafe for them to enter the water. As a result, the lines will stay closed until the water levels drop and the divers can do their job without risk.
Network Rail and GWR have set up bus and coach replacement services to minimize the disruption, and they apologize for any inconvenience caused. Further updates will be available on the GWR website.
Daryn McCombe, director of performance and train service delivery for GWR and director of network operations at Network Rail's Western route, said engineers have been working around the clock to keep passengers traveling safely when possible. He added, '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.'
The teams are working closely with weather forecasting experts and monitoring river levels to ensure the divers can enter the water as soon as conditions allow. This is a delicate process, and the safety of the divers and the public must be the top priority.
