18.02.14
Unstone track ‘very unstable’ after hillside slip
A hillside slip has forced the closure of one the two tracks in Unstone, near Chesterfield.
The recent extreme weather had made the hillside above the track very unstable, Network Rail says, and trains have been running at reduced speed since the New Year.
From today an hourly direct service will be maintained between Sheffield and London, but some services will be cancelled and some routes in Sheffield and Chesterfield will see longer journey times.
Phil Verster, route managing director for Network Rail, explained: “We have done everything possible to maintain a normal service through Unstone but the continuing poor weather and movement of the bank means we will need to close one of the tracks. This decision has been taken to protect the safety of everyone who uses and works on the railway. We thank passengers and our freight customers for their patience as we deal with this situation.
“From the start of service on Tuesday 18 February we will need to alter train services in order to divert around this area while our expert teams stabilise the hillside. The line will fully reopen as quickly as it is safe to do so. At the moment we anticipate the work could take between four and six weeks. We will confirm the re-opening date as soon as possible.”
CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains and Northern Rail said: “We are sorry that our passengers are facing this disruption. We have been working closely with Network Rail to understand the problem at Unstone and to maintain services wherever possible. We would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding and assure them we are all working together to return rail services in the area as soon as possible.”
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