Trains are running again between Axminster and Exeter St Davids after Network Rail teams worked around the clock for two weeks in order to renew the line.
The line reopened for passenger use on time in the morning of Saturday 23 November, however treacherous weather conditions due to Storm Bert resulted in a revised service being run along the West of England Line until Monday.
During the two-week closure, engineers laid a mile of new track through the Honiton Tunnel, which has replaced the existing 50-year-old rails. This work required the installation of 2,300 concrete sleepers and 4,000 tonnes of new ballast stone. In order to complete this work, 15 engineering trains, one tamper, eight road rail vehicles and two road rail bulldozers were deployed to the site over the past fortnight.
The tunnel, which was originally opened in 1860 and consists of 11 million bricks, is prone to leaks from the natural springs in the area and over 150 metres of new drainage has been installed at the Honiton end of the tunnel to help preserve the line.
Teams also replaced half a mile of track between Pinhoe and Feniton, while also stabilising the embankment at Cleave, where there was a landslip in May. The Honiton end of the tunnel also fell victim to a landslip in August and Network Rail have worked to stabilise the surrounding area to reduce the risks to the railway.
This work is part of a wider scheme to renew the West of England Line, which connects Exeter with London Waterloo via Honiton, Axminster, Yeovil, Salisbury, Basingstoke and Woking. Further work to renew the line is scheduled to take place in 2025.
Mark Goodall, Wessex Route Director, said: “I am delighted that works to renew the line through the Honiton tunnel have been completed and trains are now able to run through from Axminster to Exeter. The West of England Line is a critical route for connecting passengers from Devon to London, and vice versa, and I hope these works improve the resilience of this vital stretch of track.
“I want to pay tribute to everyone involved in bringing this renewal work around the Honiton tunnel to its conclusion. They have worked, often in the confines of the tunnel, a combined 7,500 hours to ensure we could achieve this ambitious project within the two weeks.
Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director for South Western Railway, said: “We're very pleased to see the line between Axminster and Exeter re-open following essential maintenance by our colleagues at Network Rail. Two weeks is a long time to close such an important part of the West of England Line and so we are very grateful for our customers' patience.”
Image credits: Network Rail
