Landslip near entrance to Harbury Tunnel

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

I've always assumed that the tight curve on the Oxford - Worcester line at Aston Magna was down to a similar issue - that the original alignment suffered from the local geology / soil mechanics. I've never found any reference that explains when the line was moved. Can anyone enlighten me?

[IndustryInsider]

Closure for several weeks is on the cards.  That will be a big blow for Chiltern, Cross Country and the intermodal operators!

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Harbury-Tunnel-landslip-to-close-railway-for-several-weeks-226b.aspx

[Steve Bray]

This is when a fully doubled Cotswold Line could have come into use. Are there any possibilities for Cross Country to divert services from Oxford to Birmingham via Worcester?

[grahame]

This is when a fully doubled Cotswold Line could have come into use. Are there any possibilities for Cross Country to divert services from Oxford to Birmingham via Worcester?

With Swindon -> Kemble redoubled, Didcot to Birmingham via Swindon and Cheltenham Spa might be feasible.  And the line via Kemble was shown as a strategic line for freight diversions from Southampton to the Midlands and North in a recent government paper

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15061.0

[brompton rail]

This is when a fully doubled Cotswold Line could have come into use. Are there any possibilities for Cross Country to divert services from Oxford to Birmingham via Worcester?

I doubt that Voyagers are passed for the Cotswold Line, though they can and do run between Birmingham and Norton Junction at Worcester. HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are, of course cleared for the whole Oxford - Worcester - Birmingham route, though they are not permitted south of Basingstoke, and anyway don't run on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s South Coast route ( only on route to the South West).

And then, there is the minor problem of route knowledge and paths! Ah for the days of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)).

[ironstone11]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Landslip stops Chiltern Line trains at Harbury Tunnel

So there you have it: it's all Isambard Kingdom Brunel's fault. 

Perhaps Brunel did consider a tunnel, but realising the difficult ground conditions for tunnelling, considered a cutting to be the least worse option.

[stuving]

Perhaps Brunel did consider a tunnel, but realising the difficult ground conditions for tunnelling, considered a cutting to be the least worse option.

I found this picture on flickr, and in its caption:

The sides of the cutting became unstable, resulting in some minor landslips. Work took place at various stages in the 1990's to rectify the problem.

And more recently ... presumably last winter's thorough soaking has freed up some more slip planes, hence it needed to be re-rectified. Is there any quick fix to hold a bank in place while you fix it properly? I suspect not, and any intervention risks provoking a slip.

Harbury tunnel is very short indeed. So short you wonder why anyone (Brunel or not) bothered with it. Or was a longer tunnel being dug when it fell in, leaving a very deep and steep cutting?

[ellendune]

And more recently ... presumably last winter's thorough soaking has freed up some more slip planes, hence it needed to be re-rectified. Is there any quick fix to hold a bank in place while you fix it properly? I suspect not, and any intervention risks provoking a slip.

You are correct there are no quick fixes with landslips.

[stuving]

Harbury tunnel is very short indeed. So short you wonder why anyone (Brunel or not) bothered with it. Or was a longer tunnel being dug when it fell in, leaving a very deep and steep cutting?

Well, fancy that:

Date: 1869

Description: Work in progress in excavation of railway cutting, Harbury. c.1869

[It is thought that this picture shows the quarry siding and limekiln construction. The cutting and railway was opened in 1852 after the origonal tunnel collapsed in 1849. Brunel was brought to the site to see if the project could be rescued after the disaster]

[Chris from Nailsea]

... and not a single hi-viz orange outfit in sight, in that image: however did they manage? 

[eightf48544]

Lots of freights through Slough tonight!

[stuving]

Date: 1869

Description: Work in progress in excavation of railway cutting, Harbury. c.1869

[It is thought that this picture shows the quarry siding and limekiln construction. The cutting and railway was opened in 1852 after the origonal tunnel collapsed in 1849. Brunel was brought to the site to see if the project could be rescued after the disaster]

The same picture, with a different story, plus others, appear on the Warwickshire Railways site.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for researching and posting that historic item, stuving. 

I note that, sadly, another story on that particular page relates to the death of a schoolmaster who threw himself in front of a train - in 1895. 

[readytostart]

I doubt that Voyagers are passed for the Cotswold Line, though they can and do run between Birmingham and Norton Junction at Worcester. HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are, of course cleared for the whole Oxford - Worcester - Birmingham route, though they are not permitted south of Basingstoke, and anyway don't run on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s South Coast route ( only on route to the South West).

And then, there is the minor problem of route knowledge and paths! Ah for the days of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)).

Voyagers not passed for the Costwold line, just checked the traction route clearance certificate, unfortunately I can't find any public links to it so you'll have to take my word for it. To my knowledge only Bristol drivers sign the route from Didcot to Bristol / Gloucester via Swindon and a few Birmingham drivers Gloucester > Swindon > Bristol. Nowhere near enough to provide a robust service at short notice. Journey times along the route are generally only an hour longer utilising the buses between LMS^▸ (London Midland Scottish - 1923 to 1948) and BAN, not too bad even in time of pre-planned engineering work.

One odd side effect is that Solihull is back (albeit temporarily) on the XC map as services running from Newcastle to Leamington every two hours are being given stop orders for SOL and Warwick Parkway - presumably vice Chiltern services to free up space at LMS.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... unfortunately I can't find any public links to it so you'll have to take my word for it.

No problem with that, readytostart - thanks for your useful and informed comments.