Severn Estuary Resilience Programme

This summer, we are entering the third phase of the multi-million-pound programme plan to improve resilience of the Newport-Gloucester line.

A vital rail link for passengers that connects South Wales with the West Country, Midlands and north of England.

Over the last two years, our resilience works have focussed on a three-mile stretch of railway between Lydney and Gloucester. To date, we’ve removed 15,000m3 of fallen rock and earth from the steep slopes and installed approximately 45,000m2 of netting and over 5000 rock bolts. 

As the railway line runs along the Severn Estuary it’s exposed to extreme weather. This challenging environment has seen the line regularly impacted by landslips, leading to extended closures of the railway and temporary speed restrictions. 

As well as disrupting passengers, this impacts freight trains moving, steel, petrol, and construction materials. The route also serves ‘Tesco trains’, keeping supermarkets stocked with essential supplies. With the long-term viability of the line at stake, significant investment has been committed to help protect the line’s future.  

Phase 3 – summer 2024 

This year’s work will focus on an area between Purton and Awre in the Forest of Dean, where engineers will drill nearly 4,000 holes, each between four and five metres deep, before installing rock bolts and rockfall netting to fully stabilise more than 17,500 square metres of the railway. 

This will upgrade the current temporary netting system put in place in phase one of the work in 2022 to catch falling material, to a permanent netting system, which holds the cliff material in place. 

While the railway is closed, we will also be carrying out essential drainage work in Newnham Tunnel, renewing one mile of track and upgrading several level crossings. 

Our teams have started preparations on site in June and will continue throughout July before the main work starts. 

The core work will take place from Monday 22 July to Saturday 10 August. During this time buses will replace trains for all or parts of the journeys between Severn Tunnel Junction and Gloucester. 

Please note that the line will re-open for the weekend on 27 – 28 July so if you plan to travel, please check before travelling on National Rail.

Site compounds for staff parking and materials have been set up at Lydney, Purton, Etloe and Awre. 

As a result, there will be increased activity and road traffic in the area, plus heavy machinery on the railway. Where possible, we will use minibuses to transport staff to reduce the number of cars on local roads. 

We will return to daytime shifts once the line has been reopened with work continuing every Saturday night between 10pm – 9:30am until the end of the year. 

Phase 2 – summer 2023 

In summer 2023, we carried out a second intensive phase of work in this area, focusing on a one mile stretch close to Purton, just west of phase one. 

Work was completed in early 2024.  

The video below shows the installation of a mesh-and-bolt system on a steep cutting along a mile of railway near Lydney.  The work was carried out between 31 July and 18 August 2023. Please note, this video has no audio description or voice over. 

Phase one – summer 2022

During a planned seven-week closure of the line in summer 2022, rock and earth were removed from the face of a two-mile stretch of a steep cutting near Lydney, just east of phase 2. 

Teams on ropes then installed a temporary netting system on the slopes, to stop rock and earth falling on the track below.   

Future work

Our work to make the line more resilient is due to continue until 2026.

Get in touch

If you have any questions about our work, please call our National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 or email crwales@networkrail.co.uk