Severn Valley Railway has said it may be summer before its full line to Bridgnorth can reopen, following a major landslip near Eardington.
In January, heavy rain caused one of the wing walls on the bridge over Mor Brook to collapse. The damage left part of the track hanging in mid-air, with hundreds of tonnes of rubble and earth falling into the river below.
Engineers now face a major task to rebuild the embankment, repair the bridge, and relay track over the affected section. Discussions are ongoing with insurers, but even if the work is covered, the excess alone is expected to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
So far, Severn Valley Railway has raised around £125,000 to support the repairs. The communications team have confirmed that even with quick contractor engagement, reopening is unlikely before July and may not happen until the school summer holidays.
In the meantime, trains continue to run on the unaffected stretch of the line between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade.
Engineers will also need to ensure Mor Brook is protected throughout the work. The team has highlighted that heavier rainfall — increasingly linked to climate change — is making incidents like this more common across both heritage and mainline networks.
