Trains now 'able to run' between Wolverhampton and Telford Central following landslip
Trains are now able to run between Wolverhampton and Telford Central after engineers and rail companies agreed a "safe method of working".
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The route has been closed since March 8 following the landslip at Oakengates, between Wellington and Telford Central, with rail replacement buses in operation.
Network Rail, which maintains the tracks, estimated the railway would be closed until at least March 28 while engineers worked to repair it, which involved fixing a landslip of 5,000 tonnes of material.
In attempts to ease disruption, West Midlands Railway began running a limited service between Wolverhampton and Shifnal on March 18.
The rail operator confirmed on Thursday to the relief of commuters that trains will resume calling at Telford Central following an "agreement on a safe method of working".
It added a service will be running every two hours between Wolverhampton and Telford Central, with rail replacement buses still in place.
The landslip has impacted services across various operators including West Midlands Railway, Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast.
In the initial phases of repairing it, Network Rail teams were tasked with cutting back and clearing vegetation from the railway embankment in order to understand the scale of the damage.
Speaking upon the closure of the rail line, Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience director, said: "This is a significant landslip and I would like to thank our passengers on the Shrewsbury line for their patience while Network Rail carries out these safety-critical repairs."
