Devon and Cornwall branch lines to stay shut as flood inspections delayed

Rail disruption across parts of Devon and Cornwall is set to continue after Network Rail and Great Western Railway confirmed that three branch lines will stay closed until further notice while safety checks are carried out following last week’s storms.

Engineers have already completed repairs to visible damage on sections of the Barnstaple and Okehampton routes. Attention has now turned to submerged infrastructure along the lines, including bridges and viaducts, which require inspection by specialist dive teams to confirm they have not been compromised by floodwater. However, the latest assessments show river levels remain too high and water flows too strong for divers to operate safely.

Because of this, the following routes remain closed:

• Exeter St Davids – Barnstaple
• Exeter St Davids – Okehampton
• Liskeard – Looe

To maintain some level of connectivity, a limited rail replacement bus service is running between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton, calling only at those two stations. An hourly return coach service is also operating between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple, while ticket acceptance has been arranged on certain local bus routes. Separate bus replacement services are in place between Liskeard and Looe.

Rail bosses say the priority remains passenger safety, with reopening dependent on when conditions allow underwater inspections to be carried out.

Daryn McCombe, director of performance and train service delivery for GWR and director of network operations at Network Rail’s Western route, said:

“We’re really sorry for the continued disruption on these lines following Storm Chandra last week. GWR and Network Rail teams have been working tirelessly to safely keep customers moving wherever possible. We've been able to fix the problems we can see, but it's really important to make sure that underwater structures remain sound and it's not safe for divers to enter the water yet. We're working with our weather forecasting teams and monitoring the river levels so that the divers can enter the water as soon as conditions allow. Please continue to check the GWR website for the latest updates.”

Image: Network Rail