Skip to content

Swindon railway lines reopen after flooding disruption

GWR A flooded railway line in Swindon, WiltshireGWR
Trains between London Paddington and Bristol were cancelled due to flooding

All lines have reopened on railways in the West after flooding caused major disruption.

Following heavy rain on Friday the railway was flooded at Swindon, causing cancellations, with some lines remaining blocked on Saturday morning.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said a full timetable would resume from midday.

Meanwhile several roads remain closed in Wiltshire, with the council advising people not to drive through flood water.

It said there was "a lot of standing water on roads" throughout the county.

Two schools in Swindon and Cheltenham were forced to close on Friday, as flooding impacted drivers and railway passengers.

Gloucestershire also saw heavy rain on Friday, affecting areas such as Stroud, where the canal overflowed onto a walkway.

Mike Barby Canal overflowing from a lock onto a walkway in Dudbridge near StroudMike Barby
The canal in Dudbridge near Stroud has spilled over onto a walkway

One lane was also closed on the M4 westbound due to flooding from J16 (Swindon West) to J17 A350 (Chippenham), but this has now receded and the lane has reopened.

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had attended 25 incidents related to flooding in the past 24 hours, but that things "had calmed down".

A spokesperson for GWR said Network Rail teams had "worked hard in restoring the line and carry out extensive safety checks in the flooded areas".

They added that tickets for 20 and 21 October would be valid on Sunday 22 October "for customers whose journey plans have been disrupted over the last 24 hours".

Customers who bought tickets but did not travel can claim a full refund or amend their ticket.

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

Several roads remain closed in Wiltshire:

  • Marlborough Road between Royal Wootton Bassett and Broad Town
  • B4069 between Sutton Benger and Christian Malford
  • Bowden Hill, Lacock road - Reybridge
  • Bradford Road, Melksham
  • Staverton to Holt Road (flood barriers closed)

Wiltshire Council said: "Due to the recent heavy rainfall, there are a number of areas in Wiltshire that are flooded or at risk of flooding.

"Please drive safely and to the conditions at all times."

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Presentational grey line

Follow BBC West on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]