Network Rail has completed work on the Nuneham Viaduct in Oxfordshire.

The work was complete ahead of schedule and the viaduct has now officially opened.

The railway between Didcot and Oxford was closed on Monday 03 April after significant movements in the viaduct were detected due to emerging structural issues with the south bank abutment.

The rail industry, including Great Western Railway (GWR), Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry, worked closely to keep passengers moving during the closure, whilst Network Rail’s engineers and contractors at Balfour Beatty carried out emergency repairs, which completed, ahead of schedule.

On Friday 09 June, the first passenger service to cross the viaduct in just under ten weeks was a GWR shuttle train between Oxford and Didcot. A full timetable for all train operators is planned to resume from Saturday 10 June.


Around 800 people have worked nearly 60,000 hours, to successfully install the new steel support, which will secure the future of this important rail link for generations to come.

In the final week of the major project, the 150-tonne bridge was lowered onto the new abutment, a new embankment built, before the railway tracks and cables were put back in place.

Engineers will remain on site for up to 12 weeks to finish works and demobilise the construction site, working outside of train operating hours, whilst track, signalling and station upgrades continue in Oxford city centre*.

Network Rail capital delivery director Stuart Calvert said: "We're extremely pleased to be able to reopen the railway through Nuneham, ahead of schedule, on Friday 09 June.

"A complex and challenging repair like this would normally take two to three years to complete, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of our talented teams of engineers, and industry experts, this major project has been turned around in just under ten weeks.

"Once again, I would like to thank our passengers, freight customers, local community and our industry partners for their patience, understanding and support whilst we carried out this work, which will protect this important rail link for generations to come."