Network Rail will be working in the Swindon area over the weekends of 27-29 May and 10-11 June 2017 as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan. The work Roman Road/Ermin Street bridge and Swindon station will pave the way for electrification of the Great Western main line from London to Cardiff and the arrival of GWR’s new fleet of InterCity Express trains.
They need to lower the track under the listed Roman Road/Ermin Street bridge to create room for the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) that will power the new electric trains.
They will need to carry out site preparation works, remove rail and sleepers, remove spoil from the site, and install new ballast, sleepers and rails. We will follow this with a process known as tamping, when a machine is used to pack the track ballast under the railway tracks to make them more durable.
Tamping will ensure that the new sleepers sit fit firmly in the ballast, reducing noise and vibrations from the passing trains. We also need to carry out drainage work and follow-up work.
Due to the deep excavation under the bridge, we propose to close Ermin Street to traffic for the two core weekends of 27-29 May and 10-11 June, subject to local authority approval. Under the proposed closure, motorists would be required to follow a signed diversion via the A4312 Oxford Road, Greenbridge Roundabout and the B4006 Swindon Road. The bridge would remain open to pedestrians.
Rail services between Didcot and Bristol Parkway via Swindon will be affected over this bank holiday weekend. Read more about the works on the Swindon Travel Choices website.
