A MAJOR rail artery between the Midlands, Oxford, London and the south coast was closed on April 3 by Network Rail after signs of failure were spotted on Nuneham viaduct, which spans the River Thames.
NR said initially that the line in Oxfordshire would be closed for up to three weeks, but as the investigation and assessment work continued, it was realised the damage was greater than anticipated and the closure was extended to at least June 10.
The problem is a crumbling brick abutment on the southern side of a steel bowstring viaduct just over a mile south of Radley station. It has been under observation since 2018 using monitoring equipment for a period of time after it was discovered to be sinking.
Close up of the crumbling bridge abutment. NR