Network Rail has thanked passengers after completing major emergency repairs in Stoke Mandeville following a landslip caused by heavy rainfall.  

The railway between London Marylebone and Aylesbury via Amersham reopened on March 5 after engineers closed one of the two tracks between Aylesbury and Amersham stations for four days.

This was to stabilise an embankment and repair the track allowing trains to safely resume.

On February 27, engineers closed one of the two tracks north of Stoke Mandeville station in Buckinghamshire after a track defect was identified.

Approximately 5,000 tonnes of material had slipped along a 20-metre section of the railway embankment after persistent heavy rainfall weakened the earth beneath it.

The emergency repairs involved installing 120 specialist nine-metre-long ‘soil nails’ into the railway embankment to stabilise the affected area.

Adam Checkley, infrastructure director for Network Rail, said: “I’m sorry to passengers and local people affected by the landslip at Stoke Mandeville while we completed repairs to the track and embankment.

“I’m pleased to advise that we’ve fully reopened the track this morning which means passengers can once again travel between Aylesbury and London Marylebone via Amersham.

“The repair work involved our engineers working very closely to nearby residents gardens so I want to thank them for their patience along with passengers whose journeys were impacted."

Tony Baxter, operations director at Chiltern Railways, added: "While these complex repairs have been taking place, we've been diverting services where possible, and where this hasn't been possible, keeping people on the move with rail replacement bus services.

“I'm sorry for the disruption that this closure has caused customers, and glad that we are able to return to our normal timetable."

Passengers have been recommended to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for the latest travel advice.