Torrential rain in January led to disruptions with two major landslips and tracks flooded from the West Country to the North East of England.

One of the most serious incidents happened when 2,000 tonnes of earth and debris plummeted down the side of a cutting west of Chipping Sodbury tunnel on the main line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway.

No trains were in the area at the time but the incident affected signalling between Westerley Junction and Hullavington, leading to train cancellations. A 40mph speed limit was imposed.

More than 40 Network Rail maintenance staff worked throughout the night of 24/25 January to clear the massive pile of debris from the London bound tracks and by early morning the first trains were getting through again.

Network Rail’s West Country maintenance teams worked with earthworks specialists from contractors McAlpine and signalling staff to clear the tracks and carry out repairs  to signalling.

The area was due to be closed for maintenance over the following weekend and engineers moved in to complete repairs.

Meanwhile, in West Yorkshire, around 40 tonnes of mud and vegetation collapsed by the railway at Elland on the Hebden Bridge-Wakefield railway line on Monday 21 January.

Engineers estimate it could cost around £4 million to get a permanent fix and rail services are likely to be disrupted for several months. Around 100,000 tonnes of material will have to be removed.

Dyan Crowther, route director for Network Rail, said: “Although this site was not a problem for us during the floods last summer, engineers were already investigating what action was needed and a speed restriction had been placed on the lines to ensure safety.

“We have teams of specialists on site who will continue to work to find a suitable long-term solution.”

Access to the site is difficult as it sits a considerable distance from any main roads.

A road was closed and train services disrupted following a minor landslip on to rail tracks in the south Wales valleys. Heavy rain caused the small landslide onto the rail line between Tonypandy and Llwynypia.

Trains between Ystrad Rhondda and Porth were suspended temporarily.

Northern Rail advised people not to travel after many of the company’s routes were hit by flooding earlier in the month.

At one time there were no train services on at least 11 routes, including those between Leeds to Manchester Victoria, Skipton to Morecambe, Ilkley to Guisley, Keighley to Skipton and Leeds to Sheffield via Barnsley.

There were also suspensions to services between Huddersfield and Sheffield, Worksop and Lincoln, Bolton to Blackburn and Clitheroe, and Carlisle to Whitehaven on the Cumbrian Coast line.

n THOUSANDS of commuters faced delays after a major blaze threatened overhead power lines near Cumbernauld on the line to Lanark.

Fire appliances were used to deal with 400 tonnes of burning tyres on wasteland .