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Saturday 29 Mar 2025

COMPLETED: Staines to Windsor line reopens after essential railway upgrades

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

Train services between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside resumed running this morning (Saturday 29 March) following a week-long closure to carry out vital railway upgrades.

During the past week, Network Rail’s team of engineers has laid over 700m of new track, including over the 174-year-old Black Potts Railway Bridge which crosses the River Thames, just a mile away from Windsor Castle. The new rail is welded together to ensure smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers between Staines and Windsor.

Part of the railway through the Windsor area has a sharp curve which places additional stress on the steel rails that the trains travel on. To bolster the longevity of this section of track, engineers installed lateral supports to the sleepers which will bolster the strength and durability of the rails through this curve.

During this time, engineers also completed a range of other work in the wider Staines-upon-Thames area, including:

• Track upgrades and maintenance on the line between Staines and Egham and from Staines to Ascot and Woking.
• Structural repairs to the bridge over the River Wey near Addlestone.
• Installing new sleepers in the Feltham area.
• Widening the pedestrian walkway on one side of Mays Level Crossing by Datchet station.
• Cutting back overgrown trees and shrubs to maintain the safety of the railway on the Windsor line.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex Route Director, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for their patience over the last week while we carried out this essential maintenance work in the Windsor area.

“This week-long closure has allowed us to carry out a complex re-railing job over Black Potts Railway Bridge amongst a number of other important jobs and will ensure the continued safe and reliable running of services on the Windsor line for years to come.”

Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director for South Western Railway: “We are very pleased to see the line between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside reopen following this essential maintenance work. We are very grateful for our customers’ patience and look forward to welcoming them back on our services.”