COMMUTERS could face two months of travel disruption after a landslide blocked a railway line this week.

South Western Railway announced the damage caused by the slide, which occurred on the train route between Salisbury and Romsey, caused "significant damage to the embankment".

Now the railway company has said "substantial repair work" is needed to get train services back on track, which is expected to take "up to two months".

Salisbury Journal:

It is believed a "flooded field" next to the line may have caused the ground below the track to move, according to a tweet from Network Rail Wessex.

One line reopened at 10am on Wednesday, February 19, to allow Great Western Railway to run one train an hour in each direction between Salisbury and Southampton Central; this lasted until 7pm.

South Western Rail added they have arranged replacement buses running between Romsey and Southampton, which will go in both directions via Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh.

Salisbury Journal:

Buses will also run from Salisbury to Southampton in both directions via Redbridge and Millbrook.

A spokesperson from South Western Railway said: "We are very sorry for the disruption this landslip is causing, our colleagues at Network Rail are working hard to re-open the line.

“GWR are now able to run an hourly service between Salisbury and Southampton and we have replacement buses to keep passengers moving between other affected stations.

“Our train planners are working hard with their Network Rail counterparts to see if they can introduce a service between at Southampton, Eastleigh,  Chandler’s Ford and Romsey in both directions.”

Network Rail has been contacted for comment.

The landslide happened on Tuesday, February 18.