Trains have begun running again between Ewell West and Epsom following a landslip more than three weeks ago.

The landslip closed the line from December 14 after heavy rainfall.

An assessment was carried out by engineers who discovered the saturated embankment had failed, causing the ground beneath the track to drop.

Since the closure of the line, teams have worked to repair the damage by removing the damaged track and 2,000 tonnes of material.

The track was replaced on the weekend (Saturday 4 to Sunday 5) and the signalling system was reconnected.

Tests were then run to confirm trains were safe to run this morning.

Christian Neill, SWR’s Interim Head of Stations, said: “We’d like to thank passengers for their patience over the festive period.

"We know this hasn’t been an easy time for those travelling on our services and are sorry for the inconvenience these major engineering works have caused to their journeys.

“We would also like to thank Network Rail for their hard-work to ensure services fully resume between Epsom and Ewell West stations ahead of the introduction of our new timetable on Monday.”

A temporary track was used to ensure the line would re-open for most people’s return to work.

Engineers will return to the site in the future to install the new track.

Due to the temporary track, some evening peak trains have been affected.

For more information visit https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/live-departures-and-arrivals