Repair of the landslip which halted trains south of Gotherington before Christmas, is on schedule to be completed in time for normal services to resume in March.

The landslip, on the western side of the railway's embankment just outside Cheltenham Racecourse, didn't affect the track but continuing to run trains past it could have caused further damage.  Work has involved digging away a substantial part of the embankment to put in land drainage and re-build the land to make it stable.  Civil engineering contractors George Law have been working full time and were well ahead of schedule before the snowfalls caused a temporary cessation of work. Access to the site for their plant and equipment was along a specially-built road from nearby Southam Lane, thanks to the helpful co-operation of local farmer Alec Newman.

Neil Carr, the GWR's operations director, says: "The contractors are doing an excellent job that should ensure the embankment remains stable for the next few decades and we are on target to re-open the line at the beginning of the season. The first trains will be our normal services operating to the Green Timetable on 7th and 8th March, immediately followed by the Cheltenham Festival trains from 10th to 13th March."

Total cost of the remedial works, which is being met by Travelers, the railway's insurers, is about £250,000.