Network Rail engineers are working as fast as possible to reopen the Marston Vale Line for passengers.

The Bletchley to Bedford area has been significantly affected by thunderstorms. According to the MET desk, the morning storms resulted in an estimated 40mm of rainfall in just 3-4 hours.

During the afternoon and evening yesterday, storms brought a further 50-60mm, about 30mm of which fell in two hours. These totals are limited to specific areas, with the majority of the Bletchley-Bedford line seeing less than this.

The track’s signalling equipment and the power supply for the railway equipment on the Marston Vale line have been disrupted by the flooding.

The volume of water on the track has also affected the level crossings along the line. Due to prolonged and heavy rainfall, there is still a substantial amount of water to disperse before inspection and testing can take place.

No trains have been able to run in either direction on the Marston Vale line between Bedford and Bletchley since yesterday (Monday 23 September. The railway is expected to be closed for at least seven days until the rainwater has subsided

Buses will replace trains in both directions between Bletchley and Bedford until at least Sunday 29 September. Network Rail advises passengers to check with the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner before travelling.

The Marston Vale line runs between Bletchley and Bedford. It is the surviving section of the former line between Oxford and Cambridge, most of which was closed in the late 1960s.

I’m sorry to passengers affected by the flooding. We have specialist repair teams on site working as fast as they can to make the railway safe.

Gary Walsh, West Coast South’s route director