Railway lines serving Portsmouth have reopened after trees were cleared from tracks at Worplesdon and Portchester, but passengers still face delays and cancellations whilst normal services resume.
Portchester Line Reopens After Tree Clearance
Train services through Portchester station have resumed following the removal of a fallen tree that blocked the railway line earlier today. However, passengers should expect continued disruption until 14:00 on 23 June as operators work to restore normal timetables.
South Western Railway’s specialist teams successfully cleared the obstruction, allowing all lines to reopen. Despite this progress, services may still face short-notice cancellations, delays, or revisions as the network returns to regular operation.
To assist affected passengers, tickets will be accepted at no additional charge on alternative services including GWR routes between Portsmouth Harbour and Salisbury, and Southern services connecting Southampton Central with Portsmouth & Southsea.
Alternative Transport Options Available
Multiple bus services are accepting rail tickets to help passengers complete their journeys:
First Bus routes:
- Route 1: Portsmouth to Fratton
- Route 2: Portsmouth, Hilsea, and Cosham
- Route 3: Portsmouth, Hilsea, Cosham, Portchester, and Fareham
- Route X4: Portsmouth to Southampton via Portchester, Fareham, and Swanwick
- Route X5: Portsmouth to Southampton via Fareham and Bursledon
- Routes 28 and 28A: Fareham to Swanwick
Additional services include Stagecoach and Bluestar routes connecting Southampton, Fareham, Winchester, and surrounding areas.
Emergency bus replacement services are operating between Eastleigh and Fareham, Fratton and Fareham, and Fareham to Southampton Central, though these are not running to fixed timetables.
Taxi Reimbursement Scheme Activated
Due to the significant disruption, passengers travelling between Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central, or between Fareham and Eastleigh, may arrange their own taxis and claim reimbursement through the South Western Railway website.
Claims require full contact details, journey times and dates, departure and arrival stations, incident description, and copies of both train tickets and taxi receipts.
Other Network Issues
Worplesdon services have also resumed after a dangerous tree was removed from the line, with disruption expected to continue until 11:00 on 23 June.
Wimbledon station remains affected by points failure, blocking all lines towards Clapham Junction until 12:00 on 23 June.
Passengers seeking further information should contact station staff, use help points, or call South Western Railway on 0345 6000 650. Compensation details are available through the operator’s standard policy for delayed journeys.
