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Trains between Dorset and Somerset are expected to be affected by major rail improvement schemes.
Network Rail is undertaking essential maintenance at Dorchester West as well as a number of stations in Somerset.
As a result, Great Western Railway (GWR) will not be able to operate services between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill between Sunday September 24 and Friday September 30.
Trains from Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth will terminate at Yeovil Pen Mill with replacement bus services then running to Dorchester West and Weymouth.
South Western Railway trains to Weymouth, Upwey and Dorchester South will not be affected while GWR services will be able to travel on SWR routes via Southampton Central.
Ben Scott, GWR Station Manager for Westbury, Wiltshire and Dorset, said: “These upgrades will help to reduce the risk of issues developing with the track or vital structures which could affect our services on the Heart line. of Wessex.
“Unfortunately this means we will be unable to operate any trains between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth for seven days and buses will replace these trains.
“SWR will still operate rail services between Weymouth, Upwey and Dorchester South and they have agreed to accept GWR tickets on their trains as an alternative.
“We would like to thank our customers for their patience in supporting us during this planned engineering work by Network Rail to upgrade an important rail link.”
Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex Route Director, said: ‘I am really delighted that our upgrade of the Heart of Wessex line is continuing and although we are taking a full week to carry out the work it will cause a lot less disruption to passengers overall. .
“It’s not just because doing the job this way means we avoid having to shut down the track for many more weekends, but because the new track will also be much more reliable.
“The old-fashioned track is not good for dealing with high temperatures because it expands so much in the heat and that means we have to put in severe speed restrictions, which delays passengers.
“The new track is part of an upgrade that will allow us to continue serving passengers on this line in hot weather. Further work is due to be completed in February and March next year, ready for the summer.
For the latest information, visit our website at GWR.com/Wessex.
