Trains between Somerset and Dorset will be affected by important rail improvement schemes.

Network Rail is renewing the track between Maiden Newton and Chetnole stations as well as undertaking essential maintenance at Yeovil Pen Mill, Yetminster and Dorchester West.

As a result, Great Western Railway (GWR) will not be able to operate train services between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth from Saturday 24th to Friday 30th September.

This means:

• GWR trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth will terminate at Yeovil Pen Mill instead
• South Western Railway (SWR) trains to Yeovil Junction via Yeovil Pen Mill will terminate at Castle Cary or Westbury
• SWR trains for Weymouth and Upwey as well as Dorchester South will be unaffected
• Customers with GWR tickets can travel on SWR services via Southampton Central
• Replacement buses are planned to operate to stations between Yeovil Pen Mill, Dorchester West and Weymouth

Ben Scott, GWR's station manager for Westbury, Wiltshire and Dorset, commented: "This upgrade work will help to reduce the risk of any issues developing with the track or vital structures that might affect our services on the Heart of Wessex line.

"Unfortunately, this will mean that we won't be able to operate trains between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth for seven days and buses will replace those trains.

"SWR will still run train 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 bearing with us during this planned engineering work by Network Rail to upgrade an important rail link."

Mark Killick, Network Rail's Wessex route director, added: "I'm really pleased our upgrade of the Heart of Wessex line is continuing and although we are taking a full week to do the work, it will result in much less disruption for passengers overall."

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