Rail Improvement Works Set to Disrupt Train Services to and from Dorset

Get ready for chaos on the tracks, folks! Rail improvement works are about to leave commuters stranded and frustrated for a whopping ten weekdays. That's right, Network Rail is set to carry out track upgrades and maintenance between Dorchester West, Yeovil Pen Mill, and Castle Cary, as well as station improvements at Maiden Newton. So if you're traveling between Yeovil Pen Mill and Dorchester West from Monday, February 27 to Friday, March 10, forget about it! There won't be any trains running, and you'll have to rely on buses to get around.

And the bad news doesn't stop there, train lovers. Any trains between Weymouth and Bristol Temple Meads will be forced to start and terminate at Yeovil Pen Mill on weekdays between February 27 and March 3. That's a lot of hassle for those trying to get from point A to point B. But wait, there's more! GWR trains will be replaced by buses between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill on weekdays from February 27 to March 10. Yikes!

But don't worry, dear readers, because South Western Railway is coming to the rescue. They're accepting tickets between Weymouth and Southampton Central, so commuters can change trains and continue to Bristol Temple Meads using a different track route. It's not all doom and gloom, folks!

Ben Scott, GWR’s Station Manager for Westbury, Wiltshire & Dorset, said: “These upgrades are part of an ongoing programme of work that will enable us to maintain services for customers travelling on the Heart of Wessex route. To help customers, we have ticket acceptance in place with SWR and Network Rail has agreed to reopen the line to enable our Weymouth trains to run at the weekend. We will also be providing alternative road transport, to ensure our customers can still complete their journeys during this period.”

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “I’m delighted to see that our work to improve the railway in the Heart of Wessex is continuing this February. Over the last few years, we’ve made a major investment in this area to improve our infrastructure, renewing miles of track, refurbishing stations, and replacing a bridge at Yetminster. This upcoming closure means we’re another step closure to a safer, more reliable railway, and I’d like to thank our passengers for their patience over the next few weeks.” Better pack a snack, folks - this is going to be a bumpy ride!