Network Rail have plans for the next two weekends to upgrade the railway in Bristol. This WILL affect Great Western Railway services.

The work is taking place over the 11/12 and 18/19th November 2017. Key equipment for the electrification is being installed over the weekends.

This includes Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) to hold the wires for the eletrification. Bristol station will see platform and track improvements.

Electrification of the Great Western Railway will see more frequent and quicker Intercity Express Trains towards London from 2019.

11-12 November – Bristol Temple Meads

Train service will be diverted between Patchway and Swindon.

No trains will be calling at Bristol Parkway, with trains calling at Filton Abbey Wood on the 11th and 12th November.

A free shuttle bus will run to connect with trains to London Paddington, South Wales and Bristol TM.

Rail Replacement Bus services will run between Yate, Bristol Parkway and Filton Abbey Wood.

Customers travelling to the Wales Vs Austrailia rugby match on 11 November are advised to use Filton Abbey Wood

18-19 November – Work continues at Bristol Temple Meads

Express services will be diverted between Swindon and Newport – non stop via Gloucester.

Trains from Bristol Temple Meads to Newport and Gloucester, and also the Severn Beach line will be affected.

Rail Replacement buses will run between:

• Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway
• Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach
• Swindon, Bristol Parkway and Newport
• Bristol Parkway and Yate (Saturday 18th only)
• Bristol Parkway and Gloucester (Sunday 19th only)

Customers travelling to the Wales Vs Georgia rugby match on the 18th November – No trains will run from Bristol to Cardiff / Caerdyff. Direct Coaches will run from Bristol TM to Cardiff Central and will run after the match.

What did the officials say?

Matthew Barnes, Regional Development Manager for Great Western Railway said “This upgrade work will help to relieve a bottleneck at Bristol Parkway, which is crucial to be able to provide more frequent services; and alongside electrification of the line, will help to deliver the full benefit of our new Intercity Express Trains. We would like to thank our customers in advance for their patience during this work, which is a planned continuation of what was started in September.”

• Visit the GWR Website
  For more information