On weekdays from next Monday 27th February to Friday, 10th March, train services between Dorchester West, Yeovil Pen Mill, and Castle Cary in Somerset and Dorset will be disrupted whilst Network Rail carries out track upgrades and maintenance.

During the closure, Network Rail also plans to carry out improvements to Maiden Newton station. Last September, the line between Yeoveil Pen Mill and Weymouth was closed whilst Network Rail renewed the track between Maiden Newton and Chetnole.

There will be no impact on South Western Railway trains serving Weymouth, Upwey or Dorchester South stations.

The effect of the work is as follows:

• between Yeovil Pen Mill and Dorchester West, there will be no trains from Monday, 27th February to Friday, 3rd March, and from Monday, 6th to Friday, 10th March;
• between Yeovil Pen Mill and Castle Cary, there will be no trains on Monday, 6th and Tuesday, 7th March;

between Weymouth and Bristol Temple Meads:

• trains will start/terminate at Yeovil Pen Mill from Monday, 27th February to Friday, 3rd March;
• trains will start/terminate at Castle Cary on Monday, 6th and Tuesday, 7th March;
• trains will start/terminate at Yeovil Pen Mill from Wednesday, 8th to Friday, 10th March;
• buses will replace trains between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill from Monday, 27th February to Friday, 3rd March, and from Monday, 6th to Friday, 10th March;
• buses will replace trains between Yeovil Pen Mill and Castle Cary on Monday, 6th and Tuesday, 7th March.

South Western Railway will accept Great Western Railway tickets on trains between Weymouth and Southampton Central. Tickets for Dorchester West will also be valid for Dorchester South. Customers travelling between Weymouth and Bristol Temple Meads will be able to change trains at Southampton Central and then complete their journey on a Great Western Railway service.

Further information about the changes can be found online at GWR.com/Wessex.

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 closer to a safer, more reliable railway and I’d like to thank our passengers for their patience over the next few weeks.”