Great Western Railway is warning passengers to plan ahead this weekend, as engineering work taking place will affect travel.

Trackwork on the Heart of Wessex Line will affect trains between Dorchester and Weymouth on the 22nd of September.

GWR says that it still plans to run trains between Dorchester West and Westbury and onto Bristol Temple Meads.

Rail replacement buses will operate between Yeovil Pen Mill and Upwey / Weymouth only. Buses will be provided for South Western Railway passengers between Wareham and Weymouth.

Between the 23rd and 29th of September, trains will be disrupted but GWR says that trains will run between Castle Cary and Westbury and then onto Bristol Temple Meads.

Buses will call at all stations between Castle Cary and Weymouth. However, SWR trains at Dorchester South will be unaffected between London Waterloo and Weymouth.

“This improvement work forms part of an ongoing programme of maintenance, helping to ensure we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.

“GWR will provide rail replacement services between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth on Sunday 22 September, then between Castle Cary and Weymouth until Sunday 29 September.

“As an alternative, customers can also travel between Westbury and Weymouth using SWR services via Southampton Central from Monday 23 to Friday 27 September.

“However, please note that buses replace all trains via Southampton Central on the weekend of 28/29 September so this alternative will not be an option.

“It’s important customers understand these alternative arrangements will make their normal journey times longer, so do please check before you travel.”

Jordan Welsby, GWR Station Manager for Westbury, Wiltshire and Dorset