Dorchester - RailAdvent

Services on Heart of Wessex Line to be disrupted by track renewal work

Later this month Great Western Railway services on the Dorchester-Weymouth Heart of Wessex line will be disrupted due to track renewal work.

Roger Smith 5th March 2024

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Swanage Railway Class 117 Wareham heritage diesel train Corfe Castle // Credit: Andrew PM Wright

1950s DMU to haul Winter Explorer on Isle of Purbeck trips

A restored 1950s heritage diesel train is to operate a two-day Winter Explorer train service between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross and Swanag…

Janine Booth 28th December 2023

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‘Millbrook Meander’ to run from Eastleigh to Weymouth this May

The Branch Line Society has released details of its 'Millbrook Meander' on Sunday 26 May 2024.

Janine Booth 24th December 2023

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Where to see steam locomotive 70000 Britannia as it heads to the Swanage Railway

Ahead of the Swanage Railway gala, LSL's 70000 Britannia will be heading to the railway from Crewe via the mainline on Wednesday 22nd March 2022.

Michael Holden 21st March 2023

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Engineering work to disrupt train services in the Yeovil area

On weekdays from 27th February to 10th March, train services between Dorchester West, Yeovil Pen Mill, and Castle Cary will be subject to disruption.

Roger Smith 20th February 2023

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Alan Greatbatch Corfe Castle station signal box Swanage Railway

Swanage Railway volunteer Alan Greatbatch retires following 31 years of devoted service

Alan set up the first Swanage Railway Signalling School and also conducted activities including signaller and signal box inspector for the heritage li…

Chloe White 23rd January 2023

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One week line closure between Yeovil and Weymouth

For one week starting this Saturday, there will be no trains between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth due to important rail improvement schemes.

Roger Smith 23rd September 2022

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Volunteers needed to adopt Dorchester railway station

Purbeck Community Rail Partnership seek volunteers to adopt Dorchester's main station and also form a Friends of Dorchester South station group

Chloe White 26th May 2022

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23 NOV 2021 Planned engineering work in the Dorchester area may affect your rail journey Train services between Somerset and Dorset will be affected by rail improvements planned to take place during November and December. Network Rail will be renewing tracks on the Heart of Wessex line affecting Great Western Railway services for Weymouth from Thursday 18 November to Friday 3 December. In addition, there will also be essential maintenance taking place affecting South Western Railway trains for Weymouth from Monday 22 to Friday 26 November. Here is a summary of the changes to our services: Thursday 18 November to Friday 3 December Buses replace GWR trains between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth every two hours – one stopping at Dorchester West only, and one stopping at all stations. GWR Station Manager for Westbury, Wiltshire and Dorset James Wilcox said: “We will continue to keep people moving, but I would encourage those who travel to check beforehand as departure times may be different to normal and journey times extended. “This work is important to ensure we can continue to provide services between Somerset and Dorset that people can rely on and we thank customers for their patience during this time. “We are also grateful that Network Rail agreed to move this planned engineering work from earlier in the year to a quieter period to help minimise any disruption to passengers.” Network Rail’s Wessex route director Mark Killick said: “We’re making major improvements to the railway to provide passengers with better, more reliable journeys. “Sixteen days is a long time to close the railway, but it is the best way to ensure all of our work between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill is completed during one closure, rather than across multiple weekends, while causing the least amount of disruption possible. “Within those sixteen days, we’re also closing the line from Weymouth to Dorchester South for five days when we’ll be carrying out important work to keep trains on time and reduce delays. “We recommend that passengers should plan ahead and check the latest journey information as some replacement bus journeys may take significantly longer.” This planned engineering work will help to protect a key route for customers travelling between Weymouth and Bristol Temple Meads or London Waterloo for years to come. For the latest information, visit our website at GWR.com/Wessex. Notes to editors First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR was recently awarded an extension to its direct award franchise (called DA3), which shall run up to 31 March 2023, with an option to extend for a further year. Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us GWR’s enhanced cleaning regime includes: A 24% increase in cleaning hours every week since March 2020 Sanitising (fogging) of 1,120 vehicles every 4 weeks Carrying out 2,150 on board surface tests (ATP) every four weeks, to ensure the effectiveness of our cleaning 272 train cleaning processes reviewed, and many adapted Hand sanitising facilities at key stations across its network. Contact Information James Davis Media Relations Manager Great Western Railway 0845 410 4444 07703 890 711 james.davis@GWR.com Dorchester West Dorchester West

Dorchester area engineering work may affect rail journeys

Train services between Somerset and Dorset will be affected by rail improvements planned to take place during November and December.

Roger Smith 29th November 2021

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Major engineering work between Weymouth and Yeovil set to cause 16 days of rail disruption

Improvements to the line between Weymouth and Yeovil will disrupt train services in the area for 16 days beginning on 18 November.

Roger Smith 18th November 2021

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