WORK to renew rail tracks around Yeovil will see services between the town and Castle Cary and Weymouth disrupted.

Network Rail will carry out the track renewal work in the Yeovil area, plus essential maintenance along the Heart of Wessex line, affecting Great Western Railway services between Monday, March 10 and Sunday, March 16.

Changes to the timetable during the work in the Yeovil area:

March 10 to March 14:
• Replacement buses planned between Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill
• Trains will still run between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth

Weekend of March 15 and 16:
• Replacement buses planned between Castle Cary and Weymouth
• GWR customers can travel with SWR to/from Weymouth, Upwey or Dorchester South

Jordan Welsby, GWR station manager for Westbury, Wiltshire and Dorset, said: “This work forms part of an ongoing programme of investment, helping to ensure we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.

“GWR trains will run between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth from March 10 to 14 with replacement buses running from Castle Cary on the weekend of March 15/16.

“Trains will still run between Castle Cary and Bruton, Frome, Westbury or beyond towards Bristol Temple Meads or Gloucester on all dates.

“As an alternative to replacement buses, on the weekend of 15/16 March, GWR customers can travel on SWR trains to or from Weymouth via Southampton Central.

“It’s important that customers are aware that these alternative travel arrangements will make journey times longer, so please plan ahead.”

Mark Goodall, Wessex route director for Network Rail, added: “While there is never a good time to close the railway, we have worked incredibly hard to minimise the disruption for passengers.

“This work is vital to ensuring this part of the network is strong for the years to come. Once completed, passengers will benefit from a more reliable journey between Yeovil and Castle Cary.”

Customers at Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill stations are also being warned there will be reduced parking due to the rail replacement operation.

For the latest information on rail services in Somerset and beyond, visit GWR.com/Wessex.