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Friday 10 Oct 2025

Autumn track work to affect trains between Bath, Bristol and Weston-super-Mare

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Network Rail will complete essential engineering work over six days on the Great Western Mainline this month, affecting passengers between Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa and Weston-super-Mare.

Over the weekend of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October, part of Bristol West Junction on the south west side of Bristol Temple Meads is being replaced. The junction enables trains to change lines to and from the West Country.

Just over a week later, a four-day track renewal takes place between Bristol and Bath, affecting rail passengers from Monday 27 to Thursday 30 October. Engineers will work around the clock to replace just over a kilometre of track and more than 5,000 tonnes of stone though St Anne’s tunnel.

In each case, while the line is closed, maintenance teams are also completing other track, signal and drainage work at various locations, making the most of the opportunity to access the railway and make improvements. This includes the replacement of a set of points between Parson Street station and Flax Bourton tunnel, maintenance to train detection and protection systems, steelwork repairs and scaffolding at Bristol Temple Meads, and topping up and re-profiling track stone.

Mark Parker, lead portfolio manager for Network Rail, said: “Taking time to complete these upgrades is vital to ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.

“As ever, we are working closely with maintenance and drainage teams to get as much done as possible alongside our track replacements. However, we appreciate it means disruption to passengers and residents while this work is completed and thank them for their patience.” 

Referring to the weekend of engineering work between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, Ben Scott, GWR station manager for the Bristol area, said: “This will only impact train services at the weekend south of Bristol – trains for London Paddington, Cardiff Central, Avonmouth, Cheltenham Spa or beyond are unaffected.

“Buses will replace all trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare, however these rail replacement services won’t stop at Bedminster or Parson Street.

“Instead, rail tickets can be used on a number of local buses including the Airport Flyer between Bristol Temple Meads and Bedminster or Parson Street stations."

CrossCountry’s regional director, Georgia Ehrmann, said: “Regrettably, on Saturday 18 October there will be no CrossCountry trains between Bristol and the south west because of strike action by the RMT union. Our services will be operating on Sunday, although via an alternative route to Taunton that takes longer than normal.”

Describing the impact of the four-day track renewal between Bristol and Bath, Oana Apetroaie, GWR station manager for Bath Spa and Chippenham, said: “During these four days over the half term period, buses will replace all trains between Bristol Temple Meads, Keynsham, Oldfield Park and Bath Spa.

“As an alternative, valid rail tickets can also be used to travel on local bus services in the area operated by First West of England buses instead.

“Trains will still run between London Paddington and Bath Spa via Chippenham or between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads by using an alternative route.

“However, these services will be reduced in frequency and trains for Bristol Temple Meads will not be able to stop at either Chippenham or Bath Spa stations."

Passengers travelling through the area on these dates are reminded to allow extra time for their journey and check before they travel at nationalrail.co.uk or GWR.com/upgrade.