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Tuesday 7 Apr 2026

Network Rail and South Western Railway complete Easter track improvements between Yeovil Junction and Exeter St Davids

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

This morning (Tuesday 7 April), passenger train services on the West of England Line ran over newly installed track for the first time.

Over the past four days, Network Rail and South Western Railway engineers installed 805m of new track between Axminster and Honiton.

After renewing the track, a tamping machine was used to align the railway. It measures the track’s position with on-board equipment and adjusts it as needed based on those measurements.

As a result of these improvements, passengers can expect a more consistent and comfortable journey on the new track.

Network Rail and South Western Railway are dedicated to putting passengers first. The Easter weekend was chosen to carry out this work as passenger numbers are lower. However, the integrated railway provided a shuttle train service between Honiton and Exeter St Davids to reduce disruption, with this supplemented by rail replacement buses between Yeovil Junction and Exeter.

Speaking on behalf of South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex, George Murrell, Route Renewals Director, said: “We’re grateful to passengers for their understanding during our Easter track renewal in Devon. This work will improve reliability and future journeys on this important railway line in the west of England.”