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Monday 13 Nov 2023

Network Rail completes the first part of 21-day upgrade to improve reliability on the West of England line and is continuing with the second phase between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction in two weeks

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Wessex

The first of a two-part closure on the West of England line saw the railway closed for five days between Yeovil Junction and Axminster to allow engineers to successfully carry out reliability improvements with the second phase due to begin on Saturday 25 November.

Network Rail engineers successfully completed the first part of work and reopened the railway between Yeovil Junction and Axminster this Saturday (11 November).

Engineers worked around the clock, completing key upgrades at four different worksites as part of a wider half a million-pound investment to improve reliability and performance along the West of England line.

The five-day closure involved engineers working at Crewkerne tunnel, where they continued efforts to stabilise the cutting following a landslip in October 2021, as well as install specialist six-metre-long soil nails into the earth just outside the tunnel entrance, alongside new drainage to help reduce the impact of heavy rainfall.

Other work included replacing the barriers at Broom and Axe level crossing, painting Weycroft River Bridge with a protective, anti-corrosion paint, and removing wet beds (areas of waterlogged track stones that cause rough rides for trains) at Crewkerne level crossing.

The second, longer, 16-day closure between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction will take place in just under two weeks from Saturday 25 November to Sunday 10 December.

Around 1280m of track between around Tisbury and Sherborne and 457m of track running through Gillingham station platform one will be replaced and then recycled. Engineers will also be clearing vegetation between Tisbury and Gillingham, completing level crossing maintenance at Wyley and Castleton level crossing and stabilising earthworks by Gillingham tunnel.

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “I’m really pleased to see work progressing to improve reliability of the West of England line.

"Over the past three years, we’ve worked really hard to improve the resilience of the line by strengthening the cuttings and renewing old worn-out sections of track.

"This closure will enable our engineers to continue these important upgrades as part of our continued programme of investment on this line. I fully recognise that every time we close the railway it is disruptive for our customers, and we always work hard to find the time when it inconveniences the least number of people.

"These upgrades are crucial for the safe and reliable running of services on the West of England line in the future and I’m grateful to customers for their patience and understanding during this time.”

Peter Williams, South Western Railway's customer and commercial director, commented: “We’re very grateful for our customers’ patience during last week’s programme of improvements between Yeovil Junction and Axminster. With a 16-day closure starting on Saturday 25 November, this time between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction, we’d like to remind customers to check before they travel, as train services will be revised and rail replacement buses will operate.”