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Engineers will be strengthening a railway embankment in Hamworthy and improving drainage at the Poole sidings to help protect the railway from flooding and improve long-term reliability

• South Western Railway and Network Rail are set to restore the full West of England Line timetable on Saturday 29 November
• A reduced service has operated since August due to the UK’s driest ever spring and summer, which affected track conditions from Yeovil to Exeter
• Conditions have improved and engineers are carrying out track repairs that will allow trains to travel at regular speeds

Network Rail and South Western Railway have thanked passengers for their patience as vital upgrades were completed between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside.

A signing ceremony and first meeting were held at Corfe Castle on Friday 24th October, marking a new era of collaboration between Network Rail’s Wessex Route and the Swanage Railway.

Network Rail and South Western Railway are thanking passengers for their patience over the past three days, while vital engineering work took place between Wokingham and Reading.

Starting tomorrow, buses will replace trains between Guildford and Havant as Network Rail engineers complete the final stage of the Portsmouth Direct signalling upgrade between Farncombe and Petersfield.

Passengers in Berkshire and North Surrey will face changes to their journeys during October half-term, from Saturday 25 October to Friday 31 October, while Network Rail carries out major upgrades on the lines between Wokingham and Reading as well as between Staines and Windsor with buses replacing trains during the work.

Engineers will be strengthening a railway embankment in Hamworthy and improving drainage at the Poole sidings to help protect the railway from flooding and improve long-term reliability