Heart of Wessex line upgrades

We’re making major improvements from Castle Cary to Weymouth   

Since February 2020, we’ve been renewing key stretches of track, replacing bridges and carrying out essential maintenance at our stations.

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Line closure 28 February to 8 March 2026

From Saturday 28 February to Sunday 8 March 2026 our engineers will return to the Heart of Wessex to carry out essential engineering work.

How will this impact me?

Rail replacements buses will operate between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth throughout the line closure.

You will need to use SWR services for local journeys between Weymouth and Upwey as replacement buses won’t stop there.

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What’s happening?

Our engineers will strengthen embankments at Evershot Tunnel, Dorset to help prevent the risk of landslips from disrupting journeys.

To stabilise the embankments, engineers will cut through soil and rock and stabilise the slope by using soil nails and netting

To take full advantage of the 8-day closure we will also:

  • Stress test the continuous welded rail to improve reliability, reducing the need for speed restrictions in hotter months
  • Carry out minor improvements to the track in the Thornford area following recent track renewal in September 2024
  • Carefully manage vegetation by selecting diseased and dangerous trees that could cause delays to the running of trains between Chetnole and Maiden Newton Railway Stations

What to expect?

The work will involve using an array of specialist equipment including, RRVs and trailers, track trolleys, generators, hand tools, survey equipment and off-track machines.

Why is the work needed?

When landslips happen, unfortunately so do delays. A train can’t swerve to avoid debris on the line in the same way a car can avoid a small obstruction on the road.

The safety of our passengers and colleagues is our priority and that’s why this work is essential.

The combined work will make for more reliable journeys with less need for speed restrictions in hotter months.

Previous work

Contact us

For more information or to get in touch with us, please contact us by visiting our contact us page or by calling our 24-hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41. Information can also be found on our twitter page @NetworkRailWssx