From Saturday 29 April until the early hours of Thursday 4 May, we are carrying out crucial maintenance work on the line between Westbury and Taunton.
What work is taking place?
During the early May bank holiday and up until the early hours of Thursday 4 May, we will be working at multiple locations on the line between Westbury and Taunton; repairing and replacing track drainage and waterproofing a railway bridge. Throughout this time train services will be suspended, to ensure the safety of our workers.
Drainage work
Railway drainage renewals and refurbishment work will take place between 21:00 on Saturday 29 April until 08:00 on Thursday 4 May at:
- Blatchbridge Junction
- Float Lane
- Warminster Road
- Bruton Station
The work will involve carrying out inspections using special CCTV equipment and blasting water through the pipes underneath the tracks with high pressure jets to clear debris and silt. These build up over time which can lead to flooding of the railway track. Lorries will be located at each of our worksites, pumping water into the system and sucking out silt and other waste material.
Where required, for example where pipes are elderly or have collapsed, we will also be completing repairs and replacements; to ensure that the drainage system is functioning correctly.
Bridge waterproofing
From 22:00 on Saturday 29 April until 00:01 on Tuesday 2 May, we will be completing waterproofing work on Woodlands railway bridge, which carries the railway over Bull’s Quarries Road.
We’re taking advantage of the five-day closure of the railway for drainage work happening elsewhere on the line at the same line, giving us safe access to work on the bridge.
Work involves cutting out a section of the track, digging out the stone (ballast) and replacing the waterproofing system. The stone and track will then be reinstated which will include use of a tamping train to compact the stone around the sleepers.
How will this work affect me?
Train services will be affected Westbury/Frome to Taunton, from Sunday 30 April to Wednesday 3 May.
- Train services affected between Westbury and Taunton (Sunday 30 April and Monday 1 May), then between Frome and Taunton (Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 May).
- Trains between London and the south west will use a different route between Reading and Taunton – extending journey times as a result.
- Replacement buses planned between Westbury, Castle Cary and Taunton and between Westbury, Frome, Bruton and Castle Cary.
Traffic management
Keeping disruption to a minimum while ensuring the safety of road users and our workers during the Woodlands bridge waterproofing work, temporary traffic lights will be set up either side of the bridge to control the flow of traffic, rather than closing the road altogether. Traffic may also be held for up to 15 minutes intermittently, under the use of temporary obstruction boards.
The A361, the B3092, Tuckmarsh Lane and Vinney Lane will remain fully open as routes through the area.
Compounds and access arrangements
We will be using our access point at Bunns Lane for the work on Woodlands Bridge and we are setting up a temporary compound on land at Bullsbridge Farm nearby.
Check before you travel
For full details of service disruption, please visit National Rail or your train operator
Get in touch
If you have any questions please call our dedicated 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 or visit our contact us page.