A RAILWAY line in Dorset will have to close for a week and also over four weekends so improvement work can be carried out.

Network Rail is to carry out upgrades on the Weymouth to Bristol line which will lead to what it describes as a 'more reliable railway and faster journeys'.

Tunnels and bridges will be strengthened and sections of track refurbished on the picturesque 'Heart of Wessex' line which goes via Dorchester West, Maiden Newton and Yeovil Pen Mill.

The main area of work is at Yetminster where a 129-year-old bridge crossing the River Wriggle will be renewed. This requires the closure of the line for six days between Weymouth and Yeovil from Saturday, February 15 to Friday, February 21. Buses will be laid on for passengers to take them to Yeovil where Great Western Railway (GWR) trains will be waiting.

Engineers will work 'around the clock' to replace the deck of Yetminster river bridge, providing a new, a more reliable support for track.

There will also be further closures over four weekends to complete the other upgrades to the line.

With the new bridge deck installed, a long-standing speed restriction will be removed to provide passengers with faster journeys between Dorset and Somerset, whilst reducing maintenance requirements in the future.

Mark Killick, Network Rail Wessex route director, said: “There is never a good time to close an important line for the area’s communities, and we are sorry for the inconvenience the closures will cause.

“This significant piece of work to the bridge will be much easier to maintain and together with a reinforced tunnel and new and refurbished track, there will be a much more reliable railway and better journeys for our passengers.”

James Wilcox, GWR’s Station Manager for Castle Cary, said: “This package of works will improve reliability on the route for years to come, and once complete and the speed restriction lifted, this will allow us the opportunity to improve journeys times.

“I would like to offer my thanks in advance to those travelling over the series of weekends and reassure them that we will do everything we can to keep you moving during these important works.”

Passengers are advised to check before they travel if they plan to travel on the line between now and the end of March.

Apart from the Yetminster project other work is as follows (buses will replace trains on these dates):

* Saturday 25 - Sunday 26 January - the line between Dorchester West and Yeovil Pen Mill will be closed for line refurbishment work at Poundbury tunnel and Bradford Peverell as well as works to prepare for the bridge replacement work

* Saturday 1 February – Sunday 2 February – On Saturday, the line between Dorchester West and Yeovil Pen Mill will be closed for further works at Poundbury tunnel and Bradford Peverell plus preparatory work at Yetminster. On Sunday, the line between Dorchester West and Castle Cary will be closed for structures work and steelwork repairs at Hummer Road overline bridge near Sherborne, as well as work across the weekend to prepare for the bridge replacement work

* Saturday 29 February – Sunday 1 March – the line between Dorchester West and Yeovil Pen Mill will be closed whilst follow-up work is carried out at Yetminster river bridge

* Saturday 28 March – Sunday 29 March – the line between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill will be closed for track renewals at Chetnole and between Weymouth and Dorchester West