PASSENGERS are reminded a section of railway is being closed in Dorset which will cause disruption.

Engineering works to improve the rail network between Dorset and Somerset will impact trains on the Weymouth to Bristol (Heart of Wessex) line.

Track replacement work is planned on the route towards Yeovil. The track is more than 50 years old and is 'prone to defects and faults' according to Network Rail.

Trains running between Weymouth and Dorchester West and South will first be impacted by engineering works in the Dorchester area on Sunday, September 22.

Replacement buses will run between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill and also on the Waterloo line between Weymouth and Wareham.

Great Western Railway (GWR) trains will still run between Dorchester West and Westbury, continuing onto Bristol Temple Meads.

Bristol-bound trains will then be impacted between Weymouth, Dorchester West and Castle Cary from Monday, September 23 to Sunday, September 29.

GWR trains will still run between Castle Cary and Westbury, continuing onto Bristol Temple Meads.

Replacement buses are planned between Weymouth and Castle Cary stopping at all stations. 

The Weymouth-Waterloo line is not affected by this work,

Chris Bailey, Network Rail Project manager, said: "This essential engineering work will improve the railway between Weymouth and Castle Cary, allowing passengers to enjoy smoother and more reliable journeys.

"Longer closures such as this one, allow us to best manage our resources to ensure a railway passengers can benefit from and this prevents the line from being closed for multiple weekends at a time.

"We apologise for the disruption this week-long closure will bring to passengers in Somerset and Dorset."

Jordan Welsby, GWR station manager for Westbury, Wiltshire and Dorset, said: "This improvement work forms part of an ongoing programme of maintenance, helping to ensure we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.

"GWR will provide rail replacement services between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth on Sunday 22 September, then between Castle Cary and Weymouth until Sunday 29 September.

"As an alternative, customers can also travel between Weymouth and Westbury using SWR services via Southampton Central from Monday 23 to Friday 27 September.

"However, please note that buses replace all trains via Southampton Central on the weekend of 28/29 September so this alternative will not be an option.

"It’s important customers understand these alternative arrangements will make their normal journey times longer, so do please check before you travel."

Further work will impact train services on this route on the weekend of November 2/3.