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Great Western Coffee Shop > Journey by Journey > London to the West > Engineering changes - 8th to 14th December 2025
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Author Topic: Engineering changes - 8th to 14th December 2025  (Read 390 times)
grahame
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« on: December 02, 2025, 08:15:18 »
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Essential track drainage work will take place between Castle Cary and Taunton from Monday 8 December to Sunday 14 December. During this period, buses will replace trains on this section of the route.

Train Service Overview

A limited number of trains will run between London Paddington and Westbury or Castle Cary on weekdays only.

No direct train services will operate on this route on Saturday or Sunday.

Due to these changes, replacement buses will operate between Pewsey and Swindon at weekends to provide onward connections.

Long-distance services between London Paddington and Plymouth/Penzance will be diverted between Reading and Taunton, adding at least 15 minutes to journey times.

GWR▸ (Great Western Railway) services between Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth via Castle Cary will continue to operate as normal.

South Western Railway services between Yeovil and Salisbury via Castle Cary are unaffected.
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Timmer
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« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2025, 09:29:36 »
Not quite correct in saying no direct services on Saturday as there is one Plymouth to London train in both directions diverted between Exeter and Castle Cary via Yeovil.

But I guess better to say no direct trains in case the one train does get cancelled.

It’s a pity, particularly for Pewsey passengers, that no effort is made to run some direct services between Castle Cary and Paddington on the weekend. I would guess that will be down to reliability of having enough train crew on the weekend to operate them.
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grahame
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« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2025, 09:48:15 »
Quote from: Timmer on December 02, 2025, 09:29:36
Not quite correct in saying no direct services on Saturday as there is one Plymouth to London train in both directions diverted between Exeter and Castle Cary via Yeovil.

But I guess better to say no direct trains in case the one train does get cancelled.

It’s a pity, particularly for Pewsey passengers, that no effort is made to run some direct services between Castle Cary and Paddington on the weekend. I would guess that will be down to reliability of having enough train crew on the weekend to operate them.

I do find myself looking and wondering - bearing in mind the very high customer volumes London-ward from both Castle Cary and Pewsey and they seem to being dumped at the weekend onto buses or the Heart-of-Wessex service with multiple changes.    More about the cost of providing an alternative - perhaps a token alternative - than looking after customers?  Or looking to make it so hard to travel that weekend that optional travellers try the previous or following weekend?





So tempted to suggest that the Newbury -> Bedwyn shuttle - with an extra unit - be extended every 2 hours to Yeovil Junction.
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« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2025, 19:54:00 »
The one direct train from London to Plymouth via Castle Cary and Yeovil will be diverted after Westbury to run via Bristol and terminate at Exeter.

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18:50 London Paddington to Plymouth due 23:29

18:50 London Paddington to Plymouth due 23:29 will be diverted between Westbury and Exeter St Davids and terminated at Exeter St Davids.

It will no longer call at Frome, Castle Cary, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Plymouth but will call additionally at Bristol Temple Meads.

It is being delayed between London Paddington and Slough.

This is due to a shortage of train crew.
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