SWR reduces trains in West of England due to extreme heat

South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail Wessex have announced that, starting from Monday, August 10, services between Yeovil Junction and Exeter will be reduced to one train every two hours.

The changes affect the West of England line between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids and come in response to prolonged hot and dry weather, which has destabilised clay embankments along parts of the route.

Lawrence Bowman, managing director of South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex, said: "The record-breaking heat of the last few months has had a significant impact on railways across the UK, and parts of our route are particularly vulnerable.

"Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, and this is the second year in a row that prolonged hot, dry weather has affected our network."

Speed restrictions are now in place between Tisbury in Wiltshire and Honiton in Devon – a 60-mile stretch of largely single-track line.

These restrictions are necessary to ensure passenger safety but limit the number of trains that can run, due to the limited number of passing loops on the single track.

The new timetable aims to reduce disruption and delays while maintaining a safe and reliable service.

Under the temporary timetable, starting August 10 until further notice:

• Services between London Waterloo and Salisbury will continue to run every 30 minutes.
• One train per hour will operate between London Waterloo and Yeovil Junction.
• Every other hour, services will continue onward to Exeter St Davids.
• Most journeys from London Waterloo to Yeovil Junction will take three minutes longer than usual, with journeys from Yeovil Junction to London Waterloo taking 13 minutes longer than usual; most journeys from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids will take up to 24 minutes longer than usual, with journeys from Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo taking 27 minutes longer than usual.

Journey planners are being updated ahead of the changes, and customers are advised to check their journeys in advance and allow additional time for travel.

Mr Bowman said the rail operator is working to minimise disruption.

He said: "Since last summer’s intervention, we’ve invested in strengthening the route, carried out extensive work to the track and embankments, and developed a plan that customers can rely on.

"As a result of that careful planning, we've managed to reduce journey times in our amended timetable by around 30 minutes compared to last year, minimising the impact on our customers while also keeping them safe.

"We are sorry for the disruption these changes may cause.

"We will restore the regular timetable as soon as conditions allow."