Train services in Cornwall will be severely disrupted during the first week of December because of engineering work being carried out by Network Rail.

Starting on Monday, 1st and continuing until Friday, 5th December, the work will affect train services between Truro and Penzance.

During this time, engineers will lay 1,200 yards of new track, sleepers and ballast near Redruth, including across the railway viaduct at Redruth, which is Grade II-listed.

They will also replace 300 yards of track near Camborne and upgrade track equipment at St Erth and near Penzance.

While train services are disrupted between Truro and Penzance, services will be maintained with rail replacement buses; train tickets will also be accepted on local buses between St Erth and St Ives.

There will be no disruption to train services between Truro and Falmouth Docks, with trains continuing to run as normal.

Mark Parker, Network Rail lead portfolio manager, commented that Network Rail will be working around the clock throughout this time to deliver these upgrades, and with replacement bus services in place, passengers should make sure they check their journey before travelling.

Elsewhere in Cornwall, services between Par and Newquay were disrupted at the beginning of November in connection with work on the Mid-Cornwall Metro and the construction of a second platform at Newquay.

”This improvement work forms part of a wider rail improvement programme to ensure the continued reliability of a very important section of the railway. During these dates, no trains can stop at Redruth, Camborne, Hayle, St Erth or Penzance or at any of the stations on the St Ives Bay line.”

“Trains will still be able to run at Truro for Falmouth Docks as well as trains for Exeter St Davids or London Paddington, but CrossCountry trains will not be operating between Truro and Plymouth. Replacement buses will run between Truro and Penzance, and rail tickets can be used to travel on the 17 or 17A buses for St Ives.

It’s important that customers are aware these alternative travel arrangements will make journey times much longer, so please plan ahead.”

Lee Goodson, GWR station manager for West Cornwall