Passengers travelling between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids are being reminded to plan and leave plenty of time for their journey. From 3 to 6 April, major engineering work will take place on the West of England Line as a key stretch of track near Seaton Junction reaches the end of its lifespan.

Network Rail and South Western Railway will replace the worn section west of Axminster, improving reliability and ride quality for passengers. The work will also involve realigning the track using specialist equipment, alongside drainage checks and structural inspections around Crewkerne to ensure continued safe operation.

Trains between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids will terminate at Yeovil Junction. A shuttle service will run between Honiton and Exeter St Davids, with departures from Honiton between 8:14 am and 6:14 pm, and from Exeter between 7:25 am and 5:25 pm. On Sunday, 5 April, services will start later but finish as normal.

Rail replacement buses will operate between Yeovil Junction and Honiton all day, extending to Exeter from 6:00 pm until the end of service, with additional stops to maintain connections across the route.

“We are sorry to be closing the West of England Line between Yeovil Junction and Honiton this weekend. We understand that the railway is important to the communities we serve on this line and we have endeavoured to minimise the disruption this closure will bring. This essential work will help improve reliability and future journeys for passengers.”

George Murrell, Route Renewals Director.