SWR trains from Salisbury to Exeter not stopping at Crewkerne
A 40mph speed restriction has been put in place to keep tracks in the area safe
Rail users in Salisbury are being told that South Western Railway (SWR) trains won't be stopping at Crewkerne from today (28/7) until further notice.
Services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids will be missing the station due a condition known as 'soil moisture defecit'.
It's due to the regions driest sprint since 1836, meaning clay embankments between Salisbury and Axminster have dried out and shrunk, meaning the tracks above have been disturbed.
SWR is implementing a speed restriction of 40mph over four miles in the Crewkerne area and the resulting impact of slower running trains on the wider West of England Line timetable means trains will not call at Crewkerne.
Services between Waterloo and Exeter St Davids will run as usual, with Crewkerne being served by a rail replacement bus service, connecting to Yeovil Junction and Axminster.
Buses will connect with arriving trains at Yeovil Junction and Axminster, with journeys taking approximately 30 minutes in both directions. Customers are advised to allow extra time to complete their journeys.
As hot and dry conditions are expected to continue, SWR and Network Rail are warning that additional speed restrictions and further timetable amendments on the West of England Line are likely to be necessary over the summer.
SWR and Network Rail continue to monitor soil moisture levels, track conditions, and train performance, and will provide updates as soon as possible.
Customers are advised to plan ahead and regularly check the SWR website.
Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Tom McNamee, Network Rail’s Wessex Route Infrastructure Director, apologised for the disruption.
“We are very sorry for the disruption that customers travelling to and from Crewkerne will experience from Monday 28 July. The hot and dry conditions being felt across the south of England has disturbed track near Crewkerne, and it cannot be fixed until the conditions change. As a result, we have had to introduce a severe speed restriction.
“We have carefully studied the impact and, unfortunately, it will not be possible to operate a safe and reliable timetable while calling at Crewkerne. Regular customers will know that repeated delays in this area have a cumulative effect, and without changes, they can lead to widespread cancellations and large gaps between services, from London to Exeter.
“We are monitoring soil moisture levels across the Southern Region and the indications are that more timetable changes will have to follow on the West of England Line. We will continue to carefully monitor and give customers as much notice as possible.”