TRAINS between Newport and Bristol are set for disruption over the coming weeks.
Major upgrade work near to Bristol Temple Meads started Saturday, and will impact train travellers for much of the summer.
Passengers looking to travel into Bristol city centre’s station are being warned of diversions, and replacement bus services on different days, as work is carried out.
Disruption is set to last from Saturday, July 10, until Friday, August 13, and again from Monday, August 30 to Friday, September 3.
During much of this time, there will be no direct trains between Newport Railway Station and Bristol Temple Meads.
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This includes many services heading from Newport Railway Station across the border onto the Great Western main line.
Network Rail, who are carrying out the work, have said that over the next eight weeks, the work will affect services “to varying degrees”, depending on which day passengers choose to travel.
Great Western Railway, who operate many of the services which will be impacted by the work, have given customers a more detailed schedule of when disruption is expected.
Below, you can see what disruption is likely across the next two months.
Saturday July 10 – Friday August 6
Train services in the Bristol area will be reduced.
Trains will run to an amended timetable between:
London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads
Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway
Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare/Taunton
Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth via Bath Spa (except Sundays)
CrossCountry and South Western Railway services will also run via Bristol Temple Meads during these dates.
Trains on the following routes will be different:
Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour – services will call at Bristol Parkway instead of Bristol Temple Meads
Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads – services will divert after Bristol Parkway toward Cardiff Central instead
Severn Beach Line – services will run between Lawrence Hill and Severn Beach (the whole branch will be closed on Sundays)
There will be no direct trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central or Gloucester – customers will need to change at Bristol Parkway instead.
Buses will replace trains between:
Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway (calling at all stations including Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road to connect with Severn Beach line trains)
Saturday August 7
Train services in the Bristol area will be significantly reduced.
Trains will run to an amended timetable between:
Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare/Taunton
Trains on the following routes will be different:
London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads– services will start/terminate at Bath Spa
Filton Abbey Wood to Bath Spa – services won’t call at Bristol Temple Meads
Severn Beach Line – services will run between Lawrence Hill and Severn Beach
CrossCountry services will be diverted between Bristol Parkway and Taunton not calling at Bristol Temple Meads extending normal journey times.
South Western Railway trains for Bristol Temple Meads will start/terminate at Bath Spa.
There will be no direct trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central or Gloucester – customers will need to change at Bristol Parkway instead.
Buses will replace trains between:
Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa (non-stop and calling at all stations)
Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway (non-stop and calling at all stations)
Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton (non-stop)
Sunday August 8
No trains will call at Bristol Temple Meads.
Trains on the following routes will be different:
London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads – services will start/terminate at Bath Spa
Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour – services will run between Bath Spa and Portsmouth Harbour
Gloucester to Weymouth – services will run between Gloucester and Cardiff Central; trains will also run between Bath Spa and Weymouth
Taunton to Cardiff Central – services will run between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare
CrossCountry services from the north will terminate at Bristol Parkway. From the south they will terminate at Taunton.
South Western Railway trains for Bristol Temple Meads will start/terminate at Bath Spa.
Buses will replace trains between:
Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa (non-stop and calling at all stations)
Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway (non-stop and calling at Filton Abbey Wood)
Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton (non-stop)
Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare (non-stop and calling at all stations)
Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach (calling at all stations)
Bristol Parkway and Bath Spa (non-stop)
Bristol Parkway and Taunton (non-stop)
Monday August 9 – Friday August 13
Train services in the Bristol area will be significantly reduced.
Trains will run to an amended timetable between:
Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare/Taunton
Trains on the following routes will be different:
London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads – services will start/terminate at Bath Spa
Filton Abbey Wood to Bath Spa – services won’t call at Bristol Temple Meads
Bristol Parkway to Weston-super-Mare – off-peak services will run but won’t call at Bristol Temple Meads
Severn Beach Line – services will run between Lawrence Hill and Severn Beach
CrossCountry services will be diverted between Bristol Parkway and Taunton not calling at Bristol Temple Meads – extending normal journey times.
South Western Railway trains for Bristol Temple Meads will start/terminate at Bath Spa.
There will be no direct trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central or Gloucester – customers will need to change at Bristol Parkway instead.
Buses will replace trains between:
Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa (non-stop and calling at all stations)
Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway (non-stop and calling at all stations)
Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton (non-stop)
What has Network Rail said?
A spokesman for Network Rail said: “From Saturday 10th July to Friday 3rd September, we are changing the track layout at a major junction on the approach to Bristol Temple Meads to bring better journeys for passengers in the Bristol area, and those traveling from Wales.
“This work will affect train services to varying degrees over the eight weeks with timetable alterations, diversions and rail replacement services in place on some routes, so please check before you travel.”
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