Track dating back to 1958 but still in daily main line use has been replaced in a 16-day possession required to relay a long section of the Heart of Wessex Bristol-Weymouth Line.
Network Rail’s New Track Construction Train was given another outing to install a mile of line between Chetnole and Yetminster, while another four miles was relaid south to Maiden Newton. No services ran over the route from November 18-December 4.
The Weymouth-Bournemouth line was also shut from November 22-26 for reballasting and drainage work through Upwey. More than other 30 minor works were completed at the same time.
Weymouth station is currently undergoing a revamp, with alterations to the forecourt which should be complete by May, as well as the installation of tactile paving on the platforms, cleaning and repainting.
Güntürk Üstün - 23/01/2022 21:52
During the track renewal works in question, at Chetnole Network Rail engineers used a New Track Construction train, which lays sleepers and installs rails as it travels, to complete a challenging track renewal through the Dorset countryside. At Upwey, the government-owned company's engineers used the country’s only Railvac, a specialist train that removes large quantities of ballast, to correct the level of the track through the station. This has allowed trains to continue at normal line speed through the area, keeping South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services on time. All these necessary works followed the installation of a new bridge at Yetminster in February 2020 and track and cutting maintenance at Yeovil Pen Mill in March 2021. Dr. Güntürk Üstün