WEEKEND train services between Exeter and London will be affected by engineering work.
Services will be revised and diverted on Saturday, January 18, Sunday, January 19, Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26.
South Western Railway (SWR) is advising customers to plan ahead of the next two weekends, as maintenance in the Wimbledon area will affect services across the SWR network.
This includes long-distance services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids.
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Services will be revised and diverted, taking longer than normal, with some journeys starting and finishing at Basingstoke.
Peter Williams, South Western Railway’s Customer and Commercial Director, said: ‘Customers should plan ahead if they intend to travel on these weekends in January, as engineers carry out vital maintenance at one of the busiest parts of our network.
‘There will be a large number of service changes, with rail replacement buses operating on our suburban routes, and with long-distance services revised and diverted.
‘Diverted services will take around 30 minutes longer than usual, so customers should allow extra time when travelling.
‘We are very sorry for the disruption and are very grateful for our customers’ patience.’
The work will see Network Rail engineers will renew approximately 800 metres of track, ballast, and sleepers between Wimbledon and Earlsfield.
They will also replace points (moveable sections of track that allow trains to move from one line to another) and install 100 meters of conductor rail, which powers trains.
This work will improve the reliability of the track in the area, reducing the number of faults caused by rail and wheel wear and provide customers with a smoother ride as the layout of the track is improved, SWR have said.