We’re writing to let you know we will be carrying out important railway works each weekend in May, affecting services in the Salisbury area.
Wilton Junction switches and crossings renewal
Between Saturday 1 and Monday 3, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9, plus Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 May, the focus of our work will be at Wilton Junction, where the line from Salisbury diverges for services towards Exeter St Davids or Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central.
Engineers will replace sets of switches and crossings – used by trains to move from one track to another and install new track that is designed to last up to 60 years.
Together with new ballast, this work will provide a more reliable railway for South Western Railway (SWR), Great Western Railway (GWR) and vital freight services at one of the busiest parts of our network.
Travel advice on those three weekends is as follows:
- SWR: Buses replace trains between Salisbury and Gillingham (Dorset). Services from Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads and Yeovil Pen Mill via Westbury will not run from Salisbury.
- GWR: Buses replace trains between Warminster and Salisbury
Warminster and Salisbury areas maintenance
On Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May, engineers will renew track on Sherrington Viaduct, refurbish switches and crossings and carry out structural repairs on Portway road bridge, all in the Warminster area.
At Salisbury station, engineers will refurbish a set of switches and crossings, while over at Fisherton tunnel they will also conduct steelwork repairs, strengthening and painting work.
All of this work is essential to keep the railway running reliably.
Travel advice for that weekend is as follows:
- SWR: Buses replace trains between Andover and Gillingham (Dorset) and Salisbury and Romsey. Services from Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads and Yeovil Pen Mill via Westbury will not run.
- GWR: Buses replace trains between Westbury and Southampton Central.image.
Follow up work will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May.
Travel advice is as follows:
SWR: Buses replace trains between Salisbury and Gillingham (Dorset) and Salisbury and Romsey. Services from Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads and Yeovil Pen Mill via Westbury will not run.
GWR: Buses replace trains between Westbury and Salisbury. Further information
We are advising passengers to check before travelling using National Rail Enquiries and both the SWR and GWR websites.
Further information
We are advising passengers to check before travelling using National Rail Enquiries and both the SWR and GWR websites.
A dedicated Salisbury area maintenance webpage is available on our website here, while updates on the programme will be provided on our Twitter feed here.