Saturday 9 to Friday 22 November Rail Replacement Buses between Axminster and Exeter St Davids

A reminder that starting next Saturday, Network Rail engineers will be conducting a series of railway improvement works between Exeter St David’s and Axminster stations.

Engineers will be replacing a mile of rails, sleepers and ballast running through Honiton Tunnel, installing new long life track that will resist corrosion.

Rail replacement buses will be running at the below locations and dates throughout:

       Monday 11 to Friday 15 and Monday 18 to Friday 22 November: 

• 1 bus per hour Axminster to Exeter St David’s – calling at Honiton, Cranbrook and Exeter Central.

• 1 bus per hour Axminster to Exeter St David’s – calling at Honiton, Feniton, Whimple, Cranbrook, Pinhoe and Exeter Central.     

        Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November:

•  1 bus per hour Axminster to Exeter St David’s – calling at Honiton and Exeter Central.

•   1 bus per hour Axminster to Exeter St David’s – calling at Honiton, Feniton, Whimple, Cranbrook, Pinhoe and Exeter Central.

While we carry out the work, Honiton station car park will be closed and won’t be available for pick up or drop off. Please use Cranbrook or Axminster stations to connect with bus and train services.

The existing jointed track running through the tunnel is 50 years old and coming to the end of its life, which means its prone to delay causing faults. The new continuous welded rail will be installed to millimetre precision and has better alignment which will make for smoother and more comfortable journeys with less faults.

Taking full advantage of the line closure, teams will also be:

·       Rerailing half a mile of track between Pinhoe and Feniton

·       Improving track drainage, channelling water away from the tunnel reducing the likelihood of further wet beds forming

·       Completing maintenance work at Feniton Level Crossing

·       Completing maintenance work at Fenny Bridges Foot Crossing

·       Completing vegetation management of carefully selected diseased and dangerous trees between Honiton and Pinhoe

This work will boost the railways reliability and performance and reduce delays caused by infrastructure failings. More information about this work and our past work can be found  at Network Rail link below.