Rail passengers can expect significant disruptions at Bristol Temple Meads due to scheduled track upgrades and service changes this month. Discover which lines and services will be impacted.

Works will be taking place south west of Bristol Temple Meads Station over the weekend (October 18 and 19) to replace worn sections of Bristol West Junction, a junction which enables trains to change lines as they make their way to and from the Westcountry.

Other additional works taking place along the line will include:

- Replacing points between Parson Street station and Flax Bourton tunnel

- Correcting rail defects, re-stressing rail, testing and lubrication

- Re-profiling track stone (ballast)

- Bristol Temple Meads roof work on platform canopies, scaffolding, painting, steelwork

- Signal and track systems maintenance: train protection, detection, signal cabinets

- Parson Street Station examinations

- Drainage work including CCTV inspections and high-pressure water jetting

The railway will be accessed via multiple locations to complete the works, including Bristol Temple Meads, Fish Dock sidings, Fowlers motorcycles, Kingsland Road depot, Pylle Hill, Queen Anne Road depot, Bedminster Station, Honeywick Close access point, South Liberty sidings and Parson Street Station.

These works will affect train services between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare.

Replacement busses will be in place between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare but will not stop at Bedminster or Parson Street stations. Valid rail tickets can be used on local bus services, including the A1 Flyer for Bedminster and Parson Street stations. And GWR trains will continue operating between Weston-super-Mare and Exeter St Davids.

Network Rail will be carrying out engineering works to replace just over a kilometre of track, 1,565 sleepers will be installed and more than 5,000 tonnes of stone through St Anne’s tunnel from October 27 to 30, which will affect train services between Bristol and Bath.

Additional works will include:

- Lifting track and re-packing stone

- Re-profiling stone

- Replacing small track components

- Correcting rail defects

- Maintenance on track circuits (part of the signalling system that logs the location of passing trains).

Hourly trains between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads will use alternative routes via Bristol Parkway (not stopping at Chippenham or Bath Spa) and trains will continue running every hour between London Paddington and Bath Spa via Chippenham.

Trains will also continue running between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central or Gloucester, and Between Bath Spa and Westbury, Portsmouth Harbour, Frome or Weymouth.

Replacement buses are planned between Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa, and valid rail tickets can also be used for travel on a number of First West of England buses.

Mark Parker, lead portfolio manager for Network Rail, said: “Taking time to complete these upgrades is vital to ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.

“As ever, we are working closely with maintenance and drainage teams to get as much done as possible alongside our track replacements. However, we appreciate it means disruption to passengers and residents while this work is completed and thank them for their patience.”

Referring to the weekend of engineering work between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, Ben Scott, GWR station manager for the Bristol area, said: “This will only impact train services at the weekend south of Bristol – trains for London Paddington, Cardiff Central, Avonmouth, Cheltenham Spa or beyond are unaffected.

“Buses will replace all trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare, however these rail replacement services won’t stop at Bedminster or Parson Street.

“Instead, rail tickets can be used on a number of local buses including the Airport Flyer between Bristol Temple Meads and Bedminster or Parson Street stations."

CrossCountry’s regional director, Georgia Ehrmann, said: “Regrettably, on Saturday 18 October there will be no CrossCountry trains between Bristol and the south west because of strike action by the RMT union. Our services will be operating on Sunday, although via an alternative route to Taunton that takes longer than normal.”

Describing the impact of the four-day track renewal between Bristol and Bath, Oana Apetroaie, GWR station manager for Bath Spa and Chippenham, said: “During these four days over the half term period, buses will replace all trains between Bristol Temple Meads, Keynsham, Oldfield Park and Bath Spa.

“As an alternative, valid rail tickets can also be used to travel on local bus services in the area operated by First West of England buses instead.

“Trains will still run between London Paddington and Bath Spa via Chippenham or between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads by using an alternative route.

“However, these services will be reduced in frequency and trains for Bristol Temple Meads will not be able to stop at either Chippenham or Bath Spa stations."

Passengers travelling through the area on these dates are reminded to allow extra time for their journey and check before they travel at nationalrail.co.uk or GWR.com/upgrade.

For more public notices visit publicnoticesportal.co.uk