DORSET rail travellers may find their bank holiday weekend plans hit the buffers.

Weymouth-Waterloo passengers are being warned of a reduction in rail services from this Thursday to Bank Holiday Monday.

They are being urged “not to travel” as ongoing engineering work at the London terminus enters a bigger phase and is set to cause “severe disruption” on the network.

Platforms 1 to 10 at Waterloo have been closed since August 5 to allow the lengthening and straightening of platforms, making way for longer trains by the end of this year.

The original plan was to close a further four platforms from Friday to Monday for more work to take place over the holiday weekend.

But Network Rail says the works have now been extended to take in this Thursday as well.

This is because of the partial derailment of a passenger train at the station last week which delayed work.

Fewer than half of normal weekday services will be operating during the closure.

All platforms at the station are set to reopen on Tuesday, August 29.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We’re committed to delivering this project on time for our passengers.

“That is why we have brought forward the planned extended bank holiday closure by 24 hours following the partial derailment of a passenger train last week at the station.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly and we always said we would monitor the project very closely after the partial derailment to check for any impacts.

“We apologise to our passengers for the added disruption to their journeys and thank them for their patience. This all about delivering a bigger better Waterloo station fit for the 21st century.”

Passengers are being advised to make alternative travel arrangements across routes previously operated by South West Trains from Thursday, August 24, up to and including Monday, August 28.

Those who do have to make the journey should check before they travel, expect “significant disruption” and a “very reduced service”.

For further information passengers should go to www.nationalrail.co.uk

* The work at Waterloo includes rebuilding the former Waterloo International Terminal and bringing platforms 20–24 back into use with modern facilities, new track and signalling, and a better layout.

Platforms 1-14 are being extended to allow longer 10-carriage trains to run to London suburban stations.

There is also work to create a spacious, modern and accessible station concourse near platforms 20–24.