RAIL passengers are warned a section of the Weymouth to Bristol route will be closed again this Sunday for engineering works.

As reported, the line was closed for six days while the deck of a 129-year-old bridge was replaced on the Heart of Wessex line at Yetminster, near Yeovil.

Engineers battled 70mph winds and torrential rain from Storm Dennis across the first two days of the project.

They managed to complete the work in time and the line was back open for the regular Great Western Railway train service last Saturday morning.

During the closure, engineers also completed major maintenance at Grimstone tunnel. The 600-metre long tunnel between Dorchester West and Maiden Newton stations, which dates back to 1857, was reinforced using concrete over-spraying, covering a steel mesh.

Network Rail engineers and contractors from AmcoGiffen sprayed concrete over a distance of 100 metres then followed up with brickwork repairs in the remainder of the tunnel.

Mark Killick, route director for Network Rail Wessex, said he would like to thank passengers and residents living close to the railway for their patience while teams have been working.

There are two further weekends of improvements planned in which engineers will follow up on their work at Yetminster river bridge before renewing track at Chetnole and between Dorchester West and Weymouth.

The line will be closed between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill this Sunday and again on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29. Buses will be operating to take passengers between stations.

Passengers should check before travelling using the GWR and National Rail Enquiries websites.

GWR Project Manager Alastair Hutton said: “The Heart of Wessex line is an important route for customers travelling to or from Weymouth.

“This line upgrade programme will help ensure the ongoing reliability and performance of train services along that section of the railway.”