Newbury line closed for 2 weeks? February 2023

[317362]

The GWR advance engineering page:

Planned Engineering Work and Disruption | Great Western Railway

Find out about planned engineering works, travel disruption and changes to Great Western Railway's published train timetables here.

www.gwr.com

seems to indicate a full closure of a long section, does anyone know what's being done? Line had multiple week closures 2018 for electrification/Newbury/Bedwyn works so interested in what this might be?

 

[Snow1964]

At a guess, would hope the platforms for the new Devizes south station (not sure of its actual name as few miles from Devizes) are built during the closure, but doesn’t explain Theale area

Buses are planned to replace trains between:

• Theale and Bedwyn (Mondays to Saturdays)
• Reading and Bedwyn (Sundays only)
• Pewsey and Swindon (all dates)
• Chippenham and Westbury (all dates – off-peak service only)

Theale to Bedwyn is a fairly long section, I am guessing there are diversions on Chippenham-Westbury line and since signalling and removal of remaining loops at Holt and Melksham can’t even find paths for sparse rail service.

Planned Engineering Work and Disruption | Great Western Railway

Find out about planned engineering works, travel disruption and changes to Great Western Railway's published train timetables here.

www.gwr.com

 

[pdeaves]

At a guess, would hope the platforms for the new Devizes south station (not sure of its actual name as few miles from Devizes) are built during the closure

The Devizes scheme is nowhere near ready for 'spades in the ground' yet, so don't get too excited on that front!

 

[DaveHarries]

At a guess, would hope the platforms for the new Devizes south station (not sure of its actual name as few miles from Devizes) are built during the closure, but doesn’t explain Theale area

Presumably, looking at maps, this would go next to the A342 south of Steart but I've not heard of plans for a Devizes South station: any links to info on this scheme?

Dave

 

[Benjwri]

The engineering works will also be taking place for a few days in March, with the full dates being between 18 February and 02 March 2023, Sunday 05 March 2023 and the weekend of the 11/12 March 2023.
An easement has been added to allow tickets ‘VIA NEWBURY’ to be valid via Swindon (Although not Bath). The full easement is:

During engineering works between the 18 February and 02 March 2023, Sunday 05 March 2023 and the weekend of the 11/12 March 2023, that will close the route between Theale and Pewsey, tickets priced on routes (00494) AP NEWBURY and (00063) VIA NEWBURY, will be valid for travel via Melksham and Swindon , but not via Castle Cary, Salisbury or Bath Spa. This fare route easement will apply in both directions.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Theale to Bedwyn is a fairly long section, I am guessing there are diversions on Chippenham-Westbury line and since signalling and removal of remaining loops at Holt and Melksham can’t even find paths for sparse rail service.

Reading this would give the impression that these rationalisations were relatively recent, but the singling was done in 1966 and there’s been no change to the infrastructure in around 40 years.

 

[JohnRegular]

Reading this would give the impression that these rationalisations were relatively recent, but the singling was done in 1966 and there’s been no change to the infrastructure in around 40 years.

Without wanting to go too off-topic, there are proposals to double the TransWilts between Thingley and Melksham which would allow for an hourly service, or indeed allow for any local service at all to run whilst diversions like this are in place. It's a well rehearsed point on these forums that a diversionary route does not a business case make, but it certainly is a useful one for Devon and Cornwall trains which isn't much slower than via Newbury.

As for the reason behind the line closure, maybe they're electrifying to Bedwyn?

 

[Benjwri]

If people are wanting further info on what services will look like, there is a page on NRE here, which states:

As a result the following amendments will apply:

• Trains between London Paddington and Newbury (operating hourly) will call additionally at Reading West and will terminate / start at Theale.
• Most trains between Reading and Newbury will not run (but will operate late evening between Reading and Theale).
• Trains between Newbury and Bedwyn will not run.
• Trains between London Paddington and Plymouth / Penzance (departing London Paddington and Reading earlier than normal) will divert either between Reading and Taunton or Reading and Westbury.
• Some trains will call additionally at Swindon.
• Some trains (which call at Newbury, Hungerford and Pewsey) will not run. If you are travelling to / from Newbury or Hungerford you should travel via Reading and Theale to connect with buses. If you are travelling to / from Pewsey you should travel via Swindon to connect with buses.
• If you are travelling from Bristol Temple Meads, trains from London Paddington to Plymouth / Penzance will stop to pick up only.
• If you are traveling to Bristol Temple Meads, trains from Penzance / Plymouth to London Paddington will stop for customers to disembark only.

 

[30907]

If people are wanting further info on what services will look like, there is a page on NRE here, which states:

Thanks.
So from Newbury to the SW it's bus to Theale and then via Reading.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Without wanting to go too off-topic, there are proposals to double the TransWilts between Thingley and Melksham which would allow for an hourly service, or indeed allow for any local service at all to run whilst diversions like this are in place.

Five years ago I would have reckoned there was a good chance of that happening, but in the current climate for railway financing, I don't think there's any possibility unfortunately anc very regrettably. Even the likelihood of a more frequent Trans-Wilts passenger service appears to have died a death, with the only services changes discussed across the GWR region being cuts.