Summer heatwave disrupts key rail link between Exeter and London

Rail passengers travelling between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids are being warned to expect disruption from Monday 11 August as services are reduced due to safety concerns.

South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail have announced that just one train every two hours will run on the route – down from the usual hourly service – and journeys will take up to an hour longer.

Trains between London Waterloo and Yeovil Junction will also run hourly but take around 25 minutes longer than usual.

The amended timetable will see the return of trains to Crewkerne, which has been served by buses since 28 July. It will be served once every two hours as part of the revised Exeter service.

While Torbay is not directly served by the Waterloo–Exeter route, the disruption may affect onward connections for travellers heading to or from the Bay.

The changes come as parts of the track between Gillingham in Dorset and Axminster in Devon have been affected by a condition known as soil moisture deficit, which has caused clay embankments to dry out and shrink. This movement has disturbed the track above, forcing speed restrictions to be introduced.

Trains on the route, which usually travel at up to 85mph, must now slow to 40mph for safety reasons.

Most of the route west of Salisbury is single track, with few points where trains can pass. With speed restrictions covering around 12 miles, services can no longer pass at scheduled times, making the usual timetable unworkable.

The spring of 2025 was the UK’s warmest and sunniest since records began in 1910, and the driest since 1976, according to the Met Office. The dry conditions have continued into summer, and further speed restrictions may be required if the weather persists.

Network Rail said attempts to stabilise the track at this stage would only provide a temporary fix. Permanent repairs will be carried out once soil moisture levels return to normal and the ground settles.

Stuart Meek, South Western Railway’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are very sorry for the disruption that customers will experience due to this change, as we know just how important the West of England line is to the communities it serves. 

“We have not taken this decision lightly and we recognise the impact that it will have on customers west of Yeovil in particular. However, to continue operating a safe and reliable service, we have no alternative but to introduce a reduced timetable.  

“We always aim to minimise disruption and so, together with our colleagues at Network Rail, we will carefully monitor train performance and work hard to give customers a service that they can rely on. 

“We encourage customers to plan ahead via our website and allow extra time to complete their journeys.” 

Tom Desmond, Operations Director for Network Rail, said: “The safety of our customers is our number one priority, which is why we must impose these speed restrictions between Gillingham and Axminster. 

“We want to give customers the longest notice possible of timetable changes, and following a comprehensive analysis of ground and track conditions, we know that we must make changes in the next two weeks. 

“We have worked closely with our colleagues at South Western Railway to understand the impact of the speed restrictions, and we will regularly review conditions in order to restore the normal timetable as soon as possible.”

Journey planners will be updated from today.