Services on the Cotswold Line will be disrupted by a series of Network Rail engineering projects until the end of October.
The key project will see a complete closure of the line between Charlbury and Moreton-in-Marsh from Monday, October 23, to Thursday, October 25 inclusive, with buses replacing trains between these stations.
During this work, the 05.23 from Hereford to London will be diverted beyond Worcester Shrub Hill to reach London Paddington via Swindon and the 17.34 from Paddington to Hereford will also be diverted to run to Worcester via Swindon.
And the 07.25 from Worcester Shrub Hill to London via Swindon will start from Great Malvern at 07.07, calling at Malvern Link and Worcester Foregate Street, before leaving Shrub Hill at its normal departure time.
While Finstock and Combe will still be served by the normal morning and afternoon halts trains during this period, replacement buses will not serve Ascott-under-Wychwood. Some of the rail replacement buses will stop on the A361 next to the entrance to Shipton station. Check journey planners for details.
Other engineering work affecting Cotswold Line services – and West Midlands Railway and CrossCountry trains serving the Worcester area – between August and October is as follows:
Sunday, August 13: No trains will operate through Oxford all day. Replacement buses will run between Hanborough, Cxford and Didcot Parkway stations.
Wednesday, August 16: No trains will operate through Gloucester all day. Replacement buses will run between Cheltenham Spa and Gloucester – and between Cheltenham and Chepstow, where trains to/from Newport and Cardiff will be available.
Sunday, August 20: No trains will operate through Worcester Shrub Hill station all day. Replacement buses will operate between Worcester Foregate Street and Worcestershire Parkway stations and to and from Cheltenham Spa.
Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3: Work in Worcestershire means that on the Saturday replacement buses will operate between Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Great Malvern and Hereford, while on the Sunday buses will replace trains from Worcestershire Parkway and Cheltenham Spa to Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Great Malvern and Hereford.
Saturday, September 9, and Sunday, September 10: Work in the Oxford area means that on the Saturday replacement buses will operate between Oxford and Banbury while on the Sunday buses will operate between Hanborough and Oxford & Hanborough and Didcot Parkway (non-stop).
Saturdays September 17 & 24: Work in Worcester means that trains will not be able to serve Worcester Shrub Hill station, with buses replacing GWR trains between Worcestershire Parkway and Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link and Great Malvern, and Cheltenham Spa and Worcester Foregate Street. WMR trains will still be operating between Birmingham, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern and Hereford.
Sundays October 1 & 8: Work between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill means buses will replace Cotswold Line trains on this section of the route both days. WMR trains will continue to operate between Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern and Hereford.
Sunday, October 15: No trains will operate through Oxford all day. Replacement buses will run between Hanborough, Oxford and Didcot Parkway stations.
Details of revised train services and replacement buses during this period are available in online rail journey planners or from stations.
- Looking further ahead, the line between Ledbury and Hereford will be closed for engineering work on Wednesday, December 27, and Thursday, December 28.