South West rail passengers face limited services

PA Media GWR train at a train station. The train is yellow at the front with red headlights and a dark green body. The platform is empty.PA Media
No GWR trains will run on Boxing Day with a limited service is set to run between 27 and 29 December

Rail passengers in Devon and Cornwall are facing limited Great Western Railway (GWR) services due to major construction work.

GWR said no trains were running on Boxing Day and an amended service was in place between 27-29 December, with trains terminating at Euston.

This is due to work on the new HS2 station at Old Oak Common in west London as well as track improvements.

GWR spokesperson James Davis said: "There will be significant engineering work, which will essentially close our route between Reading and London Paddington."

PA Media A man in fluro orange stands in front of a boring machine with HS2 written on it.PA Media
Work is taking place on the new HS2 station at Old Oak Common in west London

Mr Davis added: "Trains from the South West - Devon and Cornwall - will be diverted from Reading towards London Euston - a train an hour."

GWR said on 27 December an "amended level of train service will run across the GWR network", with the first services of the day running later than usual.

It said long distance trains would run to and from Reading or Swindon on 28 and 29 December.

A limited, direct service was due to run between London Euston and Plymouth and Penzance.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

More on this story