Bank Holiday Information: Great Western Railway

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The Night Riviera Sleeper: The last sleeper services to operate before Christmas will be on Friday 22 December. The first sleeper services after Christmas will be on New Year’s Eve Sunday 31 December.

Saturday 23 December

Due to late night engineering work between Westbury and Frome, the 23:12 Bristol Temple Meads to Frome service will terminate at Westbury. A replacement bus will be provided from Westbury to Frome taking 20 minutes.

Due to late night engineering work between Ealing Broadway and London Paddington, the 23:45 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington service will terminate at Ealing Broadway. You may use London Underground connections from Ealing Broadway to central London.

Christmas Eve Sunday 24 December

Station construction work at Old Oak Common for HS2 will affect train services to and from London Paddington. There will be no train services into or out of London Paddington station - the lines will be closed between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway.

Please travel on different days if possible, otherwise alternative routes to and from London are available on the dates affected.

Long-distance services will start and terminate at Reading instead of London Paddington.

Other trains will be running between Reading and Ealing Broadway, where train services will be operating:

• District/Central line services between Ealing Broadway and central London

• Elizabeth line services between Ealing Broadway and Heathrow Airport

Alternatively, South Western Railway trains will be running between Reading and London Waterloo, plus Chiltern Railways trains will be running between Oxford and London Marylebone.

Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, trains will be diverted between St Denys and Fareham, not calling at Southampton Central. They will call additionally at Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh. Rail replacement buses will run between Eastleigh and Southampton Central.

Due to Sunday morning engineering work in the Westbury area, there will be some amendments to trains through the area.

Christmas Day Monday 25 December

No service.

Boxing Day Tuesday 26 December

No service.

Wednesday 27 December

Station construction work at Old Oak Common for HS2 will affect train services to and from London Paddington. There will be no train services into or out of London Paddington station - the lines will be closed between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway.

Please travel on different days if possible, otherwise alternative routes to and from London are available on the dates affected.

Long-distance services will start and terminate at Reading instead of London Paddington.

Other trains will be running between Reading and Ealing Broadway, where train services will be operating:

• District/Central line services between Ealing Broadway and central London

• Elizabeth line services between Ealing Broadway and Heathrow Airport

Alternatively, South Western Railway trains will be running between Reading and London Waterloo, plus Chiltern Railways trains will be running between Oxford and London Marylebone.

Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, trains will be diverted between St Denys and Fareham, not calling at Southampton Central. They will call additionally at Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh. Rail replacement buses will run between Eastleigh and Southampton Central.

Thursday 28 December

Changes will be made to some services:

• A few morning peak time trains to London Paddington will not run.

• The 06:00 London Paddington to Penzance service will start from Bristol Temple Meads.

• Some trains to / from Cardiff Central / Swansea / Carmarthen will be amended to start up to 5 minutes earlier than usual.

• The service between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway will be reduced to an hourly frequency. An hourly service will also run between Reading and Didcot Parkway, providing 2 trains per hour between Reading and Didcot Parkway

Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, trains will be diverted between St Denys and Fareham, not calling at Southampton Central. They will call additionally at Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh. Rail replacement buses will run between Eastleigh and Southampton Central.

Friday 29 December

Changes will be made to some services:

• A few morning peak time trains to London Paddington will not run.

• The 06:00 London Paddington to Penzance service will start from Bristol Temple Meads.

• Some trains to / from Cardiff Central / Swansea / Carmarthen will be amended to start up to 5 minutes earlier than usual.

• The service between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway will be reduced to an hourly frequency. An hourly service will also run between Reading and Didcot Parkway, providing 2 trains per hour between Reading and Didcot Parkway

Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, trains will be diverted between St Denys and Fareham, not calling at Southampton Central. They will call additionally at Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh. Rail replacement buses will run between Eastleigh and Southampton Central.

Saturday 30 December

Due to late night engineering work in the Redhill area, the 23:34 Reading to Gatwick Airport service will terminate at Redhill. A rail connection will be available from Redhill to Gatwick Airport.

Due to late night engineering work between Maidenhead and Twyford the following changes apply:

• 23:45 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington service will not call at Burnham or Taplow. A replacement bus will run between Slough and Burnham / Taplow, connecting with the train.

• 00:34 (Sunday) London Paddington to Reading service will not call at Burnham or Taplow. A replacement bus will run between Slough and Burnham / Taplow, connecting with the train.

Due to late night engineering work in the Severn Tunnel Junction area:

• 16:50 Penzance to Cardiff Central will divert after Filton Abbey Wood to terminate Bristol Parkway. Rail connection from Bristol Parkway to Newport and Cardiff Central. Customers for Patchway and Severn Tunnel Junction change at Bristol Temple Meads.

• 20:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central will terminate Bristol Temple Meads. Road transport from Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, setting down only at Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport and Cardiff Central.

• 21:59 Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads will not run and will be replaced by road transport from Cardiff Central, picking up only at Newport and Severn Tunnel Junction, then calling Patchway before setting down only at Filton Abbey Wood and Bristol Temple Meads.

• 22:47 Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads will not run and will be replaced by road transport, picking up only at Newport, then fast to Bristol Temple Meads.

New Year’s Eve Sunday 31 December

Due to early morning engineering work in the Redhill area, the 06:12 Gatwick Airport to Reading service will start from Redhill. Earlier rail connections are available between Gatwick Airport and Redhill.

Due to engineering work between Maidenhead and Twyford the following trains will not call at Burnham:

• 06:20 Reading to London Paddington.

• 06:38 London Paddington to Reading

• 23:53 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington.

Replacement buses will run between Slough and Burnham, connecting with trains.

Due to engineering work in the Severn Tunnel Junction area the following changes will be made:

• Until 12:30, trains between London Paddington and Swansea / Carmarthen will divert between Swindon and Newport (via Gloucester - not calling). The trains will not call at Bristol Parkway. Road transport will operate between Bristol Parkway and Newport (fast) taking 45 minutes.

• Until 14:25, trains between Cardiff Central and Portsmouth Harbour / Taunton (some beyond) will be amended.

New Year’s Day Monday 1 January 2024

Late night engineering work is taking place between Bristol Temple Meads and Freshford. As a result:

• The 21:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads service will terminate at Westbury. A replacement bus will run from Westbury to Bristol Temple Meads.

• The 23:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Frome service will not run. A replacement bus will run from Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury via Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge. A minibus will also run from Bristol Temple Meads to Frome, calling at all stations.​​​​​​

Late night engineering work is taking place between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads. As a result:

• The 22:28 and 23:32 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads services will be diverted between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads, and will not call at Chippenham and Bath Spa. Road transport will run from Swindon to Chippenham and Bath Spa. These buses continue to Bristol Temple Meads.

Late night engineering work is taking place between Swindon and Stonehouse. As a result:

• The 23:42 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa service will be diverted between Swindon and Gloucester, calling additionally at Bristol Parkway. It will not call at Kemble, Stroud or Stonehouse. A connecting bus will run from Swindon to Cheltenham Spa, calling at Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse and Gloucester.

Tuesday 2 January

Very early morning engineering work is taking place between Slough and Reading. As a result, the following trains will not call at Burnham or Taplow:

• 00:02 London Paddington to Reading service.

• 00:18 Reading to London Paddington service.

• 00:45 London Paddington to Reading service.

Replacement buses will run to provide connections between Slough and Burnham / Taplow.

Late night engineering work is taking place between Bristol Temple Meads and Freshford. As a result:

• The 21:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads service will terminate at Westbury. A replacement bus will run from Westbury to Bristol Temple Meads.

• The 23:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Frome service will not run. A replacement bus will run from Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury via Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge. A minibus will also run from Bristol Temple Meads to Frome, calling at all stations.​​​​​​

Late night engineering work is taking place between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads. As a result:

• The 22:28 and 23:32 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads services will be diverted between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads, and will not call at Chippenham and Bath Spa. Road transport will run from Swindon to Chippenham and Bath Spa. These buses continue to Bristol Temple Meads.

Late night engineering work is taking place between Swindon and Stonehouse. As a result:

• The 23:42 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa service will be diverted between Swindon and Gloucester, calling additionally at Bristol Parkway. It will not call at Kemble, Stroud or Stonehouse. A connecting bus will run from Swindon to Cheltenham Spa, calling at Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse and Gloucester.

Late evening engineering work is taking place between Totnes and Plymouth. As a result:

• 18:36 London Paddington to Plymouth will terminate at Exeter St Davids. Customers for stations beyond Exeter St Davids can travel by earlier / later rail services.

• 19:04 London Paddington to Plymouth will terminate at Exeter St Davids. A rail connection is available at 21:24 from Exeter St Davids to Newton Abbot, Totnes and Plymouth.

• 20:03 London Paddington to Plymouth will terminate at Totnes. There will be road transport (provided by CrossCountry Trains) at 22:25 from Taunton to Plymouth.

• 21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth will terminate at Exeter St Davids. Road transport will operate from Exeter St Davids to Plymouth.

• 21:00 Penzance to Exeter St Davids will terminate at Plymouth (and restart at Totnes). Road transport will operate from Plymouth to Exeter St Davids.

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