Following substantial damage to the rail infrastructure at Dawlish, First Great Western is anticipating continued significant disruption to train services.

Network Rail has informed the company that this damage will take at least six weeks to rectify - depending on the results of further inspection and any additional damage that may be caused by this weekend’s wild weather.

Normal train services will not be able to run between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth while this work takes place.

Local services in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset will be working to amended timetables.

The damage has affected the railway in the immediate Dawlish vicinity, and the signalling systems serving a wider geographic area. Network Rail engineers are working around the clock to make repairs where weather conditions allow.

Falmouth Packet:

Limited services between Plymouth and Penzance have now resumed, with rail replacement transport between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot/Plymouth to start today (Thursday, February 6).

Further information and an updated train plan will be provided as soon as it becomes available.