GWR announce major rail changes

It's been billed as the biggest timetable change since the '70s.

New details have emerged about what has been called the biggest rail timetable change since the 1970s.

Operator Great Western Railway says the the majority of train times in the region will change, "allowing us to improve services across the region".

The following changes will come into force from December 15, with around three quarters of journey times changing:

Barnstaple    

• More trains with more seats providing consistent service on the branch line. However, all train times will change as a result
• Regular hourly services between Barnstaple and St James Park via Exeter
• Customers for stations between Polsloe Bridge and Exmouth will need to change at Exeter Central
• Customers for Riviera Line stations to Paignton will need to change at Exeter St Davids
• Customers travelling longer distances should be aware that the mainline timetable will change significantly and connecting times will be different

Exeter St Davids               

• There will be an hourly fast train to London Paddington running non-stop between Taunton and Reading
• There will be a two-hourly train to London Paddington stopping at intermediate stations
• There will be at least two local trains per hour to Paington and Exmouth, but not all trains will stop at every station
• There will be a regular hourly service to Barnstaple, but not all trains will stop at every station

Exeter Central  

• There will be a regular hourly service to Barnstaple, not all trains will stop at every station
• There will two trains an hour to Newton Abbot and Paignton
• Customers travelling longer distances should be aware that mainline timetables will also change significantly

Newton Abbot 

• Most trains to and from London will run faster between Taunton and Reading. However there will be fewer stopping services from Newton Abbot. Customers travelling to Castle Cary, Westbury, Pewsey and Newbury may have to change
• Local service train times and calling patterns will change
• There will at least two local trains per hour to Paignton and Exmouth via Exeter, not all trains will stop at every station

Torquay    

• There will be fewer direct trains to London, customers should change in Newton Abbot
• There will at least two local trains per hour to Exmouth via Exeter, not all trains will stop at every station

Details of all other stations can be found here.