Great Western Railway is warning passengers of engineering works which will affect journeys through the South West.

From Monday February 18 until Friday March 8, the route from Taunton to Exeter St Davids will be closed to rail traffic as Network Rail carries out maintenance work at Whiteball Tunnel; while further work at Marley Tunnel will mean that a reduced rail service will only be able to operate between Plymouth and Exeter St Davids.

Long distance services between the South West and London Paddington will be diverted around the work, adding up to 60 minutes to journey times, and replacement bus services will operate to intermediate stations.

Before the tunnel maintenance starts, track renewal work between Newton Abbot and Plymouth will close the railway on Sunday January 27 and Sunday February 17 and buses will replace trains.

Track renewal work will also take place between Truro and Penzance, including the St Ives branch line, over the weekend of February 9 and 10.