11 December 2015
From the beginning of the new timetable on 13 December 2015, a number of enhancements have been made. The following is taken from South West Trains news:-

•8,000 extra seats every week for stations across the region
•Two new daily services connecting Bruton and Frome directly with London Waterloo for the first time
•Half-hourly train services from London to Tisbury, Gillingham, Templecombe, Sherborne and Yeovil Junction between 15:20 and 19:20
•Services to the brand new station at Cranbrook
•Doubling the current Sunday afternoon service between Salisbury and London Waterloo
•10 trains every week day connecting Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill
•Yeovil Junction, Sherborne and Templecombe have two additional trains in the mid-afternoon
•Two trains per hour from Exeter to Honiton between 16:00 and 18:00
•Half-hourly service in late afternoon and early evening between Salisbury and London Waterloo on Sundays




A special train ran on Friday 11 December 2015 formed of the second refurbished 159 unit 159102 from Salisbury to Gillingham (Dorset) via Westbury, Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary, Yeovil Pen Mill/Junction, Sherborne and Templecombe (and return). This conveyed Mr Tim Shoveller, Managing Director, South West Trains as well as invited guests.




159102 arriving at Yeovil Junction off the Pen Mill branch.




At Sherborne.




At Gillingham (Dorset) the following 11.25 Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo was (unusually) routed through what was the down loop (and now bi-directional).

The old signalbox here is retained as a groundframe to operate the siding in the background and associated shunt signals.


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