Train services have restarted between Taunton and Castle Cary after Network Rail completed a seven-day drainage renewal near Somerton.

Engineers began on Monday 8 December to replace drainage beneath almost 600 metres of track, finishing on schedule overnight so trains could pass through the area this morning.

The scheme removed the ageing system and installed modern equipment, laid nearly 1,400 tonnes of fresh ballast and 800 tonnes of shingle, and built 14 new inspection chambers to make future upkeep easier.

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Up to 25 staff worked on track at any one time, supported by two engineering trains and four road-rail vehicles, with a tamping train used to compact the new stone.

While the line was closed, buses replaced trains between Taunton and Castle Cary. Crews also undertook extra maintenance along the route, including inspecting and testing critical signalling, fine-tuning points and clearing vegetation around junctions and other drainage locations.

Jason Pankhurst, Senior Programme Manager for Network Rail, said: "The work we have completed in the Somerton area over the past week is vital maintenance. Our new drainage system will take rain water away from the tracks much more efficiently, helping to reduce the risk of flooding in the future.

"We'd like to thank passengers and residents for their patience throughout this period. This kind of maintenance is essential to ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway."