TRAIN passengers are facing major disruption this morning between Bournemouth and Dorchester.

South West Trains are running replacement bus services until at least 5pm now, due to "further complications" leading to an extension of engineering work.

Earlier this morning, the company said the buses would be in place until 12noon, but have since extended the time.

The work began on Thursday May 15 to install new equipment and move control of all the signalling systems from traditional signal boxes to a modern signalling centre.

But the work has run over due to problems identified during testing of the new signalling modifications.

There will be a train shuttle between Dorchester South and Weymouth.

Buses will depart Bournemouth station towards Dorchester South at 20 past each hour - first bus 07:20.

Buses will depart Dorchester South station towards Bournemouth at 10 past each hour - first bus 05:10.

A statement from South West Trains said customers should expect journey times to be extended by up to 90 minutes.

Additional staff will be on hand at the larger stations to assist customers in making their journey.

It added: "We are sorry for the disruption this engineering work will cause to your day.

"This work is an essential part of the investment programme to bring all our network under modern and more reliable signalling control systems."