Blaenau Line Remains Closed as Repair Work Continues
Repair efforts are ongoing to reopen the Blaenau line after severe weather damage
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Conwy Valley, Network Rail, Weather Damage, Train Services
Blaenau Ffestiniog: The Conwy Valley line just reopened between Llandudno and North Llanrwst after some serious weather damage. But the stretch from North Llanrwst to Blaenau Ffestiniog is still closed.
Network Rail is working hard, day and night, to fix a damaged bridge between Llanrwst and Betws-y-coed. This line has been out of action since New Year’s Eve, and it’s been a big job to repair all the damage to the track and crossings.
They’ve had to deal with a lot, like removing a tree and fixing four major washout spots where the track stone got washed away. That’s over two miles of track that needed attention!
Plus, they’ve been busy installing new ballast at smaller washout sites and fixing multiple level crossings and two bridges south of Llanrwst station. It’s a real effort to get everything back in shape.
Rachel Heath, the operations director for Network Rail Wales & Borders, mentioned that this line has a history of weather issues. It’s built on a floodplain, so it really takes a beating from the elements.
She also noted that while they’ve made improvements in recent years, sometimes they still have to close the railway to do repairs. Thankfully, the work done in 2019 and 2020 means they can bounce back quicker from weather-related damage now.
They’re really sorry for the hassle and appreciate everyone’s patience while the teams work hard to get the line open again.