Specialist divers to check Conwy Valley Railway bridge for flood damage before it can re-open

Conwy: So, here’s the scoop. Specialist divers are heading out to check on a bridge that got hit hard by the recent storms. They need to make sure it’s safe before the Conwy Valley Railway Line can get back to business.

The floods really did a number on the area, washing away parts of the track and causing a lot of damage. Over 50 sleepers were knocked out, and a couple of bridges are dealing with some serious structural issues. It’s been a bit of a mess since the start of the year.

Network Rail engineers were surprised to find that the damage was worse than they thought. But there’s hope that the line could reopen soon, maybe by January 13. They’re working hard to get things sorted out.

On January 7, they brought in track stones to fix the areas that got washed away. One bridge is already safe now that they’ve cleared a fallen tree that caused some trouble. But there’s still one bridge that’s got them worried.

The divers are set to dive in on January 9 to check the bridge’s foundations. They’ll make a call on whether the line can reopen by Friday. Fingers crossed!

Janet Finch-Saunders, the local Senedd Member, is pretty pleased with how quickly Network Rail is jumping on repairs. She’s glad there’s a bus service in place so folks can still get around while the trains are down.

It’s been a tough ride for the Conwy Valley line, which has seen its fair share of flooding over the years. Network Rail is now focusing on making the railway more resilient to these weather events, knowing that it’s a constant battle.

They’ve invested a lot in flood defenses, especially after the big storms in recent years. The goal is to make repairs quicker after storms, so people aren’t left waiting around for ages.

With climate change bringing more heavy rain, they’re stepping up their game. They’ve fortified more railway sections with rock armor to help protect against washouts. This means that when storms hit, they can get things back on track much faster than before.

For example, after Storm Ciara, one line was out for seven months, but last year, they managed to fix things near Dolgarrog station in just four days. That’s a huge improvement!

While they’re still working on repairs, Transport for Wales is providing bus services between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog, so people can still travel. You can check online for updates on travel times.