Specialist divers will be checking the state of a storm-damaged bridge before the Conwy Valley Railway Line can reopen. Sections of more than 2.5-miles of the track were washed out during the turn-of-the-year floods and buses have been replacing trains.
More than 50 sleepers were dislodged, several level crossings were damaged and two bridges suffered “structural issues”. The line was already disrupted by a fallen tree near Dolwyddelan in late December but flooding on January 1-2 meant the line had to stay close longer than anticipated.
Network Rail engineers then discovered the flood damage was “worse than expected”. Despite this, it is hoped the line will open on Monday, January 13.
Track stones were delivered to the railway on Tuesday, January 7, to replenish washed-out track areas between Dolgarrog and Llanrwst North stations. One of the two affected bridges, between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed, has been declared safe now that the tree that struck it has been removed. Network Rail said work is progressing well but a question mark still hangs over one other bridge over which the line runs.
Photos show dislodged stones in the fabric of the bridge. While these can be addressed, divers will be entering the water on Thursday, January 9, to assess the bridge’s foundations. Based on their findings, a final decision is expected on Friday over whether the line can reopen on Monday.
Janet Finch-Saunders, Senedd Member for Aberconwy, has praised the repair effort. She said: “I welcome the speed with which Network Rail has assessed the damage and commenced repair works to this beautiful line.
“It is reassuring that a bus replacement service is in place so that communities are not deprived of a vital public transport link. I hope that all residents will be reassured that Network Rail is working as quickly as it can to get the line back up and running.” Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community
In places, the tracks was left partially suspended
(Image: Network Rail)
Bridge strike by a tree in the Conwy river between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed
(Image: Network Rail)
The work has highlighted a new approach being taken by Network Rail, particularly on railway lines like the Conwy Valley that are vulnerable to repeated damage. Now the aim is for “resilience not resistance” – an acknowledgement that a railway on a flood plain can never be completely fortified against the elements.
The line first flooded in 1882, just three years after it opened between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Since then it’s been dogged by incidents, with flooding becoming more commonplace in recent years: between 2004 and 2011 there were three inundations affecting train services.
More floods in 2015, 2017 and 2019 prompted Network Rail to spend £2.2m on flood improvements. Following Storm Ciara in 2020, 16,000 tonnes of rock armour were installed alongside almost 2km of railway between Tal-y-cafn and Llanrwst in an attempt to stop stone ballast washing away from the trackbed.
Acting in much the same way as rock armour works in coastal defences, this acts as an “extreme weather-buffer”, said Network Rail. At the same time it accepts that rising flood water will always find a way in – but the damage will be more contained and repairs quicker. With heavier rainfall expected as the climate changes, two more railway sections in Wales have since been weather-proofed with rock armour.
Flooding left debris strewn along the washed-out track
(Image: Network Rail)
Trackbed ballast washed out from under sleepers
(Image: Network Rail)
Alex Hinshelwood, Network Rail’s programme manager for Wales and Borders, said this approach was the “first of its kind” for dealing with washout protection. He said: “These resilience measures mean it can take days, rather than weeks or months, to repair the railway after a harsh storm or flooding.”
When the line closed in 2020, following Storm Ciara, it didn’t reopen for seven months. Last year, a railway section near Dolgarrog station was flooded but it took just four days to repair and reopen the line. Network Rail said that, but for the line’s rock armour, this month’s closure could have been much longer.
In the meantime, Transport for Wales has organised rail replacement services to run between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Buses are being provided by Llew Jones and Dilwyn’s Coaches. Travel updates are available here. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
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