Cambrian Line rail services to restart after flood repairs

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Damaged rail lineImage source, Network rail
Image caption,

The flooding washed out tonnes of ballast beneath rail lines

Train services are due to resume on a rail line which was wrecked by flooding from storms in February.

It damaged tracks, washed away ballast and deposited three tonnes of debris on the Cambrian Line which runs between Aberystwyth and Pwllheli to Shrewsbury.

Transport for Wales (TfW) is planning to resume some passenger services on Saturday afternoon, following track testing, according to Network Rail.

Full services are due to start from Sunday, it said.

The line was "severely impacted" at 33 locations after the River Severn flooded.

And it took 10 days for the river to recede before engineers could start repairs.

Media caption,

Homes, roads and rail hit by storm floods in Wales

The work included replacing 4,000 tonnes of ballast and 800 metres of double tracks, and installing fencing and cables.

Bill Kelly, route director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said it was "fantastic to be able to fully reopen the Cambrian line for passengers, after the scenes of absolute devastation left in the wake of Storm Franklin".

TfW operations director Martyn Brennan said: "We would like to thank our customers for their patience while this essential work has taken place and we look forward to returning to a full service on the Cambrian Line from Sunday."

Image source, Network Rail
Image caption,

A total of 800m of double rail lines needed replacing following the flooding