Month-long shutdown of North Wales Coast Line for engineering works

[cheekybifta]

Network Rail are finalising plans for what looks like a month-long shutdown of all trains west of Chester. (making a pure assumption the Bidston line will still run but the Conwy Valley line wont)

Set for January 2027.

Public info states it's for "the construction of two new fully accessible footbridges, extensive track renewals and drainage enhancements along the North Wales Coast line". Must be an awful lot of renewals and drainage due to shut down the whole line for a month?

North Wales Coast Line to close for FOUR WEEKS for unprecedented planned works

This will be the first time in modern history that the entire stretch between Holyhead and Chester has been fully taken out of service for planned…

www.leaderlive.co.uk

 

[The exile]

Network Rail are finalising plans for what looks like a month-long shutdown of all trains west of Chester. (making a pure assumption the Bidston line will still run but the Conwy Valley line wont)

Set for January 2027.

Public info states it's for "the construction of two new fully accessible footbridges, extensive track renewals and drainage enhancements along the North Wales Coast line". Must be an awful lot of renewals and drainage due to shut down the whole line for a month?

North Wales Coast Line to close for FOUR WEEKS for unprecedented planned works

This will be the first time in modern history that the entire stretch between Holyhead and Chester has been fully taken out of service for planned…

www.leaderlive.co.uk

What it actually says is that it includes those things.

 

[cheekybifta]

What it actually says is that it includes those things.

Yes, which is the only public info at present. I'd imagine it includes a plethora of other work too.

 

[Simon11]

Would be a great opportunity to stick in electrification infrastructure too albeit our Government and GBR are not ready nor prepared.

 

[The Planner]

Would be a great opportunity to stick in electrification infrastructure too albeit our Government and GBR are not ready nor prepared.

Nor funded, which is the important bit.

 

[Zomboid]

Nor funded, which is the important bit.

I'd imagine that means there's no design either, but never mind that, just stick some poles in and add a few wires.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Yes, which is the only public info at present. I'd imagine it includes a plethora of other work too.

Pity there's nothing about replacement of foot crossings or level crossing access to caravan parks. They're a real problem. Still, glass half full and all that. Nice to see the line getting some TLC for once.

 

[Sheridan]

Pity there's nothing about replacement of foot crossings or level crossing access to caravan parks. They're a real problem. Still, glass half full and all that. Nice to see the line getting some TLC for once.

I think it does say that, albeit not explicitly - but the bit about accessible footbridges surely includes the one at Abergele which will result in the closure of Tŷ Gwyn and Pen Uchaf foot crossings?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Haven't the foot crossings already been closed?
That's what allowed the recent service increase to 3tph on the NW main line.
The new work in January is (among other things) to construct the new footbridges, so this summer there will be a lack of access across the railway in places.

 

[Sheridan]

Haven't the foot crossings already been closed?
That's what allowed the recent service increase to 3tph on the NW main line.
The new work in January is (among other things) to construct the new footbridges, so this summer there will be a lack of access across the railway in places.

Sandy Lane and Beverley Drive in Prestatyn have closed, but Tŷ Gwyn and Pen Uchaf remain open, as unlike the Prestatyn crossings, these are equipped with red and green lights, and as an additional measure there are crossing attendants at both of them during the day.

 

[chrisjo]

The BBC have (finally) picked up on this closure. This article (in Welsh), and headed with a picture of a TFW 175 as usual, gives more details, including:

• During the first three weeks of the work the line will be closed between Chester and Holyhead, including the Conwy Valley line and the branch to Llandudno.
• During the fourth week the line will be closed between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead.
• Details of rail-replacement buses are expected in October.
• Renewal of the track on Conwy Bridge, a Grade I listed structure. The current track dates back to 1978.
• Major improvements to the track and drainage in Bodorgan Tunnel, renewing infrastructure dating back to 1972 and helping to reduce flood risk.
• Track renewal and ground improvements at Penmaen-bach, where sections of the track have not been renewed since 1986; Track and point improvements at Holyhead and Llandudno.
• Platform improvements at Llandudno Junction.
• Work on four level crossings east of Bangor
• Vegetation management contracts worth approximately £1.4m at nine locations, and extensive maintenance work along the route.
• Two new, fully accessible footbridges at Prestatyn and Abergele, allowing for the closure of four high-risk level crossings (as in previous posts).

Rheilffordd arfordir y gogledd i gau am fis cyfan i wneud gwelliannau

Bydd rheilffordd arfordir y gogledd yn cau am bedair wythnos fis Ionawr er mwyn gwneud gwelliannau.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Welshguy1048]

Morning

Here is the story in English

BBC News - Major railway line to close for a month as work is carried out

North Wales coast railway work to cause disruption to passengers

The North Wales Coast line will close for four weeks in January 2027 for work to be carried out.

www.bbc.co.uk

And the Network Rail Media Centre article

New details announced for multi-million-pound investment to boost reliability of North Wales Coast railway

This once-in-a-generation programme will deliver years’ worth of improvements during a four-week railway closure in January 2027.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

 

[kieron]

There's no mention of the line between Chester and Wrexham, so the closure must only be west of Saltney Junction.

And, just to say, they closed the Bidston line for two weeks in August. Another extended closure would have raised some questions.

 

[childwallblues]

Will be good to get improved accessability at Abergele & Pensarn.

 

[Jan Mayen]

I thought both platforms at Abergele and Pensarn had level access?

 

[mmh]

They do. The bridge they're building isn't at the station, it's between some of the holiday parks and the seafront.

 

[chrisjo]

They do. The bridge they're building isn't at the station, it's between some of the holiday parks and the seafront.

This is the image from the Network Rail press release quoted in post #12. The title is 'Pensarn Abergele footbridge artist impression.jpg'

The caravans in the image match those at 'Tŷ Gwyn Holiday' on Google Maps satellite view. This is about 1.3 km east of Abergele & Pensarn Station. There is currently a pedestrian level crossing here, just visible in the top left corner of the artist's impression image.

 

[Jan Mayen]

They do. The bridge they're building isn't at the station, it's between some of the holiday parks and the seafront.

Many thanks for the clarification.

 

[styles]

My impression is Network Rail and Transport for Wales haven't communicated very well with the regular users of the line.

From the BBC article:

Bangor University student Scott Walker said the disruption would be "really annoying" as he travels in by train from Deganwy, Conwy county.

"It's a simple 20 minutes on the train normally but the buses are an hour, hour and a half, so the buses are going to be a pain," he said.

...

Rachel, from Tamworth in Staffordshire, who was visiting her son at university, said the disruption could be an issue for a "lot of people who don't drive and rely on the train".

"I know they are putting on buses but it just extends your journey," she said.

The rail replacement buses will effectively be express services not calling at dozens of local bus calling points. On some services they may stop at Penmaenmawer and Llanfairfechan as per the rail schedule they're replacing, but otherwise I expect them to be on the A55 most of the time, not the back roads through the villages. So they're unlikely to take an hour and a half to get from Llandudno Junction to Bangor.

 

[takno]

My impression is Network Rail and Transport for Wales haven't communicated very well with the regular users of the line.

From the BBC article:



The rail replacement buses will effectively be express services not calling at dozens of local bus calling points. On some services they may stop at Penmaenmawer and Llanfairfechan as per the rail schedule they're replacing, but otherwise I expect them to be on the A55 most of the time, not the back roads through the villages. So they're unlikely to take an hour and a half to get from Llandudno Junction to Bangor.

Seems pretty standard BBC News. They could just reprint the press release, but they figure they'll get more clicks by finding some random strangers who apparently haven't heard the news at all, give them a misleading summary and print their reaction.

 

[mmh]

My impression is Network Rail and Transport for Wales haven't communicated very well with the regular users of the line.

Indeed, they've handled it very poorly.

Seems pretty standard BBC News. They could just reprint the press release, but they figure they'll get more clicks by finding some random strangers who apparently haven't heard the news at all, give them a misleading summary and print their reaction.

They're not random strangers though. The person concerned about the time of a replacement bus is a daily commuter. It's been over 3 months with no information. I'd probably have been completely unaware this was coming up if I wasn't on this forum. Even regular users have no idea this is happening.

The lack of information means even if you are aware, you're unable to make any plans involving rail travel.

 

[Belperpete]

The work isn't taking place until January! Plenty of time to put out detailed information before then.

 

[The Planner]

The work isn't taking place until January! Plenty of time to put out detailed information before then.

This, you don't go full on with the detail at the start. We aren't even at T12 for it yet.

 

[Welshguy1048]

This, you don't go full on with the detail at the start. We aren't even at T12 for it yet.

@The Planner

What is "T12" please ?

Dave

 

[Class15]

This is the image from the Network Rail press release quoted in post #12. The title is 'Pensarn Abergele footbridge artist impression.jpg'

The caravans in the image match those at 'Tŷ Gwyn Holiday' on Google Maps satellite view. This is about 1.3 km east of Abergele & Pensarn Station. There is currently a pedestrian level crossing here, just visible in the top left corner of the artist's impression image.

View attachment 212749

Perhaps this thread would also be suitable:

Does Network Rail have an over-engineering problem?

Every time I see this gantry at Tulse Hill I wonder: is so much steel really necessary to support a couple of colour light signals (plus a human maintaining them)? (Image is of a signal gantry with very substantial steelwork) There are lots of other examples, including most station...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[The Planner]

@The Planner

What is "T12" please ?

Dave

12 weeks before that particular week. Its when advance tickets are normally released.

 

[Welshguy1048]

12 weeks before that particular week. Its when advance tickets are normally released.

@The Planner

Thank you

Dave

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

From Saturday 9 January 2027 Realtimetrains has buses scheduled to run west of Chester to Llandudno and Holyhead.
The Holyhead service takes 2h35m with 3 stops (Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Jn and Bangor) and must run via the A55. The normal trains take 1h47m.
I've no idea if this is the final timetable, and it may change until formally published by TfW.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...R/2027-01-09/1159?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt

There appear to be half-hour services to both Holyhead (as above) and Llandudno (calling all stops taking 2h11m, and evidently taking the coast road), both leaving Chester at xx05/35.
Llandudno Jn has stopping buses to Bangor/Llandudno/Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The TfW loco-hauled service to Cardiff starts from Chester with ECS from Crewe.
Avanti also start from Chester (one service from Wrexham) and must be moving the Everos that normally overnight at Holyhead.

 

[styles]

From Saturday 9 January 2027 Realtimetrains has buses scheduled to run west of Chester to Llandudno and Holyhead.
The Holyhead service takes 2h35m with 3 stops (Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Jn and Bangor) and must run via the A55. The normal trains take 1h47m.
I've no idea if this is the final timetable, and it may change until formally published by TfW.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...R/2027-01-09/1159?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt

There appear to be half-hour services to both Holyhead (as above) and Llandudno (calling all stops taking 2h11m, and evidently taking the coast road), both leaving Chester at xx05/35.
Llandudno Jn has stopping buses to Bangor/Llandudno/Blaenau Ffestiniog.

So the Junction to Bangor is 35 minutes according to the first couple I've checked, a far cry from the hour and a half the chap in the BBC News article suggested it could take (presumably based off the normal public buses going through the villages). Does feel like TfW could at least alleviate some of these concerns even if they don't detail the exact timetable.