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

cheekybifta · 10 Jun 2026

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

RailUK Forums

The exile · 10 Jun 2026

cheekybifta said:
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 · 10 Jun 2026

The exile said:
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 · 10 Jun 2026

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

The Planner · 10 Jun 2026

Simon11 said:
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 · 10 Jun 2026

The Planner said:
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 · 12 Jun 2026

cheekybifta said:
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 · 12 Jun 2026

Tomos y Tanc said:
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 · 13 Jun 2026

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 · 13 Jun 2026

LNW-GW Joint said:
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.

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

cheekybifta

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

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The exile

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

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The Planner

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LNW-GW Joint

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