Engineering work to prepare railway lines for the impact of flooding will cause some disruption to services, Network Rail has warned.<\/p>\n
Some routes across north Wales and the borders will close between 16 and 30 August, with buses replacing trains.<\/p>\n
Network Rail said: “A key focus of the work is tackling locations that have been repeatedly affected by flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.”<\/p>\n
It said it wanted to complete the work before the autumn to “reduce the risk of flooding, enhance safety and deliver more reliable journeys for passengers and freight”.<\/p>\n
The work includes:<\/p>\n
Renewing more than a kilometre of drainage pipe to improve the area’s resilience to extreme weather at Babbinswood in Shropshire.<\/p>\n
Structural repairs, sections of track replaced, waterproofing, and completing brickwork repairs to improve the long-term conditions and keep trains running reliably at Hawarden Swing Bridge, near Connah’s Quay.<\/p>\n
Track renewals, level crossing upgrades, rail stressing and signalling work between Shotwick, Dee Marsh Junction, Weston Rhyn, Ruabon and Burton.<\/p>\n
Engineers will replace an ageing siphon and install an automated rubbish screen on the Wales and Borders route, near Gobowen.<\/p>\n
Network Rail said the Gobowen system would be powered by water and solar energy and would automatically removes branches, weeds and litter before they can block the drainage system.<\/p>\n
It said lines between Bidston and Wrexham General will be closed, while some lines between Wrexham General and Shrewsbury will also be affected.<\/p>\n
Routes affected<\/p>\n
Bidston to Wrexham General\/Central between 16 and 30 August – Buses will replace trains.<\/p>\n
Replacement buses will serve Birkenhead North for connections with Merseyrail services to Liverpool.<\/p>\n
Wrexham General to Shrewsbury between 17 and 30 August with buses replacing trains and some services extended to Chester. Services between Crewe and Wrexham General will operate approximately hourly.<\/p>\n
Trains between North Wales, Shrewsbury, Birmingham International and Cardiff Central will be diverted via Crewe, with revised timetables and longer journey times.<\/p>\n
Network Rail said some public footpath crossings will also be temporarily closed with signed diversion routes in place.<\/p>\n
At Gobowen level crossing, barriers may remain down for longer than usual.<\/p>\n
Nick Millington, Route Director for the Wales and borders route, said the work had been timed to take place after the Community Shield in Cardiff and was a “significant investment in the railway”.<\/p>\n
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