Network Rail: “All Lines Closed” After Safety Inspection Finds Defect

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Following a safety inspection that revealed a collapsed culvert between Craven Arms and Church Stretton, Network Rail has closed all train lines between Shrewsbury and Llandrindod Wells, as well as Shrewsbury and Hereford, to carry out urgent repairs.

As a result, train services on these routes have been suspended and replaced by road transport while repair work is underway.

Network Rail stated: “Urgent repairs to the track between Church Stretton and Craven Arms mean that all lines running between Shrewsbury and Llandrindod / Hereford are closed. This means trains will not run between these stations.”

They added that “Trains between Wales and England will terminate or start their journeys at either Shrewsbury or Hereford. Trains on the Heart of Wales line will run between Llandrindod and Swansea only.” The disruption is expected to continue until the end of Tuesday, April 29.

To assist passengers, rail replacement buses are being provided at no extra cost by operators including Swain’s, Keane’s, Lakeside, Regional Transport, CMD, Longmynd, JKT, and First Choice, covering routes between Shrewsbury and Hereford and between Llandrindod and Shrewsbury.

Passengers are advised that “Travelling using rail replacement transport will result in extended journey times. Please allow extra time to complete your journey.”

Network Rail also confirmed that passengers can use their tickets without additional charge on alternative routes operated by Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, Northern, and West Midlands Railway.

Rachel Heath, Operations Director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and ask passengers for their patience while we carry out these critical repairs to keep the railway safe. Our teams are working as quickly and safely as possible to resolve the issue.”

Colin Lea, Transport for Wales Planning and Performance Director, added: “We’ve had to close a section of the railway between Hereford and Shrewsbury on the Marches Line due to infrastructure issues.

Network Rail teams are now on-site and working on fixing the problem. Rail replacement buses are available, but services will be disrupted. Please check before you travel. Thanks for your patience.”

Passengers should expect longer journey times and check the latest travel information before setting off. The full closure affects the North Wales South Wales service, the Marches Line, and the Heart of Wales Line. Network Rail continues to assess the damage and work towards restoring normal service as soon as possible.