Rhymney valley railway line to close for major engineering works

The Rhymney valley railway line is set close for six weeks as it undergoes major enhancements as part of the next phase of the South Wales Metro, Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced.

Starting at the end of March 2025, TfW says it will deliver an “intensive” 8-month programme of engineering work that will transform and electrify over 15km of railway line.

Brand-new Class 231 trains were introduced to the Rhymney valley line in 2023 as part of an £800 million investment.

These further infrastructure improvements will enable electrified Class 756 trains to be introduced to the line with the aim of delivering faster, greener and more accessible transport to the communities of south Wales.

Closures

To deliver this intensive 8-month programme of work safely, there will be periods where the railway line will be closed and rail replacement services in operation to keep passengers moving.

This includes two 6-week closures over the Easter and summer holidays from 12 April to 23 May and 19 July to 31 August.

TfW encourages all passengers travelling on the Rhymney line to check before they travel.

Transformation

Dan Tipper, Chief Infrastructure Officer at TfW said: “We are excited to embark on our transformation programme to upgrade the Rhymney line as part of the South Wales Metro project, aimed at transforming public transport in south Wales.

“We’ll be carrying out major infrastructure improvements on the line, including the installation of Overhead Line Equipment to electrify the line and upgrades to local railway stations.

“We appreciate the patience of our customers and neighbours living near the railway as we carry out these upgrades.

“We understand that rail closures and engineering work may cause disruption for those who rely on our services and for those living close to the tracks and would like to urge all customers to check before traveling during this period.”