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Transport for Wales announces 25-day line closure for South Wales Metro engineering works

07 Oct 2022 2 minute read
Photo TfW

Transport for Wales (TfW) has confirmed the closure of the railway line between Abercynon and Merthyr Tydfil for just over three weeks from Tuesday 11 October.

The closure is to allow heavy engineering works to take place as part of preparations for the introduction of brand-new electric tram-trains on the South Wales Metro.

TfW will be operating a rail replacement bus service calling at all stations on the line from 11 October to 3 November.

The 25-day closure will allow engineers to carry out complex work including the completion of the remaining foundations and the steel post installations for Overhead Line Equipment, new track works for switches and crossings at Pentrebach and Quakers Yard, further work to construct the new platform at Quakers Yard, improvement works at other stations, line speed improvements and “devegetation” across the line.

Night working

TfW says closing the entire line for the duration of the works helps reduce the need for night working as much as possible, reducing the need to disturb line-side neighbours overnight.

The latest work is part of the transformation of the Core Valley Lines for the Metro, which got underway in spring this year and will enable faster, more frequent services between Cardiff and the heads of the valleys.

The Core Valley Lines are the network of railways which serve Aberdare, Coryton, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert.

As part of the upgrade TfW say they will be electrifying around 170km of track, upgrading stations and signalling equipment as well as building two new stations.

The Metro project, which is expected to cost around three quarters of a billion pounds, is scheduled for completion in March 2023.

The project has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Welsh Government.

More information about the Metro is available on the Transport for Wales website, including a blog article answering some frequently asked questions about the transformation work.


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