Network Rail to renew track in Dinmore Tunnel between Hereford …
The Marches Line[1] will close between Hereford[2] and Shrewsbury[3] for nine days starting next Tuesday.
Buses will replace trains while workers renew the track and ballast inside the historic Dinmore Tunnel, which was built in 1853.
The tunnel is actually two tunnels, one carrying trains towards London (the up-side) and one carrying trains away from London (the down-side). They are jointly the fifteenth longest tunnels on the former Great Western Railway[4].
Dinmore Tunnel up line portal // Credit: Paul Cooke
Network Rail[5], working with its principal contractor, Colas Rail, will access the railway from Wellington[6] Level Crossing[7]. Workers will replace the ballast and track in the up-side tunnel.
The new track will improve the performance of trains reliability of journeys on the Marches line[8], which provides an important rail link between South Wales[9] and the Midlands[10] and beyond.
Network Rail[11] plans to be working on the dates and times below, but these are subject to change:
- Tuesday 12 September to Friday 29 September (continuously main work) – track renewal
- Saturday 30 September to Sunday 19 November (Saturday nights) 11pm to 9:40am – follow-up work
Transport for Wales[12] (TfW) will run a replacement bus service from Hereford[13] to Shrewsbury[14] during the closure. It will then run a reduced rail service from Cardiff[15] to Shrewsbury from Friday 22 September to Friday 29 September.
Passengers can check TfW’s journey planner[16] before they travel.
The work will take place day and night, and will cause some obstruction to road traffic between Cherry Brooke/Old Dinmore Hill and Wellington[17] Level Crossing[18], to allow for the safe movement of materials into and out of the tunnel. The road near the crossing will close from Monday 11 until Friday 22 September between 8pm and 6am each day.
Marches Line near Dinmore Tunnel // Credit: Ashley Williams
Clarisse Grother, senior programme manager at Network Rail Wales & Borders[19], said: “We understand that there is never a good time to close the railway or roads but this essential work, in Dinmore Tunnel, will improve reliability on the Marches Line, ensuring this important and well-travelled link between South Wales[20], the Midlands, North of England and beyond is secure for the future.
“We will be working around the clock to get the work completed as quickly and safely as possible, and I would like to apologise to passengers and the local community for any disruption[21] this may cause.”
References
- ^ Posts tagged with Marches line (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Hereford (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Shrewsbury (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Great Western Railway (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Network Rail (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Wellington (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Level Crossing (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Marches line (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Wales (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Midlands (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Network Rail (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Transport for Wales (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Hereford (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Shrewsbury (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Cardiff (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ TfW’s journey planner (www.journeycheck.com)
- ^ Posts tagged with Wellington (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Level Crossing (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Wales & Borders (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Wales (www.railadvent.co.uk)
- ^ Posts tagged with Disruption (www.railadvent.co.uk)