Trains cancelled on Powys’ Llanfair Railway after car crash

Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway have been forced to limit its services today (November 2) after a car crashed onto the tracks after going through a hedge at the Welshpool end of the line.

The railway is a favourite locally and attracts visitors from across the country. The Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway was built in 1903 to link farming communities with the market town of Welshpool and provide them with an outlet for their produce.

The current service runs steam trains and a variety of heritage trains on a route between Welshpool and Llanfair Caereinion stopping at Sylfaen Railway Station along the way.

However it was announced that trains on the historic Powys line have been limited today due to a crash. Trains were cancelled from the Welshpool end this morning, and services heading the other way are only running halfway along the line.

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In a statement online the railway said: “All trains from Welshpool cancelled. Due to a road traffic incident, the 11:45 departure from Welshpool is cancelled.

“The 10:30 and 13:45 departures from Llanfair will operate to Sylfaen and return. We apologise for any inconvenience.”

A representative from Welshpool & LLanfair Light Railway has since confirmed that the closure was due to a car crashing though a hedge at the Welshpool end of the rail line in the early hours of the morning.

In the accident the car made contact with the track and left it damaged. A representative of the railway said that whilst they were running a limited service today they were hoping to reopen as normal at the weekend but that due to the nature of the damage they could make no guarantees at this time.

Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed that the driver of the car was in need of medical assistance when they attended the scene.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Police received a call at about 7.05am reporting a vehicle down an embankment off the A458 road between Welshpool and Machynlleth.

“A blue Ford Kuga had left the road and landed on a railway track. The driver of the vehicle attended hospital for treatment.”