The Grade II listed Barmouth Viaduct reopened for rail traffic on Thursday, 30 December, after over three months of intensive restoration work.
The condition of the timber viaduct was much worse than expected. Despite very challenging winter weather and the impact of the Omicron variant, engineers worked around the clock to complete the repairs.
The reopening of the line to passengers marks the completion of stage two of a three-year £30m restoration programme, the biggest in its 153-year lifetime. To complete the entire restoration, over 1,000 timber and metal elements of the viaduct that are rotting or decaying will require replacing, as well as the entire 820m length of track.
To maintain the viaduct's magnificent appearance, Network Rail is doing the repairs on a ‘like for like' basis. It has worked closely with Cadw (the historic environment service of the Welsh Government), Gwynedd County Council, Transport for Wales, and others over several years to develop plans to upgrade the bridge.
The work has been planned to take place over three years, with three shorter closures of the viaduct rather than a single longer closure.
During 2022, Network Rail will replace the metallic spans of the viaduct and the associated track, and will be upgrading the track at the north and south ends of the viaduct. The bridge will be closed from Sunday, 11 September to Sunday, 11 December 2022.
The walkway over the viaduct has been temporarily reopened until 10 January to allow pedestrians and cyclists to use it over the Christmas period. Network Rail will then repair and replace as necessary any elements of the walkway and handrails that are of a safety-critical nature.
Bill Kelly, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “I'd like to thank passengers and the local community for their patience and continued support over the last three and half months – it made a huge difference as our team worked to overcome a range of different challenges on site.
“This once in a lifetime restoration will secure the future of Barmouth Viaduct for generations to come protecting a vital transport link that is amongst Wales' most iconic landmarks.”
Colin Lea, Transport for Wales' Planning and Performance Director, said: “We're delighted that Network Rail are making great progress in their work to safeguard the future of this iconic structure and the Cambrian Coast Line. Their investment in refurbishing Barmouth Viaduct sits alongside our own investment in transforming services throughout the Wales and Borders network, including brand new trains for the Cambrian Coast Line in the years to come.
“Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it's important for anyone travelling with us to check before you travel. You can do this on the TfW website http://www.tfw.wales or the TfW app.”
TfW announced a new timetable on 22 December in response to the Omicron surge. Passengers are advised to follow up-to-date guidance from Welsh Government and check before travelling via http://journeycheck.com/tfw.
Further information about the project can be found at http://www.networkrail.co.uk/barmouth
