Network Rail is warning passengers of disruption to train services later this month as it carries out engineering work that it promises will make the railway across North Wales and the Borders more reliable and resilient to flooding.

The engineering work will begin on the night of Sunday, 16 August and continue until Sunday, 30 August. During the work, the lines between Bidston and Wrexham General will be closed, and some lines between Wrexham General and Shrewsbury will also be affected.

The closed sections of the railway will reopen on Monday, 31 August.

Much of the work will focus on locations repeatedly affected by flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. More frequent and heavier rain, driven by climate change, has led to several floods in the area, including near Llandudno Junction in 2024 and along the Cambrian Line in 2021.

Engineers will replace an ageing syphon near Gobowen and install an automated trash screen, which will be the first on the Wales and Borders route. The system is powered by water and solar energy, and automatically removes branches, weeds and litter before they are able to block the drainage system.

Workers will also renew more than a kilometre of drainage pipe at Babbinswood in an effort to make that area of the railway more resilient to heavy rainfall. They will carry out structural repairs to the Hawarden Swing Bridge, replacing sections of track, waterproofing, and completing brickwork repairs.

In addition, they will carry out route improvements, including renewing track and upgrading level crossings, as well as rail stressing and signalling work between Shotwick, Dee Marsh Junction, Weston Rhyn, Ruabon and Burton.

“This is a significant investment in the railway across North Wales and the Borders that will deliver long-term benefits for passengers and freight customers.

“Much of the work is focused on improving drainage and replacing ageing infrastructure at locations that have experienced repeated flooding. These upgrades will make the railway more resilient to extreme weather, helping to reduce delays and improve reliability for years to come.

“We’ve also planned a wide range of additional improvements during the closure to make the very best use of the time available and reduce the need for future disruption.

“The programme has been scheduled to begin after the 2026 FA Community Shield in Cardiff, allowing supporters travelling to and from the match to do so before the railway closes. We’d like to thank passengers for their patience and encourage everyone travelling during the closure to plan ahead and check before they travel.”

Nick Millington, Route Director for Network Rail Wales and Borders route