Network Rail has released more details of the £25m worth of work it is to carry out on the North Wales Coast railway in January next year.

The work, which Network Rail describes as a “once-in-a-generation programme” will involve engineers renewing track and other infrastructure at locations between Chester and Holyhead, some of which is. more than five decades old.

The North Wales Coast line will close for four weeks from Saturday 9 January until Saturday 6 February 2027 in order for this work to be carried out safely and effectively.

The first three weeks of the closure will see no trains running between Chester and Holyhead, including the Conwy Valley line – which also had engineering work done on it in August – and Llandudno Junction to Llandudno.

However, in the fourth week, a shorter section will close – between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead. Rail replacement buses will run.

The work includes:

• renewing track through the Grade I-listed Conwy Tubular Railway Bridge
• improving track and drainage in Bodorgan Tunnel
• renewing track and improving ground at Penmaenbach
• improving track and points at Holyhead and Llandudno
• improving the platforms at Llandudno Junction
• work on four level crossings to the east of Bangor
• managing vegetation
• extensive maintenance work
• installing two new accessible footbridges at Prestatyn and Abergele, which will allow four high-risk level crossings to close.

The work will use:

• 22 engineering trains and specialist on-track machinery
• 3,000 concrete sleepers
• 9,000 tonnes of ballast.

It will also remove around 9,800 tonnes of spoil for recycling and reuse on future railway projects.

This is a once-in-a-generation investment in the North Wales Coast railway and a huge opportunity to renew and improve infrastructure right across this vital route.

Investment on this scale inevitably means some temporary disruption while we carry out the work, and we recognise closing the railway will have an impact on customers and communities.

But by bringing years’ worth of complex work together into one intensive programme, we can deliver it more safely and efficiently, while avoiding a prolonged series of disruptive weekend closures.

The long-term benefits for passengers and freight customers will far outweigh this temporary disruption, with a safer, more reliable railway that is better equipped to support the increased number of services now running across North Wales.

We’re working closely with Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast to keep passengers moving and we thank everyone in advance for their patience while we deliver this major investment.

Emma Osborn, Passenger Strategy Director at Network Rail Wales and Borders route