Conwy Valley Line - Now Reopened

[PHILIPE]

Trains running again today

 

[PHILIPE]

No trains today or tomorrow but not infrastructure problem this time. Shortage of DMUs due to more out of use than normal again. In fact, a big sort out with 175 formations has been carried out to get as many serviceable vehicles dutifully employed as there are 4 driving vehicles out of use following weather related damage.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Bleanau Ffestiniog passenger usage figures 2016-17 up to 40,701, circa 5,000 up on previous 12 months - or 14%. Despite all the problems? !

 

[pdeaves]

Bleanau Ffestiniog passenger usage figures 2016-17 up to 40,701, circa 5,000 up on previous 12 months - or 14%. Despite all the problems? !

Perhaps thousands of people going for a last ride, 'just in case'?!

 

[PHILIPE]

Line closed beyond Llanrwst North due flooding

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Oh dear! They do struggle to control flood water up the valley. I didn't think the weather was particularly bad last night. Some heavy rain but not for an extended period of time.

Slightly off topic but as it was discussed on this thread further up about ATW lack of available units, it seems they are making sets out of whatever is available.
At Chester last night I saw these two sad lonely single carriages sitting in the sidings. Quite an unusual sight. (sorry for the crap picture, dark and at a distance )

 

[PHILIPE]

Re-opened today

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

Possibly not for long though - several hours of heavy snow are forecast this evening.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I guess the embankment and drainage work done a while ago was successful - it'll still flood but hopefully with no damage.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Guess what.................

https://www.journeycheck.com/arrivatrainswales/

Cancellations to services between Blaenau Ffestiniog and North Llanrwst
Due to flooding between Blaenau Ffestiniog and North Llanrwst the line is closed.
Impact
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 10 minutes. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
Road transport will operate between Llanrwst North and Blaenau Ffestioniog up until mid day with delays of approx 10 minutes reported departing Llanrwst North to Llandudno Junction waiting bus connection. After mid day buses replace trains between llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestioniog until end of service.

 

[AndrewE]

Looks like some major catchment modification is needed... repeatedly patching up flood damage seems to be an inadequate answer. Time for reafforestation of big (bigger) areas and the creation of wetlands too, I think. Then we'll get the beavers in:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/16/beavers-uk-flood-defences-forest-of-dean

Beavers could be put to work building dams to stop a village from flooding in the Forest of Dean, in what would be the first such scheme on government land.

The Forestry Commission has been an enthusiastic advocate for the release of a family of beavers into a large fenced area surrounding Greathough brook above the village of Lydbrook, on land owned by the commission.

 

[Parallel]

This line has to be the worst in the UK for flooding, surely? Even worse than the Looe Valley line.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This line has to be the worst in the UK for flooding, surely? Even worse than the Looe Valley line.

It is somewhat. But they did do a load of drainage work a while ago to reduce the damage it causes, at least, so it can reopen quickly as the flooding subsides.

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

Looks like some major catchment modification is needed... repeatedly patching up flood damage seems to be an inadequate answer. Time for reafforestation of big (bigger) areas and the creation of wetlands too, I think. Then we'll get the beavers in:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/16/beavers-uk-flood-defences-forest-of-dean

Does anyone know where the recent floodings have actually occurred? There is a dip between the two Llanrwst stations which was (is?) very prone to flooding putting the track underwater so a pump was put there a few years ago. Based on observations in Dolwyddelan I would be surprised if recent flood water had reached track level anywhere else south of Llanrwst. Or is it that the line is closed because damage to the formation remains a significant risk and inspection is required in periods of heavy rain? Or something else?

 

[Dai Corner]

There is an article on the Rail Engineer website describing the measures taken after the December 2015 floods.

During December 2015, the Conwy Valley in North Wales received over three times its average monthly rainfall, with over a metre being recorded at Capel Curig. As a result, the Conwy River finally burst its banks on 27 December and inundated the Conwy Valley railway line.

The combination of floodwater from the river to the west of the railway and the sheer volume of water coming off the mountains from the east, now unable to flow into the river, finally overtopped the railway in several places with floodwaters reaching platform level at North Llanrwst station.

Futureproof Washout Repairs

Working with Network Rail, several teams from Alun Griffiths (Contractors) were mobilised at first light on 28 December to assess the damage. North of Llanrwst, there were several areas of ballast washout totalling over a mile in length. The railway runs through a flood plain in this section and the flooding was made worse by breaches in the river flood defence embankments.

The damage was limited to the top and bottom ballast levels, leaving the earthworks largely unaffected. However, 10 foot-crossings were affected along with much of the lineside cabling.

Work commenced promptly with more than 1000 tonnes of ballast being delivered to site. Fortunately, there was a road-rail access point (RRAP) at Llanrwst North, so road-rail vehicles were used to run the ballast out to the affected areas progressively, allowing each section to be re-ballasted before moving on to the next site. The reinstatement of this section was straightforward and was completed in January, along with the level crossing repairs.

South of Llanrwst station, floodwater had overtopped the embankment and washed away a thirty-metre section, totally undermining the track. Access to the site was severally hampered because of flooding in the adjacent field so, working from track level, damaged sections had to be repaired in sequence.


As the floodwater subsided, access was gained across the flood plain in order to speed up repairs and take delivery of around 600 tonnes of rock armour.

Whilst initially asked to undertake a like-for- like repair, Griffiths also proposed a number of measures to build in future resilience. Short of raising the level of the railway, the embankment south of Llanrwst would always remain susceptible to overtopping during flood events and was prone to rapid erosion. The solution was to cover the embankment slopes with geotextile membrane, keyed into a trench at the toe of the embankment filled with free-draining material. Rock armour was then placed up to cess level.

This will slow the velocity of water during future overtopping events and, at the same time, protect the embankment slopes themselves.
Rapid Solution and Approval

Wing-wall scour had undermined the back of the abutments of Bridge 14, just south of Llanrwst station, causing the approach transition slab
to drop. The slab weighs 11 tonnes and, as the surrounding fields were totally saturated, it was impossible to use a crane from the side of the railway. A road-rail crane was brought in, but had to travel over the line affected by the washout. This meant that earthwork reconstruction had to be finished before the bridge slab could be lifted.

Arcadis, formally Hyder, was engaged to prepare general arrangement drawings and a Form 001 for both the earthworks and the permanent way design. Network Rail expedited the technical approvals process allowing construction work to get underway.





Griffiths proposed an extension to the bridge wing wall to provide anti-scour protection around the bridge and, for the embankment, designed a key trench with large 500mm stone wrapped in geotextile matting. The pitching stone and embankment slope was then reworked to a shallower angle such that the earthwork fill material would be better protected from future overtopping flood events.

Strengthened Overhead Flume

The fourth section of work revolved around a small aqueduct or flume that spanned the railway between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed. The parapet wall had failed, depositing silt and debris onto the track below.

To allow the failed parapet to be rebuilt, the watercourse was over-pumped. Griffiths took the opportunity to strengthen the works with the use of stainless steel dowels through the parapet. This work was completed in early January, preventing further water damage and debris affecting the line.

But nothing is ever easy. Just as all of the above work was being completed, more storms arrived, culminating in further flooding on 25 and 26 January. However, Griffiths’ two pronged methodology, by accessing the railway from adjacent land and using road rail machinery, provided the flexibility to keep working towards handing the railway back before the end of February.

 

[PHILIPE]

Line closed beyond Llanrwst North from Wednesday December 27 until 1 January due to urgent tunnel repairs. Bustitution. Doesn't appear to be as a result of something fresh happening.

 

[PHILIPE]

Re-opened today, earlier than expected

 

[PHILIPE]

Expected out for several weeks according to Network Rail due flood damage in several places, full extent not yet known

 

[Bletchleyite]

Merde alors! Just as I was going to use it next week (unusually to actually get somewhere near Dolwyddelan, not just for a ride). I suppose at least the road is reasonably scenic too.

 

[Parallel]

I'm due to make a journey on it in a month. Fingers crossed it is up and running again then!

 

[GCRS]

I'm not at all surprised that it's closed again. The River Conwy was at a very high level yesterday and the roads down both sides of the valiey were closed at some point. The trains were cancelled yesterday anyway due to the unit being needed in the south for rugby traffic, but even the bus replacement service was cancelled by mid-afternoon. The line between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed was under this lot yesterday.

 

[StoneRoad]

Neither am I, the Conwy Valley line near Llanwrst is often at risk of damage from flooding. This time I think the roads have also been flooded to the point of being impassable. Judging by the amount of water in the fields ...
OH was in N Wales (nr Porthmadog) on Saturday and came back via Bala ... said Llyn Celyn was remarkably full.

 

[Llanigraham]

Pictures from a FB page
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10216932088191118&set=pcb.10216932092071215&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10216932088671130&set=pcb.10216932092071215&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10216932087991113&set=pcb.10216932092071215&type=3&theater

 

[GCRS]

The local newspaper is reporting that it will be closed for several weeks. From looking at the photos in the article there is a lot of damage to repair.

 

[AndrewE]

National Rail Enquiries says "Until further notice."

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Neither am I, the Conwy Valley line near Llanwrst is often at risk of damage from flooding. This time I think the roads have also been flooded to the point of being impassable. Judging by the amount of water in the fields ...OH was in N Wales (nr Porthmadog) on Saturday and came back via Bala ... said Llyn Celyn was remarkably full.

Glad to see someone realises that the roads are also subject to flooding and that transport links in general in this area are somewhat tenuous when the normally-expected seasonal precipitation levels in this type of river valley with its mountainous terrain rise in accordance.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Some picture s from National Rail.....

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1dhEAXOV7fCWpiAAVnGGuWirVAHgthSqb?usp=drive_open

 

[yorkie]

If anyone wishes to make a proposal for closure of this line, or any other major change, please ensure that you do so in a new thread with an appropriate title in the Speculative Ideas section. Thanks.

Edit: I have created a thread here https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ere-an-affordable-way-to-keep-it-open.180002/

 

[edwin_m]

Some picture s from National Rail.....

On the second photo it's interesting that something akin to slab track has been used on that bridge. Can't be sure but it looks like there might be some damage to the slab just at the start of the bridge itself, due to undermining of the slab nearest the camera putting all its weight onto where it joins the bridge.

 

[Bletchleyite]

On the second photo it's interesting that something akin to slab track has been used on that bridge. Can't be sure but it looks like there might be some damage to the slab just at the start of the bridge itself, due to undermining of the slab nearest the camera putting all its weight onto where it joins the bridge.

That bridge and slab looks very new, possibly done as a result of previous flooding there. So the flooding just went for the next weak point...