Reopening date for Cambrian Line announced as trains involved in collision are removed

The Cambrian Line will remain closed over the weekend after Monday’s head-on collision near Talerddig.

Buses have replaced trains between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth since the two Transport for Wales Class 158s collided at 1926 on October 21.

The two units – 158824 and 158841 – were separated on Thursday and taken down to Machynlleth by rail on Friday afternoon.

Network Rail (NR) has now said the line is set to reopen on Monday October 28 now investigators have finished at the site.

NR engineers have also been carrying out repairs at the site, and carrying out safety inspections with test trains due to run through the area before services resume.

Nick Millington, Network Rail’s Wales & Borders route director said: “Monday night’s tragic events will forever be etched in my memory and my thoughts remain with all those affected. Thankfully, incidents like this are extremely rare on the railway network. We continue to operate one of the safest railway networks in Europe.

“Our engineers have been on site throughout and have conducted very thorough safety checks and we will run test trains through the area.

“I am grateful to the local community who have been very accommodating throughout this last week while we have been managing this incident.

“I would also like to thank passengers for their patience, understanding and support during the last few days as our teams have worked tirelessly to restore the railway as quickly as they could.”

Jan Chaudhry van der Velde, chief operating officer for Transport for Wales, said: “The railways in Wales have a very good safety record, so when serious incidents like this happen, we at TfW, together with our partners at Network Rail, are determined to get to the bottom of what caused it. For that reason, we are co-operating fully with the authorities investigating the collision, and in particular, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. 

“We have worked hard to clear the trains safely from the accident site, and to carry out full safety checks and tests before reopening the line for passenger trains.

“Our condolences go to the family of the passenger who passed away, and we hope that those passengers and staff members injured in the collision make a speedy recovery.”

No TfW services will run between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International over the weekend due to “operational challenges”.

NR’s railhead treatment train has also run between Shrewsbury and Newtown over the last two days.