Guest article – Network Rail
Passengers are being urged to plan ahead next month as Network Rail carries out essential engineering work to improve the reliability and resilience of the railway across North Wales and the Borders.
The vital engineering work will take place from the night of Sunday 16 August until Sunday 30 August. Due to the scale of the programme, lines between Bidston and Wrexham General will be closed, while some lines between Wrexham General and Shrewsbury will also be affected. The railway will reopen on Monday 31 August.
A key focus of the work is tackling locations that have been repeatedly affected by flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. Near Gobowen, engineers will replace an ageing syphon and install the first automated trash screen on the Wales and Borders route. Powered by water and solar energy, the system automatically removes branches, weeds and litter before they can block the drainage system, delivering a more reliable railway for passengers.
Additional work includes:
- Babbinswood: More than a kilometre of drainage pipe renewal to improve the area’s resilience to extreme weather.
- Hawarden Swing Bridge: Structural repairs, sections of track replaced, waterproofing, and completing brickwork repairs to improve the long-term conditions and keep trains running reliably.
- Route improvements: Track renewals, level crossing upgrades, rail stressing and signalling work between Shotwick, Dee Marsh Junction, Weston Rhyn, Ruabon and Burton.
Completing this vital work before autumn will improve the railway’s resilience to extreme weather, reduce the risk of flooding, enhance safety and deliver more reliable journeys for passengers and freight.
By completing multiple projects during the same closure, Network Rail is minimising the need for future planned disruption while delivering lasting improvements across the route.
Nick Millington, Route Director for Network Rail Wales and Borders route, said: “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.”
Councillor David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment, said: “This is an important programme of work that will help make the railway more resilient, particularly in areas that have experienced repeated flooding and disruption during periods of severe weather.
Although the closures will inevitably cause some temporary disruption, completing these improvements together should help reduce the need for further closures and support safer, more reliable journeys in the future.”
Travel information
Engineering work means all lines between Bidston and Wrexham General will be closed from Sunday 16 August until Sunday 30 August, with some lines between Wrexham General and Shrewsbury also closed during this period.
Passengers should allow extra time for their journeys and check before travelling.
Bidston – Wrexham General/Central | Sunday 16 – Sunday 30 August
- Buses will replace trains between Bidston and Wrexham General/Central.
- Replacement buses will also serve Birkenhead North for connections with Merseyrail services to Liverpool.
Wrexham General – Shrewsbury | Monday 17 – Sunday 30 August
- Buses will replace trains between Wrexham General and Shrewsbury, with some services extended to Chester.
- Services between Crewe and Wrexham General will operate approximately hourly.
- Trains between North Wales, Shrewsbury, Birmingham International and Cardiff Central will be diverted via Crewe, with revised timetables and longer journey times.
Some public footpath crossings will also be temporarily closed with signed diversion routes in place. At Gobowen level crossing, barriers may remain down for longer than usual while engineering trains access the work sites.
Passengers are encouraged to check before travelling via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator before setting off.
