Conwy Valley Line Reopening Date? Update: line now open

[oreu]

Hi,

I've searched for this info elsewhere on various official rail sites and on social media, but haven't been able to find an answer.

Does anyone know when the Conwy Valley railway line will be reopening? I was hoping to travel from North West England to Snowdonia (via Llandudno Junction) sometime before mid-September, but it looks like only a "replacement bus service" from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog is currently available. Is this expected to change anytime soon?

Thanks

 

[pdeaves]

I don't think anyone knows yet. No clues forthcoming from officialdom.

 

[PHILIPE]

TFW Journey Check

Cancellations to services between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog

Due to urgent repairs to the track between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog all lines are blocked.
Impact
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 10:30 07/09.
Customer Advice
Road transport is in place between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog, running in both directions, calling at all stations.

 

[oreu]

Thanks, that's the info I couldn't find. I'll wait and see if it reopens on that date.

 

[bigbadhenry]

Hi,

I've searched for this info elsewhere on various official rail sites and on social media, but haven't been able to find an answer.

Does anyone know when the Conwy Valley railway line will be reopening? I was hoping to travel from North West England to Snowdonia (via Llandudno Junction) sometime before mid-September, but it looks like only a "replacement bus service" from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog is currently available. Is this expected to change anytime soon?

Thanks

Dolgarrog station is finished a step closer

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Dolgarrog station is finished a step closer

How much extra protection has been built into the rebuilding works at Dolgarrog station this time?

 

[Bletchleyite]

How much extra protection has been built into the rebuilding works at Dolgarrog station this time?

A completely new "proper" platform instead of a wooden one, I believe.

I must admit I'm amazed they didn't just close the station, it doesn't really serve much of a purpose.

 

[WestRiding]

Glad i dont have to rely on this line.

 

[Meerkat]

Glad i dont have to rely on this line.

Does anyone rely on this line? There are buses aren’t there?

 

[SargeNpton]

The NRE engineering works page suggests that work will be taking place until 6th September.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does anyone rely on this line? There are buses aren’t there?

Yes, there are people who do rely on it, it's a very poor area (so car ownership is not 100%), free passes are accepted on the train and ever since Express Motors folded the bus service has just been an infrequent tendered one filling gaps in the train service.

There is indeed a RRB which runs to roughly the same timings as the train, so nobody really loses out when it's shut.

FWIW, one memory I have of travelling on the line back in the 90s and recall chatting to an elderly lady who said something like "it always feels like they're going to close it, I hope they don't, I wouldn't be able to get into town any more". Rural lines often do have a few regulars like that, they won't keep it going on their own (and could as well use a bus service) but they are there.

 

[Llandudno]

Yes, there are people who do rely on it, it's a very poor area (so car ownership is not 100%), free passes are accepted on the train and ever since Express Motors folded the bus service has just been an infrequent tendered one filling gaps in the train service.

There is indeed a RRB which runs to roughly the same timings as the train, so nobody really loses out when it's shut.

Cyclists and people with lots of luggage and those needing a toilet on board probably lose out!

 

[Llanigraham]

A completely new "proper" platform instead of a wooden one, I believe.

I must admit I'm amazed they didn't just close the station, it doesn't really serve much of a purpose.

I don't know how the station was included in the foundation Act of this line, but perhaps it needed that Act to be altered to allow closure?

 

[PHILIPE]

TFW (via Journey Check) now say 28 September for re-opening

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

TFW (via Journey Check) now say 28 September for re-opening

Will Dolgarrog station reopen on that same date?

 

[DorkingMain]

I suspect part of what has kept it alive is the easy connections to the Ffestiniog at the southern end - with Llandudno being a major tourist destination and the direct rail link.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suspect part of what has kept it alive is the easy connections to the Ffestiniog at the southern end - with Llandudno being a major tourist destination and the direct rail link.

Though I'm sure I recall reading that the connections aren't as good as they were. Though even somewhere a bit iffy like Blaenau a stop-off for the pub isn't a disaster.

 

[DorkingMain]

Though I'm sure I recall reading that the connections aren't as good as they were. Though even somewhere a bit iffy like Blaenau a stop-off for the pub isn't a disaster.

Last time I did it there was an excellent connection in the southbound direction (20 mins between Sprinter arriving and steam leaving). The northbound connection was slightly more iffy - I believe we had about an hour at Blaenau though as you say it wasn't the worst place in the world to wait.

There were quite a large number of tourists doing the same as us.

 

[Llandudno]

And of course it goes without saying that TfW/Gwynedd Council/Snowdonia National Park make absolutely no attempt to coordinate rail/bus services at Blaenau!

 

[Bletchleyite]

And of course it goes without saying that TfW/Gwynedd Council/Snowdonia National Park make absolutely no attempt to coordinate rail/bus services at Blaenau!

Betws is probably more relevant to the National Park but I'd agree it's poorly coordinated.

 

[DorkingMain]

And of course it goes without saying that TfW/Gwynedd Council/Snowdonia National Park make absolutely no attempt to coordinate rail/bus services at Blaenau!

That is disappointing. There used to be bus services that were timetabled to fill the gaps between train services and give some semblance of an hourly service. I presume those no longer exist.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is disappointing. There used to be bus services that were timetabled to fill the gaps between train services and give some semblance of an hourly service. I presume those no longer exist.

They do, yes.

 

[fflint]

The re-opening will be about a week before the next big storm washes away most of the work done in the past weeks.

" Sad to say cos I really love this line"

 

[TheSel]

And of course it goes without saying that TfW/Gwynedd Council/Snowdonia National Park make absolutely no attempt to coordinate rail/bus services at Blaenau!

Ah - but is that really true? They may make an attempt, and fail abysmally - we don't know.

Anyway, it could be argued that leaving "connecting passengers" with an hour to wait is actually a good thing for the tourist-based businesses in the town. Maybe it's all part of a cunning plan?

Conspiracy? Or incompetence?

 

[Llandudno]

Ah - but is that really true? They may make an attempt, and fail abysmally - we don't know.

Anyway, it could be argued that leaving "connecting passengers" with an hour to wait is actually a good thing for the tourist-based businesses in the town. Maybe it's all part of a cunning plan?

Conspiracy? Or incompetence?

Perhaps it is a conspiracy, it seems to rain a lot in Blaenau so maybe the local councillors own all the cafes!!

 

[Pacef8]

I can recommend nonas cafe on the high street . Great pudding if you miss your steam/bus/train/zipp . Despite the bank holiday its half day closing on a saturday up there.

 

[43055]

Though I'm sure I recall reading that the connections aren't as good as they were. Though even somewhere a bit iffy like Blaenau a stop-off for the pub isn't a disaster.

Probably depends on the timetable for the Ffestiniog? Last September I did Llandudno Junction to Porthmadog and return. Outbound the 150 was held at Junction for a late running service from Chester but the Ffestiniog service was waiting for us at Blaenau. On the way back we departed on time but started to run late and only to arrive at Blaenau for the 150 to have left around 5 mins earlier after asking the conductor to ring ahead for it to be held. Fortunately they paid for a taxi to take us to Llandudno Junction but managed to catch up with the 150 at North Llanrwst just as it was pulling in.

 

[Llandudno]

In all fairness through travel from the Conwy Valley line to Porthmadog via the Ffestiniog Railway is only for tourists and not locals owing to the high fares charged and the journey time, so tightish connections are not that important, probably a 30 minute buffer at Blaenau would be about right, plenty of time for tourists to take photos or buy a coffee etc.

The real issue is for potential local passengers or those making longer journeys, where buses should be timed to meet trains at Blaenau and through fares offered, even more important since the demise of Express Coaches bus company who used to run through buses from Llandudno to Porthmadog.

The Conwy Valley Line is a VERY expensive asset and every possible attempt should be made to make it easy and practicable for passengers to use.

 

[PHILIPE]

5D69 and 5D80
Not definitely sure of the purpose but have seen a suggestion might be filming and viewing

Realtime Trains | Departures from Blaenau Ffestiniog all day on 13/09/2020

Train information at Blaenau Ffestiniog all day on 13/09/2020. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Llandudno]

5D69 and 5D80
Not definitely sure of the purpose but have seen a suggestion might be filming and viewing

Realtime Trains | Departures from Blaenau Ffestiniog all day on 13/09/2020

Train information at Blaenau Ffestiniog all day on 13/09/2020. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Michael Portillo was at Tal-y-Cafn station today, so perhaps they were filming him getting off a replacement bus service!