Media centre

Tuesday 4 Feb 2025

Engineering work to affect journeys between Swansea and Carmarthen/Llandrindod on two weekends in February

Region & Route:

Wales & Western

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

Passengers are urged to check before they travel between Swansea and Carmarthen/Llandrindod on two weekends in February when Network Rail will be carrying out a range of essential work, including track renewals and resignalling.

Buses will replace trains between Swansea and Carmarthen, and between Swansea and Llandrindod (on the Heart of Wales line), all day on Saturday and Sunday 15-16 February and on Sunday 23 February.

But, crucially for rugby supporters wishing to travel to the Wales v Ireland Six Nations match in Cardiff on Saturday 22 February by train, services are scheduled to run on that day.

Network Rail engineers will be carrying out two separate track renewals at Llanelli on 15-16 February, replacing 400 tonnes of ballast (track stone), 310 sleepers and 550 metres of rail.

Elsewhere on the line, essential signalling work will be carried out at five level crossings while engineers will also carry out work relating to the Access For All footbridge at Llanelli station.

On 23 February, engineers will replace nearly 500 tonnes of ballast, 423 sleepers and more than 800 metres of rail at Llandeilo, while follow-up work will be carried out at Llanelli.

In addition to the Swansea-Carmarthen/Llandrindod closure, passengers are reminded that buses will replace trains between Bristol Parkway and Newport/Cardiff Central after 8.35pm on Sunday 16 February due to track work in the Severn Tunnel.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “We are working really hard to improve train service punctuality across the route, and this essential work is a part of our commitment to do that.

“We recognise there is never a good time to close the railway, but we have planned the renewals to minimise disruption as much as possible, with a wide range of work being carried out during these two weekends. This includes track renewal and essential work to renew the time-served signalling equipment with a much more reliable system that will be commissioned later in 2025.

“We are also conscious of the number of rugby supporters west of Swansea who rely on train services on Six Nations match days, so there will be no engineering work on this stretch of the route on 22 February.

“I would like to thank passengers for their patience and urge them to check their journeys before travelling.”