Line to remain shut for some time

The Cambrian railway line between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury will remain closed until at least Friday, 25 October, following a collision between two trains on Monday evening.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), with recovery operations expected to take several days.

Transport for Wales (TfW) and Network Rail have expressed their gratitude to the local community for its support during this challenging time.

In a joint statement, both organisations said: "We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone in the local community for the overwhelming level of support they have provided during this difficult incident."

They added that their teams are working hard to restore services as soon as possible.

Replacement bus services have been organised to cover all stations between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury during the closure. TfW urged passengers to remain patient, as the situation is still evolving. "Customers should check before they travel and allow for journeys to take longer than usual," a TfW spokesperson advised. “We understand this will cause inconvenience, and we’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption.”

The collision, which has left both trains in need of removal, is being carefully assessed by the RAIB.

“Our priority remains ensuring the safety of our passengers and staff while we conduct a thorough investigation,” a representative from the RAIB commented. “We will share more details once we have a clearer understanding of what caused this collision.”

Despite the disruption, some services will continue to operate as normal. TfW confirmed that trains between Machynlleth and Pwllheli/Aberystwyth, as well as between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International, are unaffected.

Further updates will be provided as recovery operations continue and the investigation progresses.

Passengers are encouraged to check TfW’s website and social media channels for the latest travel information.