WORK to improve a Gwent railway line will cause disruption to rail services over the Easter weekend.

Network Rail sent out letters to homes living close to the tracks between Newport and Aberbeeg to advise of the work – which will take place 24 hours a day over the weekend.

The letter, seen by the Argus, outlines the next phase of work to transform the Ebbw Vale line ready to introduce more trains on the line.

The line currently has an hourly service between Ebbw Vale Town and Cardiff Central and, before Transport for Wales reduced the timetable, had a separate hourly Crosskeys to Newport service.

Between 11.53pm on Thursday, April 14, and 5.40am on Tuesday, April 19, work will be done at all hours of the day in various spots between Park Junction signal box in Newport and Aberbeeg.

Transport for Wales’ website says that there will be rail replacement bus services between Ebbw Vale Town and Cardiff Central for the duration of the work.

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The work will include ‘tamping’ at Llanhilleth station. Network Rail advises that this will be noisy work as it involves a tamping machine picking up the track and compressing the stoned underneath the rails. This is to secure the foundations.

Guard rails will also be installed at various points between Crosskeys and Aberbeeg to help stabilise the trains travelling on the railway. Network Rail advises this is also likely to be noisy work.

A number of ground investigations surveys and maintenance work will also be carried out at various locations on the line.

There will also be work throughout April to set up some of the ‘site compounds’ which will be in Crosskeys, Newbridge, Crumlin and Llanhilleth.