Newport to Ebbw Vale rail line reopen after nine-day closure

Network Rail reopened the Ebbw Vale line to passenger trains on Monday after teams of staff worked approximately 10,000 hours - day and night - between October 22 and 30 to carry out major upgrades along the entire line.

The work will, Network Rail say, enable an hourly service between Ebbw Vale and Newport, once the entire project is complete.  

At Newbridge station, a rail bridge over Bridge Street was replaced using a 650-tonne crane - new track was also installed and platform extensions were carried out.

South of Newbridge station, a 40m x 20m retaining wall next to Riverside Park was taken down, with around 250 lorry loads of spoil removed.

Engineers then installed 200m of new track. 

At Llanhilleth station, teams installed the foundations of a new platform on the southern end of the station.

Along the line, 20km of signalling cable was also installed as well as four trackside cabinets, which will house new signalling equipment alongside the railway. 

The project team worked to keep disruption to a minimum overnight by using battery powered generators at the site compounds.  

Tom Edwards, project manager at Network Rail, said: “We would like to thank passengers and the local communities along the line for their patience as we delivered this work.  

“We know there is never a right time to carry out work of this nature but closing the line and Bridge Street road for a period of nine-days has allowed our contractors unlimited access to the railway to complete a significant amount of work.” 

This £70 million project has been funded by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council via a loan from the Welsh Government. The Department for Transport and Network Rail will then provide a further £17 million of funding to deliver a signalling upgrade.

Network Rail teams will continue to carry out work on the Ebbw Vale line until late into summer 2023.

Dates of future closures of the line will, they say, be provided to passengers closer to the date.