Travel misery as work on bridge overruns
DAMAGE TO HISTORIC STRUCTURE WORSE THAN FIRST THOUGHT
RESIDENTS and rail passengers in Gwynedd face more disruption over Christmas after the £30m restoration of Barmouth Viaduct was extended.
Network Rail engineers said extra work is needed because the condition of the wooden structure was worse than originally feared.
More rotten timbers have been discovered under the railway, and the walkway, and will need replacing.
The bridge will now reopen on December 29 – 17 days later than planned – so engineers can carry out additional repairs.
It means rail passengers will continue facing detours of up to 18 miles to cross the estuary – assuming replacement buses are provided.
Network Rail is working with Transport for Wales to ensure alternative provision is continued during the extended closure.
Project manager Gareth Yates apologised to the local community.
He said: “We understand that this is disappointing and are very sorry for the inconvenience this extended closure of the railway and walkway will cause.
“The extent of the damage is far worse than we feared, so we are extending this work now, when visitor numbers to Barmouth are lower and schools are going into Christmas holidays, to reduce disruption as much as possible.
“We will have engineers working around the clock to get the railway reopened.”
Restoration work on the Grade II*listed viaduct – the largest timber bridge still in use in Britain – is the biggest in its 153-year history.
More than 1,000 decaying timber and corroded metal parts are being replaced in a project that is taking place in bitesize chunks over three years.
In this, the second phase, the bridge has been closed since September 12.
A further phase will take place over three months in autumn 2022.
For rail passengers, a bus replacement service has been provided between Pwllheli and Machynlleth stations – and all stations in between.
Extra bus services have also been laid on for local school pupils to take them to and from school.
Network rail warned the December 29 completion date is subject to the weather and could be extended again.
It also assumes no further defects are found in the bridge.
Mr Yates said it will be worth the wait.
“The work we are carrying out will ensure this iconic viaduct will continue to serve the community and visitors for many years to come,” he said.
Many local residents welcomed the restoration project and so have On Facebook, one person said: “Can’t be helped on such a big project, it was never going to be bang on.
“To have it ready for New Year is a decent result.”