Sylfaen project milestone as passing loop reinstated

WELSHPOOL & Llanfair Light Railway became a complete line between Llanfair Caereinion and Welshpool Raven Square again on

October 28. The railway was severed on October 4 when the project to reinstate a passing loop at Sylfaen commenced.

New turnouts (with plastic sleepers) have been installed, the main line and the new passing loop (on revised alignments from previously) have been laid and the first works train run through the revised trackwork. By midNovember, ballast had been dropped and tamped.

The original loop was taken out of use due to the poor condition of the points. The revised alignment, which involved building a sleeper wall on the fields side to widen the formation, allows for construction of an island platform between the main line (which will be on the field side) and the old main line, now slewed closer to the road, will become the loop line.