The Cambrian Line will reopen to trains next month, Network Rail has said as it promised a £2 million investment to prevent further problems from flooding on the line.
The line was forced to close after Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin caused severe damage along the line in February.
There were 33 areas where the track was washed out over a half-mile stretch of track, and since then trains on the line have been cancelled.
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The flooding left gaping holes beneath the tracks, which Network Rail engineers have been working to repair.
Network Rail has now announced an additional £2 million of emergency funding to protect this section of the railway from extreme weather events in the future. While repairing damage from the washouts, engineers will install more than 5,000 tonnes of rock armour on the embankment, alongside the railway.
Before this can happen, however, more than 10,000 tonnes of materials will need to be transported to site to build a temporary 700-metre-long access road.
Rock armour has been successfully deployed to combat flooding in other areas including the Conwy Valley Line and the Marches Line, near Abergavenny.It acts as a barrier to stop the ballast that holds the sleepers in place from being washed away by reducing the speed of the water and restricting its flow.
To reduce the impact on passengers, the resilience work has been fast-tracked to take place alongside the storm repairs, while the railway is already closed. Other work being carried out over the next few weeks includes refurbishing culverts (the drainage beneath the tracks), renewing the tracks and planting more hedgerows.
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Buses continue to replace trains from Shrewsbury to Newtown. Train services will begin at Newtown for those travelling further west.
Bill Kelly, Wales & Borders route director at Network Rail said: “Climate change is happening here and now so building a more resilient railway for Wales & Borders is a top priority.
“We know the Cambrian Line is a social and economic lifeline for the communities it serves. Building on our work to raise black bridge near Machynlleth and our £30m investment at Barmouth Viaduct – we're committed to protecting the future of this vital transport link.
“I’d like to thank passengers and the local community for their patience. Our teams are working day and night to get this work completed as quickly and safely as possible."
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