Passengers are being urged to check before they travel on the Cambrian line ­from mid-March to early April when Network Rail will be carrying out a range of work across a 16-day period.

As part of a £15 million investment in the railway, engineers will be carrying out multiple track and drainage renewals, a bridge renewal, embankment work, vegetation management and track maintenance across various sites, between Monday 17 March and Wednesday 2 April.

Buses will replace trains between Newtown and Aberystwyth from Monday 17 March until 9am on Friday 21 March; Machynlleth and Pwllheli from Monday 17 March until 9am on Friday 21 March and between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth from 6pm on Friday 21 March until Wednesday 2 April

Network Rail and Transport for Wales (TfW) have worked closely together to maximise the amount of work done while the line is closed.

Closing the railway for this period will allow Network Rail to bring forward work scheduled for 2026 and 2027 and deliver multiple key projects at once, minimising future disruption and saving £1.5 million in the process.

During the 16 days the line is closed, Network Rail engineers will be completing a range of work, including track renewals between Dovey Junction, Machynlleth and Caersws; maintenance between Caersws and Shrewsbury; embankment strengthening near Talerddig; bridge renewal at Glantwymyn and clearning vegetation.

The track renewal at Machynlleth station will pave the way for the introduction of TfW’s new Class 197 trains.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director said: “We recognise there is never a good time to close the railway for a significant amount of time, but we have planned this essential work to minimise disruption as much as possible.”

Passengers are advised to check before they travel at www.journeycheck.com/tfwrail or www.nationalrail.co.uk