A steam railway company’s line has been damaged after Storm Darragh brought 80-100 trees down on it, and their insurance cannot help them.

The Vale of Rheidol Railway in Aberystwyth have taken to social media to explain how their team had “uncovered a scene of devastation” during a walk of the line following the storm, and their insurance will not cover the clean-up or the repairs.

They are relieved that the section used by the Polar Express Railway remains undamaged, but part of the rest of the line has been affected.

The railway posted about their plight on social media saying that between 80 to 100 trees “have fallen across the railway, many in remote and hard-to-reach areas”.

They describe the clean-up alongside regular work as “a monumental challenge”.

The social media post states: “Storm Darragh swept through Wales, leaving its mark across the landscape.

“While we are relieved to report that the section of the line to Capel Bangor – currently being used for our Polar Express™ trains – remains undamaged, further up the railway has not been so fortunate.

“Our dedicated team walked the full length of the line to Devil's Bridge and uncovered a scene of devastation. Between 80-100 trees have fallen across the railway, many in remote and hard-to-reach areas surrounded by steep terrain. In some places, the trees have caused further challenges by disturbing the trackbed with their root systems.

“This is a monumental challenge for our team.

“The areas affected can only be accessed by rail, and the hazardous nature of some locations adds to the complexity. Our winter works programme was already packed, and this unexpected task will significantly impact our plans for the coming months.

“Unfortunately, as the storm did not cause direct structural damage, our insurance does not cover the costs of clearing and repairing the line. This means the financial impact on the railway will be significant.

“We are determined to overcome these challenges and keep the railway running, but this is a stark reminder of the forces of nature we contend with in such a beautiful but rugged part of Wales. We will keep you updated on our progress in the weeks ahead.”

There has been some good news for the railway this week, which has been named Best Attraction at the MWTCymru Tourism Awards 2024.

The Welsh award win puts them forward for the national Wales awards in March.