BLAENAU Ffestiniog train passengers have been left stranded after chunks of the main line were washed away.

The Conwy Valley line, which operates between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog, has been ravaged by months of severe weather which has left much of the railway track underwater or in a state of total disrepair.

To make matters worse, some of the railway’s key infrastructure has been washed away leaving residents in the Ffestiniog area dependent on replacement buses or private transport.

Network Rail has been unable to confirm how long the vital link will be out of service, but repairs are expected to take several weeks to complete and the line will only re-open “when it is safe to do so”.

Railway staff are continuing to conduct surveys to find out the extent of the devastation.

After a series of floods wreaked havoc in north Wales over recent weeks - especially over the festive period - First Minister Carwyn Jones has visited the region twice since New Year’s Eve to survey the damage and meet distraught residents.

Gwynedd councillor Annwen Daniels has said the destruction of the line is “terrible news” for the town.

“It’s awful, lots of people in Blaenau are worrying about it,” she told the Cambrian News.

“So many residents here depend on the train - especially vulnerable people within our community. I realise that there’s a bus replacement service in place, but even the roads have been flooding badly of late, you just don’t know what will happen once you’re out there.

“There’s a strong feeling of isolation.”

Cllr Daniels believes that, in future, prevention would be better than the cure.

She said: “We really need some funding to protect the line and Blaenau Ffestiniog from further flooding. This problem will only get worse as climate change takes full effect. Hopefully this is something that is being seriously considered at all levels.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The Conwy Valley line remains closed due to over 100 separate sites of damage from the recent flooding.

“The Conwy Valley saw record rainfall in December and local conditions continue to be challenging.

“Work has started to replace the ballast washed away by the flooding. And we are undertaking detailed surveys of the damage to embankments and structures along the line.

“We know that this railway is vital to the communities alongside it and we are drafting a plan to reopen it as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we thank the local communities for their patience and we ask passengers to check with National Rail Enquiries or Arriva Trains Wales before they travel.”