The Conwy Valley Line, which runs from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno, will reopen today following an investment of more than £2m to protect the railway from extreme weather and flooding.

The line has washed away twice in the past two years because of flooding, which has meant lengthy closures for passengers and local communities while the railway has been repaired.

The improvements to better protect the line have been designed and built by Network Rail and involve the installation of 16,000 tonnes of rock armour alongside almost 2km of railway between Tal y Cafn and Llanrwst.

This will help improve the resilience of the railway during the ever more frequent flooding events in the valley.

This new rock armour slows the water down to prevent it carrying away the railway embankment and leaving the track suspended in the air, which leads to trains being stopped for significant periods.

The line has already been tested.

When Storm Francis hit the area at the end of August, heavy rain meant access to the site was flooded, but the railway itself was not damaged.

Bill Kelly, Network Rail’s route director for Wales and Borders, said: “I am delighted that the Conwy Valley Line is now better protected as extreme weather has forced it to be closed too often in recent years.

“We have worked around the clock in recent months to not just repair the line, but to make it more resilient so we can help to prevent these long closures in the future.

“I would like to thank passengers and the communities we serve along the line for their patience as this significant investment was delivered.”

Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “The Conwy Valley Line is a vital link for many local communities in North Wales, and this investment will improve the resilience of that crucial route during extreme weather.

“Upgrading the railway defences will help prevent lengthy closures for passengers, avoid frustrating rail replacement services, and deliver a more reliable timetable people can depend on.”

Martyn Brennan, operations director at Transport for Wales, said: “It is great to see our colleagues in Network Rail progressing with work on the Conwy Valley Line and we will reinstate rail services on 28 September, following driver route refresher training.

“I’d like to thank customers for their patience and ask that they continue to check services online.”