THE impending arrival of Storm Bert this weekend will leave rail passengers in Powys more isolated – with the Heart of Wales line closed entirely on Saturday and Sunday.

Transport for Wales has announced that the Heart of Wales line, as well as the Conwy Valley line, will be closed all day on November 23 and 24.

A spokesperson for Transport for Wales said: “The Conwy Valley and Heart of Wales lines will be closed all day on Saturday and Sunday because of the expected impact of Storm Bert.

“Replacement road transport will be in place. Parts of Wales could see up to 80mm of rainfall with strong winds in excess of 60mph in some areas, including north Wales.

 Yellow weather warning for heavy rain ahead of Storm Bert.Yellow weather warning for heavy rain ahead of Storm Bert. (Image: Met Office)

“As it stands all other lines will be operating as normal, but we are advising passengers to check before they travel and take care when travelling to/from stations.”

Running between Swansea and Shrewsbury, the Heart of Wales line covers nearly 200km (121 miles).

This weekend’s cancellations mean passengers in the communities of Knighton, Knucklas, Llangynllo, Llanbister Road, Dolau, Penybont, Llandrindod Wells, Builth Road, Cilmeri, Garth, Llangammarch, Llanwrtyd and Sugar Loaf will all be affected.