Network Rail said it expected the Cambrian line to open for normal services from Monday.

It comes after one man died and 15 others were injured after two trains crashed near Llanbrynmair in Mid Wales on Monday night. The man who died was Tudor Evans, who was 66 and from Aberystwyth.

Network Rail said investigative teams have now completed their investigation at the scene.

This allowed Transport for Wales (TfW) engineers to reach the crash site and separate the two damaged trains, which are being removed from the site.

At the same time, Network Rail engineers carried out repairs, maintenance and a range of safety checks and inspections.

A statement from Network Rail sought to reassure the public on the line, saying: “The safety systems of trains using the line continue to be regularly checked and inspected.

“Test trains will run through the area to ensure everything is working normally before passenger operations begin on Monday.”

But it says the incident may still affect train services in the short term and passengers should continue to check before travelling.

Nick Millington, Network Rail’s Wales & Borders route manager, said: “The tragic events of Monday night will forever be etched in my memory and my thoughts go out to all those affected.

“Fortunately, incidents like this are extremely rare on the rail network. We continue to operate one of the safest rail networks in Europe.

“Our engineers have been on site throughout and have carried out very thorough safety checks and we will be running test trains around the area.

“I am grateful to the local community who have been very kind this past week as we have dealt with this incident.

“I would also like to thank passengers for their patience, understanding and support over the last few days as our teams worked tirelessly to restore the railway as quickly as they could.”

Jan Chaudhry van der Velde, chief operating officer for TfW, said: “Railways in Wales have a very good safety record, so when serious incidents like this happen, we at TfW, together with our partners at Network Rail, we are determined to get to the bottom of what caused it.

“For this reason, we are cooperating fully with the authorities investigating the collision and in particular with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

“We have been working hard to safely clear the trains from the scene of the accident and carry out full safety checks and tests before the line is reopened to passenger trains.

“Condolences to the family of the deceased passenger and we hope those passengers and crew injured in the collision have a speedy recovery.”

Network Rail said that due to “operational challenges” following the incident, there will be no TfW services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International this Saturday or Sunday.

It confirmed that ticketing had been agreed with West Midlands Railways on the route, but added that people were being advised to use alternative routes where possible.