Amman Valley Railway
Encyclopedia
The Amman Valley Railway ( : Rheilffordd Dyffryn Aman) runs alongside the River Amman
, some 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Swansea
in west Wales
. It is based around a heritage railway project on one of a number of railway lines that formerly served the various collieries of the area north of Swansea and Llanelli. Some of these lines also carried passengers. As of 2010 the line is being restored to its former condition, with the intention of running light rail trials in the coming year.
, Ammanford and Pontardawe
, most recently (2009) also in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
.
Since 1992 the aim of the Board has been for all railways of the Amman Valley to be reopened to traffic. The Society also engages in non-railway social activities, and is progressing towards developing allotments, giving new life to an old school, enhancing local biodiversity, environment and general quality of life.
The Society presently owns 3 tank wagons (ex Swansea Vale Railway) at Cwmgors being refurbished ready for use on the heritage line section, and has offers of several locomotives from various organizations and patrons, which AVR will take up when the line is re-laid, the mile or so of track still extant needing extensive overhaul.
River Amman
The River Amman is a river of south Wales, which joins the River Loughor at Pantyffynnon. The river gives its name to the town of Ammanford and the villages of Pontamman, Glanaman, Brynamman and Rhosaman. Garnant and Betws also lie in the Amman Valley....
, some 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
in west Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It is based around a heritage railway project on one of a number of railway lines that formerly served the various collieries of the area north of Swansea and Llanelli. Some of these lines also carried passengers. As of 2010 the line is being restored to its former condition, with the intention of running light rail trials in the coming year.
The Project
The Amman Valley project aims to attract tourists and trade to the valley, one of the many areas that suffered after the collapse of most heavy industry in South Wales. The project differs in many ways from most other volunteer-run railways.The Society
AVRS (Amman Valley Railway Society) was formed in 1992 with 84 founder members, became a registered charity in 2004, incorporated in 2006 and grew to become a Social Enterprise Company in 2008, after opening charity shops in BrynammanBrynamman
Brynamman is a village sitting on the south facing side of the Black Mountain, part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The village is split in two into Upper Brynamman and Lower Brynamman by the River Amman which also acts as the boundary between the counties of Carmarthenshire and Neath Port...
, Ammanford and Pontardawe
Pontardawe
Pontardawe is a town of some 5,000 inhabitants in the Swansea Valley in south Wales...
, most recently (2009) also in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen is a village in Neath Port Talbot, south Wales. Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen is also a parish made up of the electoral wards of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen and Lower Brynamman.-Location:...
.
Planning
The railway intends over the next 13 years to reintroduce public passenger services using "low carbon footprint" diesel/methane rail-bus or tram services over a 26 mile (42 km) loop comprising:- The line from PantyffynnonPantyffynnonPantyffynnon is a small village in Carmarthenshire, Wales, located half a mile south-west of Ammanford, and a mile east of Tycroes. It lies between the rivers Loughor and Amman at the foot of Mynydd y Betws....
eastward to Tairgwaith via Glanaman and Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen reopened in 2009 for coal traffic. It is intended to trial a light railbus on this line in 2011. - The 3 miles (4.8 km) heritage line from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen southward to Abernant Colliery, which is intended to provide a heritage operation using steam locomotives typical of the line's heyday. The Society has secured an access licence for this section. In 2009–2010 an Environmental Impact Assessment is in progress in relation to a proposed initial Transport and Works Act.
- A southward extension from Abernant Colliery on largely existing old track-bed via Pontardawe, TrebanosTrebanosTrebanos is a village in the Swansea Valley, Wales. It forms, together with Craig Trebanos and a part of Pontardawe, the Trebanos electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough....
and ClydachClydachClydach is a village and community in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, falling within Clydach ward. It is located some north east of Swansea city centre. Its population in 2001 was 7,320. Welsh is the first language of 24 per cent of the population and both Welsh- and English-language...
(c2018) to join the route of the Swansea District Line, thence - Returning via the Heart of Wales LineHeart of Wales LineThe Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...
through Pontardulais to Pantyffynnon (c. 2023) allowing a regular "green" efficient service in both directions from 0600 to midnight, covering a population in excess of 120,000 and serving 30 destinations. It is believed that this would make the line viable, in contrast to the Amman Valley line on its own, which AVR's 4 year research had shown not to be sustainable. - A viable route into Swansea Central to be developed to join what should by 2025 be an enhanced, clean, green, affordable public transport system well suited to the 21st century.
Since 1992 the aim of the Board has been for all railways of the Amman Valley to be reopened to traffic. The Society also engages in non-railway social activities, and is progressing towards developing allotments, giving new life to an old school, enhancing local biodiversity, environment and general quality of life.
List of Planned Stations
- PantyffynnonPantyffynnon railway stationPantyffynnon railway station is a railway station serving the village of Pantyffynnon, in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. It is situated on the Heart of Wales Line at its junction with the branch lines to Brynamman and Abernant.- History :...
(interchanging with rail services on the Heart of Wales LineHeart of Wales LineThe Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...
, in the future) - Ammanford
- Pontaman
- Glanaman
- Garnant
- Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
- Cwmgors
- Abernant
Rolling stock
In mid-2006, a British Rail Class 103 diesel multiple unit (DMU) vehicle was saved from scrapping in Coventry by AVRS, moving it to Swansea for later restoration and possible eventual use on the line, but was passed over to an Essex Museum for resoration in 2008. This was M50397, of the Denbigh & Mold Junction Railway.The Society presently owns 3 tank wagons (ex Swansea Vale Railway) at Cwmgors being refurbished ready for use on the heritage line section, and has offers of several locomotives from various organizations and patrons, which AVR will take up when the line is re-laid, the mile or so of track still extant needing extensive overhaul.