Mid-Wales Railway
Encyclopedia
Company Formation and Parliamentary authorisation
The company was formed in 1859 and parliamentary approval was received on 1 August for the northern section of the line from LlanidloesLlanidloes
Llanidloes is a town along the A470 road and B4518 road in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire , Mid Wales.It is the first town on the River Severn...
, Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
to Llandovery
Llandovery
Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line...
, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
. Approval for the southern section from Newbridge-on-Wye to Three Cocks Junction in northern Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
was received on 3 July 1860.
Construction and opening of the railway
The first sod was ceremonially cut on 2 September 1859, but further work on the 46.7 mile line was delayed until 1862. A formal opening ceremony was held on 23 August 1864, and the line to Three Cocks Junction was opened goods traffic on 1 September. The Llanidloes and Newtown RailwayLlanidloes and Newtown Railway
The Llanidloes and Newtown Railway was an early Welsh railway. It was absorbed by the Cambrian Railway. A section of the line - from Newtown to where the later Cambrian Line diverges to Machynlleth, at the former Moat Lane Junction, remains in use...
had opened its line in 1859 and this enabled through working to and from the MWR line. The MWR worked the line of the Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
The Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway was an early railway linking Hereford in England with Brecon in Wales.-Incorporation and early history:...
from 1 October 1868 until that company was taken over by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
on 1 October 1869. The line from Builth Road
Builth Road railway station
Builth Road railway station is a railway station serving the small settlement of Builth Road, north of the town of Builth Wells, in mid Wales. It is situated on the Heart of Wales Line. The station is located just over two miles north of Builth Wells on the A470.All trains serving the station are...
to Llandovery was not built, but a connection to the Central Wales Extension Railway was completed on 1 November 1866, enabling goods trains to run to and through that station.
Amalgamation with Cambrian Railways
The Mid-Wales Railway encountered financial problems and the company's locomotives and rolling stock were sold. A working arrangement was signed with the Cambrian RailwaysCambrian Railways
Cambrian Railways owned of track over a large area of mid-Wales. The system was an amalgamation of a number of railways that were incorporated in 1864, 1865 and 1904...
(CamR) which took effect on 2 April 1888. Formal vesting of the line in the CamR followed on 24 June 1904.
Operations on the line
Normal goods and passenger trains along the MWRs route were supplemented in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by intensive coal trains, dubbed 'Jellicoe Specials', from the South Wales Coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
travelling north towards Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
for use by warships of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.