South Wales Railway
Encyclopedia
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...

 railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland
Neyland
Neyland is a town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Cleddau and the upstream end of the Milford Haven estuary. The nearby Cleddau Bridge crosses the river, linking Neyland to Pembroke Dock.-History:...

 in 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...

.

History

The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...

 vision of linking London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 with New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, and more financially-rewarding immediately to the South Wales coal and ferries to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

.

A prospectus was issued in 1844 to build a railway through South Wales from a junction with the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...

 at Standish
Standish, Gloucestershire
Standish is a small village and civil parish in the Stroud local government district in Gloucestershire, England.The village is north-west of Stroud, on the B4008 road to Quedgeley...

 in Gloucestershire. The proposed route would cross the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...

 west of Gloucester, and run through South Wales to Fishguard
Fishguard
Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....

, thereby connecting to both southern Ireland and New York. The Great Western Railway agreed to subscribe £600,000 of the £2,400,000 required to build the railway.

However, local objections were raised over the proposed long bridge over the River Severn. The objections were overcome by linking with the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway at Grange Court, and linking with the rest of the existing broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...

 system at Gloucester. This diversion added an extra 18 miles (29 km) to the journey between South Wales and London.

The initial part of the line between Chepstow and Swansea was opened on 18 June 1850, with trains operated by the Great Western Railway under a lease agreement. At the eastern end of the line the connection to Gloucester and London was completed in July 1852 when the bridge
Chepstow Bridge
Chepstow railway bridge was built to the instructions of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1852. The "Great Tubular Bridge" over the River Wye at Chepstow, which at that point forms the boundary between Wales and England, is considered one of Brunel's major achievements, despite its appearance...

 at Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...

 was finished. Construction of the line west of Swansea was delayed, due to the financial problems of the late 1840s, and the abandoning of construction of the Irish railways that would connect with the Fishguard ferries at Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...

. The western terminus of the line was changed from Fishguard to New Milford (Neyland) and the line west of Swansea was built in stages, reaching New Milford in April 1856.

As coal traffic from the South Wales Valleys increased, the tensions between the South Wales Railway and the Great Western increased due a lack of wagons. These were eventually resolved when in January 1862, when the two companies merged.

In 1886, the direct route to South Wales was implemented with the opening of the Severn Tunnel
Severn Tunnel
The Severn Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn....

 between Bristol
Bristol Parkway railway station
Bristol Parkway railway station is situated in Stoke Gifford in the northern suburbs of Bristol, England. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail, and is managed by First Great Western....

 and Severn Tunnel Junction.

Chronology

  • 1845 South Wales Railway authorised by Act of Parliament
    Act of Parliament
    An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...

     from Chepstow
    Chepstow
    Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...

     to Fishguard
    Fishguard
    Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....

  • 1846 Gloucester
    Gloucester
    Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....

     and Dean Forest
    Forest of Dean
    The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...

     Railway authorised by Act of Parliament
  • 1850 Opened Chepstow to 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...

  • 1851 Opened Grange Court
    Grange Court railway station
    Grange Court railway station was a junction station in Gloucestershire on the Gloucester to Newport Line where it met the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway.-History:...

     to
Vale of Neath Railway
Vale of Neath Railway
The Vale of Neath Railway was a broad gauge railway line from Neath to Merthyr Tydfil, in Glamorgan, Wales, and also operated the Swansea and Neath Railway which gave it access to the docks at Swansea...

 opened from Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...

  • 1852 Chepstow Bridge
    Chepstow Bridge
    Chepstow railway bridge was built to the instructions of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1852. The "Great Tubular Bridge" over the River Wye at Chepstow, which at that point forms the boundary between Wales and England, is considered one of Brunel's major achievements, despite its appearance...

     opened, linking the two sections of railway
Railway opened from Landore
Landore
Landore is the name of an electoral ward, a community in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, UK. The community does not have a community council....

 to Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....

Branch to Swansea Docks opened for goods traffic only
New Act of Parliament authorises the western terminus to be changed from Fishguard to Neyland
  • 1854 Railway extended to Haverfordwest
    Haverfordwest
    Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...

  • 1856 Railway completed to Neyland
  • 1862 South Wales Railway amalgamated
    Consolidation (business)
    Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...

     with the Great Western Railway
    Great Western Railway
    The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...


Stations

Includes stations opened by the Great Western Railway and subsequent operators
  • Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway
    • Gloucester
      Gloucester railway station
      Gloucester railway station serves the city of Gloucester in England. The station was originally built as the terminus of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway in 1840, but the arrival of the Bristol and Gloucester Railway and Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in 1844, and then conversion...

       (Great Western Railway)
    • Oakle Street
    • Grange Court
      Grange Court railway station
      Grange Court railway station was a junction station in Gloucestershire on the Gloucester to Newport Line where it met the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway.-History:...

  • South Wales Railway
    • Newnham
      Newnham railway station
      Newnham railway station was a station serving the village of Newnham on Severn, Gloucestershire.-History:The South Wales Railway was formed in 1845 to build a line from to Fishguard and to ; an eastern extension to was soon added, which would meet a westward extension of the Great Western Railway...

    • Awre for Blakeney
    • Lydney Junction
      Lydney railway station
      Lydney railway station is a railway station serving the town of Lydney in Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the Gloucester-Newport line. Passenger services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales, with an hourly Maesteg/Cardiff Central-Cheltenham Spa service...

    • Woolaston
    • Chepstow East (1851 - 1852 temporary station)
    • Chepstow
      Chepstow railway station
      Chepstow railway station is a part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Chepstow station is on the Gloucester to Newport Line. It is located within of the town centre, at Station Road, Chepstow...

       (1850)
    • Portskewett
    • Caldicot
      Caldicot railway station
      Caldicot railway station is a part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Caldicot is a small town in Monmouthshire, south Wales...

    • Severn Tunnel Junction
      Severn Tunnel Junction railway station
      Severn Tunnel Junction railway station is a small railway station on the western side of the Severn Tunnel at Rogiet, Monmouthshire, Wales. It lies at the junction of the South Wales Main Line from London and the Gloucester to Newport Line....

    • Magor
      Magor railway station
      Magor railway station is a former station serving Magor, Monmouthshire, east of the city of Newport and west of Caldicot. It was opened as a broad gauge line with the South Wales Railway in 1850 and closed to passengers in 1964...

    • Llanwern
      Llanwern railway station
      Llanwern railway station is a former station serving Llanwern on the east side of the city of Newport. It was opened with the South Wales Railway in 1850 and closed to passengers on September 12, 1960 in preparation for the building of Llanwern steelworks. It was closed completely on April 16, 1961...

    • Newport High Street
      Newport railway station
      Newport railway station is the 3rd busiest railway station in Wales , situated in Newport city centre. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although First Great Western and CrossCountry also provide services...

       (now Newport)
    • Marshfield
    • Cardiff
      Cardiff Central railway station
      Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...

       (later Cardiff General, now Cardiff Central)
    • Ely Main Line
    • Peterstone
    • Llantristant
    • Pontyclun
      Pontyclun railway station
      Pontyclun railway station is an unstaffed, minor railway station in Pontyclun, in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The station is at street level, on Station Approach, Pontyclun...

    • Llanharan
      Llanharan railway station
      Llanharan railway station serves the village of Llanharan in Wales. Funded in part by SEWTA and at a cost of £4.3m, it opened in December 2007.A former station was on the site until 1964, when it was closed under the Beeching Cuts...

    • Pencoed
      Pencoed railway station
      Pencoed railway station is a minor railway station in Pencoed, Bridgend county borough, south Wales. The station is located at street level at The Square in Pencoed. It is a stop on the South Wales Main Line, served by trains on the Maesteg Line, and occasionally by the Swanline Cardiff to...

    • Bridgend
      Bridgend railway station
      Bridgend railway station is a mainline railway station serving the town of Bridgend, South Wales. It is located approximately halfway between Cardiff Central and Swansea at the point where the Maesteg Line diverges from the South Wales Main Line, and is the western terminus of the Vale of...

    • Pyle
      Pyle railway station
      Pyle railway station is a minor railway station in Pyle in Bridgend county borough, South Wales. The station is located at street level at Beach Road in Pyle. It is a stop on the South Wales Main Line, served by the Arriva Trains Wales Swanline Swansea to Cardiff Central regional train...

    • Port Talbot
      Port Talbot Parkway railway station
      Port Talbot Parkway railway station is a railway station in Port Talbot, Wales. The station is located at street level near Station Road in Port Talbot town centre.-History:...

       (now Port Talbot Parkway)
    • Baglan
      Baglan railway station
      Baglan railway station is a minor railway station in the village of Baglan, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. It is a stop on the South Wales Main Line, served by Arriva Trains Wales Swanline regional trains between Swansea and Cardiff....

    • Briton Ferry
      Briton Ferry railway station
      Briton Ferry railway station is a minor railway station in the village of Briton Ferry, Wales. The station is located at street level at Shelone Road in Briton Ferry...

    • Neath
      Neath railway station
      Neath railway station is a mainline railway station, serving Neath, Wales. The station is located at street level on Windsor Road in Neath town centre...

    • Skewen
      Skewen railway station
      Skewen railway station is a railway station in Skewen, Wales. The station is located below street level at Station Road in Skewen. It is a stop on the South Wales Main Line, served by Arriva Trains Wales Swanline regional trains between Swansea and Cardiff....

    • Llansamlet
      Llansamlet railway station
      Llansamlet railway station is a minor railway station in Llansamlet, Swansea, Wales. The station is located below street level at Frederick Place in Peniel Green...

    • Landore
    • Swansea High Street
      Swansea railway station
      Swansea railway station is a railway station that serves Swansea, Wales. The station is one of four in the City and County of Swansea and is the fourth busiest in Wales after Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Newport.-History:...

       (now Swansea)
    • Cockett
    • Gowerton
      Gowerton railway station
      Gowerton railway station serves the village of Gowerton, Wales. It is located at street level on Station Road in Gowerton. Since it is unmanned, tickets need to be bought in advance or on the train...

    • Loughor
    • Llanelly
      Llanelli railway station
      Llanelli railway station is the railway station serving the town of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located on the West Wales Line and the Heart of Wales Line...

    • Pembrey and Burry Port
      Pembrey and Burry Port railway station
      Pembrey and Burry Port railway station is a railway station on the West Wales Line serving Pembrey and Burry Port, in Carmarthenshire, Wales.There is an hourly service to Manchester Piccadilly via Swansea, Cardiff Central, Shrewsbury and Crewe....

    • Kidwelly
      Kidwelly railway station
      Kidwelly railway station serves the town of Kidwelly , Carmarthenshire. The station is situated on the coast just southwest of Kidwelly itself. Originally the station was the junction of the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway...

    • Ferryside
      Ferryside railway station
      Ferryside railway station serves the seaside village of Ferryside, Carmarthenshire. The station is unmanned and is a request stop, this means that if you are on the train you must advise the train manager that you wish to alight at Ferryside. Likewise if you wish to board the train you must...

    • Carmarthen
      Carmarthen railway station
      Carmarthen railway station is situated south of the River Towy on the edge of the town of Carmarthen. It is located on the West Wales Line and is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, who operate most of the passenger trains serving it...

    • Sarnau
      Sarnau railway station
      Sarnau railway station served the village of Bancyfelin, Carmarthenshire, Wales; it was close to the hamlet of Sarnau. It was on the West Wales Line.-History:The station opened on 2 January 1854...

    • St Clears
      St Clears railway station
      St Clears railway station served the small town of St Clears, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was on the West Wales Line.-History:The station opened on 2 January 1854. It was on the section of the South Wales Railway which opened that day between the temporary station near Carmarthen and , and was...

    • Whitland
      Whitland railway station
      Whitland railway station serves the town of Whitland in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located on the main route of the West Wales Line from Swansea. To the west of the station, the lines diverge, with one branch serving Pembroke and the other Milford Haven or Fishguard...

    • Clunderwen
      Clunderwen railway station
      -History:The South Wales Railway was extended from to on 2 January 1854, and among the original stations was one known as Narberth Road for Cardigan and Tenby; this was simplified to Narberth Road for Cardigan in 1863....

    • Clarbeston Road
      Clarbeston Road railway station
      Clarbeston Road railway station serves villages such as Clarbeston Road, Clarbeston, Wiston, Walton East and Crundale in Pembrokeshire, Wales....

    • Haverfordwest
      Haverfordwest railway station
      Haverfordwest railway station serves the town of Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire.The usual service pattern is one train every two hours in each direction, southwards to Milford Haven railway station and northwards to Manchester Piccadilly via , and ....

    • Johnston
      Johnston railway station
      Johnston railway station serves the village of Johnston in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The station was opened with the final section of the South Wales Railway main line, from to , on 15 April 1856...

    • Neyland
      Neyland railway station
      Neyland railway station was on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.-History:The Great Western Railway wished to link their system to Ireland. To do this, they supported the South Wales Railway , which would run from to a port in west Wales; steamships would then...




External links

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