Sugar Loaf railway station
Encyclopedia
Sugar Loaf Halt is a railway station in Powys
, Wales
and is the most remote station on the Heart of Wales Line
. It is located one mile to the north-east of a small but prominent knoll known as Sugar Loaf around which the A483 road
loops. The line through here was opened by the Central Wales Extension Railway in 1868.
This station is mainly used by trekkers and cyclists since it is the nearest stop to the Sugar Loaf vantage point, although it was originally built to serve a number of cottages occupied by railway workers (such as track gangers). South of the station the line passes beneath the hills via the 1000 yards (914.4 m) Sugar Loaf tunnel, which is approached by gradients as steep as 1 in 60 on each side.
According to the Strategic Rail Authority
(now taken over by the Office of Rail Regulation
) in their 2002/2003 financial year it was the 14th least used station in the UK, with only 99 fare-paying passengers travelling to or from it in that year. In the 2006/2007 it was the least used railway station in Wales.
. There are four trains a day in each direction (towards Swansea and ) from Monday to Saturday, and two services on Sundays. This is a request stop
, whereby passengers have to signal to the driver to board or alight from the train.
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, 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...
and is the most remote station on the Heart of Wales Line
Heart of Wales Line
The 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...
. It is located one mile to the north-east of a small but prominent knoll known as Sugar Loaf around which the A483 road
A483 road
The A483 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England, although the official title is the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road.-Swansea:...
loops. The line through here was opened by the Central Wales Extension Railway in 1868.
This station is mainly used by trekkers and cyclists since it is the nearest stop to the Sugar Loaf vantage point, although it was originally built to serve a number of cottages occupied by railway workers (such as track gangers). South of the station the line passes beneath the hills via the 1000 yards (914.4 m) Sugar Loaf tunnel, which is approached by gradients as steep as 1 in 60 on each side.
According to the Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
(now taken over by the Office of Rail Regulation
Office of Rail Regulation
The Office of Rail Regulation is a statutory board which is the combined economic and safety regulatory authority for Great Britain's railway network. It was established on 5 July 2004 by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, replacing the Rail Regulator...
) in their 2002/2003 financial year it was the 14th least used station in the UK, with only 99 fare-paying passengers travelling to or from it in that year. In the 2006/2007 it was the least used railway station in Wales.
Services
All trains serving the station are operated by Arriva Trains WalesArriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
. There are four trains a day in each direction (towards Swansea and ) from Monday to Saturday, and two services on Sundays. This is a request stop
Request stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
, whereby passengers have to signal to the driver to board or alight from the train.