Amman Valley Railway: Difference between revisions

The Amman Valley Railway (Template:Welsh : Rheilffordd Dyffryn Aman) runs alongside the River Amman, some 10 miles (16 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.

History

Originally developed by the Llanelly Railway and Dock Company, which by 1840 had reached Pantyffynnon. Here the railway branched, with the Amman Valley developed for commercial purposes to transport extracted coal to North Dock, Llanelli. The eventual plan was to develop the line as far as Clydach on the Morriston Loop, but this never happened.^[1]

Taken over by the Great Western Railway on amalgamation in 1923, its stock was converted to standard GWR rural practises. The line was closed to passenger services by British Railways on 18 August 1958, far ahead of the Beeching Axe, although it did stay open as a freight route until the closure of the Abernant Colliery super pitt in 1988.^[2]

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^{[clarification needed]} 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 Brynamman, Ammanford and Pontardawe, most recently (2009) also in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.

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 Pantyffynnon 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-mile (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, Trebanos and Clydach (c2018) to join the route of the Swansea District Line, thence
• Returning via the Heart of Wales Line 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

• Pantyffynnon (interchanging with rail services on the Heart of Wales Line, 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.

2010

As at February 2010 the vehicle likely to be used for trials initially on the Garnant Branch is the Parry People Movers unit used at Stourbridge as part of a joint venture between AVR, Pre-Metro, Parry Associates, and Lightweight Community Transport. AVRS are being assisted in their efforts (to re-establish suitable halts and stations) by Network Rail in their Community Scheme projects.

References

External links

• Amman Valley Railway
• History of the Line

51°46′44″N 3°59′49″W / 51.779°N 3.997°W / 51.779; -3.997 (Pantyffynnon railway station)