Whitland and Cardigan Railway: Difference between revisions
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John Owen was the owner of the [[slate quarry]] in Glogue,<ref name=BBC19533239/> who wanted to make higher profits by improving his distribution chain. Owen sponsored the surveying and navigating of the line, which was developed and approved by Parliament under title of the Whitland & Taf Vale Railway. Resultantly, the line was opened in two stages from Cardigan Junction, {{convert|2|mi}} west of [[Whitland]] to [[Llanfyrnach]] on 24 March 1873, connecting with the quarry. |
John Owen was the owner of the [[slate quarry]] in Glogue,<ref name=BBC19533239/> who wanted to make higher profits by improving his distribution chain. Owen sponsored the surveying and navigating of the line, which was developed and approved by Parliament under title of the Whitland & Taf Vale Railway. Resultantly, the line was opened in two stages from Cardigan Junction, {{convert|2|mi}} west of [[Whitland]] to [[Llanfyrnach]] on 24 March 1873, connecting with the quarry. This allowed Owen to expand his workforce to over 80 men.<ref>{{cite book|autor=Richards, Alun John|date=1995|title=''Slate Quarrying in Wales|Publisher=Gwasg Carreg Gwalch|ISBN=0863813194}}</ref> |
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The line was further extended to Crymych Arms in October 1874. In 1877 the name was changed to the Whitland & Cardigan Railway and the extension to {{Stnlnk|Cardigan}} opened on 1 September 1886. The [[Great Western Railway]] took over the working as of that date and three locomotives were added to stock although the complete undertaking was not purchased until 1890. |
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The line was noted for its rural nature, with the railway passing through small centres of population, with attractive scenery and over severe gradients.<ref name=BBC19533239/> For many in the area, the line was the focus of the local community, gaining the nickname the '''Cardi Bach'''.<ref name=BBC19533239/> |
The line was noted for its rural nature, with the railway passing through small centres of population, with attractive scenery and over severe gradients.<ref name=BBC19533239/> For many in the area, the line was the focus of the local community, gaining the nickname the '''Cardi Bach'''.<ref name=BBC19533239/> |
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Revision as of 20:12, 8 September 2012
The Whitland & Cardigan Railway was a 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long Great Western Railway built branch railway line in West Wales, between Whitland on the West Wales Line and Cardigan, via nine intermediate stations.[1]
History
|} John Owen was the owner of the slate quarry in Glogue,[2] who wanted to make higher profits by improving his distribution chain. Owen sponsored the surveying and navigating of the line, which was developed and approved by Parliament under title of the Whitland & Taf Vale Railway. Resultantly, the line was opened in two stages from Cardigan Junction, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Whitland to Llanfyrnach on 24 March 1873, connecting with the quarry. This allowed Owen to expand his workforce to over 80 men.[3]
The line was further extended to Crymych Arms in October 1874. In 1877 the name was changed to the Whitland & Cardigan Railway and the extension to Cardigan opened on 1 September 1886. The Great Western Railway took over the working as of that date and three locomotives were added to stock although the complete undertaking was not purchased until 1890.
The line was noted for its rural nature, with the railway passing through small centres of population, with attractive scenery and over severe gradients.[2] For many in the area, the line was the focus of the local community, gaining the nickname the Cardi Bach.[2]
Proposed to be closed under the Beeching Axe, closure marked a change in a whole way of life and the end of an era. The line was closed to passenger traffic on 8 September 1962, the last train being the 5.45pm Cardigan Mail. For a while the line remained open to freight traffic, but final closure took place on the 27th May 1963. The track was lifted completely by the end of 1964. Initially the stations at Crymych and Cardigan initially remained open as non-rail connected freight terminals, but this was also short lived.
Present
The trackbed in the main is reasonably intact today, with most having been sold off although small scale development has taken place at some locations, such as at Llanfallteg and Cardigan station sites. Today, a local Welsh language newspaper uses the nickname of the line, "Cardi Bach".
In September 2012 to mark the 50th anniversary of the lines closure, an exhibition was held by the local historical society at the site of the former Llanfalteg station, where a slate plaque was placed to remember the line by.[2]
References
- ^ http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/cardigan/index.shtml
- ^ a b c d "Cardiff Bach: 50 years since train line closed". BBC Wales. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Slate Quarrying in Wales. 1995. ISBN 0863813194.
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