Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line reopening proposed by Traws Link Cymru
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planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
davesgcr
Reading books
Unbelievable - worst floods for over 30 years one gathers. I trust you live on a hill , away from the river !
editor
hiraethified
Everything is just about perfect in that photo. A lovely 0-6-0 Pannier Tank at work, a splendid set of semaphores, the signal box, goods shed, water tank and what looks like the feint puff from a distant steam engine.
davesgcr
Reading books
It is - he is doing a shunt move - within station limits - you can see the staff about to do the attachment. Probably making up the evening fitted freight to that there England.
I always said in work - that my ambition was to be Station Master at Carmarthen in the good days - enough variety passenger and freight - seasonal specials to the likes of Tenby - the passing Irish traffic to Fishguard , helpful , relaxed and staff comfortable in their work. Nice engine shed with a few Castle Class loco's for the London line. Etc. Aber line so you could slope away on nice afternoons to meet your mate at Lampter to "discuss" milk train alterations ...
We built up this office paradise in the sh+t shower of my last job - in the London area - which I did not really want to do . So I resigned.
Got a great little carriage clock on leaving - engraved "from the staff at Carmarthen - and congratulations on your promotion to Buggleskelly" .....(insiders of Will Hay films will appreciate that)
Thank you for the indulgence.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
And there's that very impressive lift bridge on the Pembroke/Milford branch (that I've never seen go up)
*goes looking for more old photos*
ETA: this one.
ETA: it's a "bascule" bridge. And this one's called the "white bridge". For no doubt obvious reasons...
*goes looking for more old photos*
ETA: this one.
ETA: it's a "bascule" bridge. And this one's called the "white bridge". For no doubt obvious reasons...
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davesgcr
Reading books
I have very youthful memories of the trains leaving Aberystwyth in about 1964 - there were not many , and even at that age I took a keen interest in train loadings , - they were empty. We ourselves travelled to Aber in a Ford Anglia. It would have been a splendid , if uneconomic journey.
Many years later , when in University at Aber , we were very well embedded into the railway scene - and one afternoon in the signalbox , the signalman got out the train register (which I hope has survived) , which recorded the last hours of the line , it closed early due to some catastrophic flooding which was deemed not worthy of repair for the last few months.
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
Brilliant.
But. Some obvious cultural imperialism going on with some of those station names. Anglicization of the Welsh language.
Aberayron for Aberaeron.
Llanybuther for Llanybudder.
Interesting stuff.
editor
hiraethified
Interesting Parliamentary debate here
Aberystwyth to Carmarthen Railway Reopening - Hansard
Aberystwyth to Carmarthen Railway Reopening - Hansard
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Even Simon Hart actually managed, for once, not to sound like a complete cunt.
davesgcr
Reading books
A good read , but it is not going to happen - ever.
editor
hiraethified
Yeah it's seems wildly improbable. Shame.
editor
hiraethified
Still won't be holding my breath on this one but I'd be delighted if it went ahead.
Reopening Aberystwyth-Carmarthen railway would cost ‘significantly less’ than thought
Reopening the Aberystwyth-Carmarthen railway would cost significantly less than thought, a report by campaign group Traws Link Cymru has claimed. They claim that the cost of reopening the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen railway could be reduced to around £620 million, 20% less than the Wesh...
nation.cymru
editor
hiraethified
A petition has been launched but I can't see it happening any time soon (if at all).
Signed anyway as I'd love to take that route
petitions.senedd.wales
Signed anyway as I'd love to take that route
Petition: Re-open railway lines to connect the north and south of Wales
Travelling between the North and the South of Wales is always a long journey, especially when using the railway. If a person is traveling between the Bangor and Cardiff, one has to go outside of Wales on rail to be able to complete the journey. Wales needs to be connected internally by rail...
petitions.senedd.wales
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
Here too.
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
I was a student at Aberystwyth in 1981 [ish ie CLW at Llanbadarn Fawr],
On a recent visit aka nostalgia bump scratching, I noticed that a lot of building had happened, so I'm not sure how much of the alignment is still free of development in the first few miles out of Aber. Also, there is the complication of the Vale of Rheidol presence.
On a recent visit aka nostalgia bump scratching, I noticed that a lot of building had happened, so I'm not sure how much of the alignment is still free of development in the first few miles out of Aber. Also, there is the complication of the Vale of Rheidol presence.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Also signed.
MapWatcher
Currently visiting Earth from Rigel VII
Signed. It probably won't happen, but you never know 
editor
hiraethified
I've decided that it's unlikely to happen in my lifetime, but you can peruse the full feasibility study from 2018 here:
davesgcr
Reading books
A very thorough report but very , very unlikely to happen - (it is not the Scottish Borders route for example !)
I am old enough toremember the line running as we stayed in the Aberystwyth Holiday villiage (a caravan park naturally) in the early 1960's and I remember well the rare passing trains of maroon rolling stock hauled by what I now know to be green Hymek diesels.
Showing my future career options , I used to carefully observe the passenger loadings.
The trains (and this was summer) , were deserted.........
I am old enough toremember the line running as we stayed in the Aberystwyth Holiday villiage (a caravan park naturally) in the early 1960's and I remember well the rare passing trains of maroon rolling stock hauled by what I now know to be green Hymek diesels.
Showing my future career options , I used to carefully observe the passenger loadings.
The trains (and this was summer) , were deserted.........
orient slacker
Well-Known Member
I’m a big fan of branch line railways, but with the T1 Traws Cymru bus service linking Aberystwyth/Carmarthen via Lampeter in about 140 minutes, I can’t see the justification for a spendy rail reinstatement project. Same for the axed Cardigan/Carmarthen, with its direct 460 bus service.
davesgcr
Reading books
£300M was quoted for that study , and no doubt the consultants hoped for further work. That sum could have been spent (say) on more rolling stock or services on existing lines - for example the Valley network which although having considerable investment at present , will likely need for if modal change happens. One mights argue that the Holyhead - Chester - Crewe service (and beyond) , is crying out for more rolling stock and services as there is considerable pressure prety much all year.
Consider the economics of the Heart of Wales line (Swansea to Shrewsbury) which has desperate cost / revenue ratios - and generally one car trains - which is something like 80/20 , though there are often pressures for "doing more" with the line. The reality is there is very low population , and demand bar on the south side into Swansea from say Llandeilo - but the route is anything but direct.
Not a scrap of potential freight traffic - bar very occassional timber log traffic , and I can speak with knowledge on the low revenue for that particular traffic - that was in the late 1980's ......even using the cheapest converted wagons and old diesels , it was highly marginal.
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