Aberystwyth railway station
Encyclopedia
Aberystwyth railway station is a railway station serving the seaside and university town of Aberystwyth
, Ceredigion
, Wales
. It is served by passenger trains operated by Arriva Trains Wales
, being situated at the terminus of the Cambrian Line
and also by the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway
.
to serve trains arriving on the now-closed route from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth via Lampeter
and the route to Machynlleth
which remains today. The original railway station was greatly extended in 1925 with the original station building on one side of the platforms being replaced by a grand terminus building. This was built by the Great Western Railway
, to show the locals their power and to reassure them that the GWR had a vested interest in maintaining the railway service in West Wales - something that had been called into question at the grouping when the Cambrian Railway which owned the station and all the lines into it had been absorbed by the larger, rather more faceless GWR, that had its headquarters far away in London.
The station at this time had five platforms: platform 1 at the south end of the station and 2 island platforms. Platforms 1 and 2 were essentially bay platforms, with the same amount of indent. They were used for the Carmarthen services (though platform 2 would occasionally be used for mainline purposes). Following the closure of the line to Carmarthen in 1965 the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge Railway in 1968 was rerouted into the former standard gauge bay platforms 1 and 2 . As their trains unload at ground level, so a new ramp and island platform has been constructed in the space between the 2 original platforms. The former Platform 3 is on the other side of platform 2; it is the only platform still in use for mainline rail and has been redesignated as Platform 1 in recent years. The former Platform 4 closed in 1982 is now taken up by the "Craft" 'freecycling' shop. The running around line between these two, for locomotive hauled trains, still exists. Platform 5 closed in the 1960s was an emergency platform on the other side of platform 4 but little trace remains. This area is now an oil storage area and the marshalling yard is the Rheidol Retail Park.
With the decline of railway usage and of tourism within the United Kingdom, the facilities were far too large for its purpose. The railway yard was lifted in the 1980s and the row of shops in front, known as Western Parade, was demolished in the 1990s to allow construction of a new retail park and bus station. The 1925 station building has seen several uses, including as a local museum but was eventually sold off and converted into a Wetherspoons
pub. This conversion maintained the architecture and won awards. Other parts of the building have become an Indian restaurant, office space and accommodation for a local furniture-recycling scheme.
The platform that was originally used by trains via Lampeter to Carmarthen is now used by the narrow gauge steam-operated
Vale of Rheidol Railway
. Opened in 1902, this railway originally had its own terminus at Aberystwyth Smithfield (named after Smithfield Road, now Park Avenue). This closed in 1925 and was replaced by a station a short distance from the main railway station; the station site is now a supermarket car park. In 1968 it moved again, this time to use the now-free platform at the main Aberystwyth station where there is a runaround loop and access to the former mainline railway shed. Nowadays, this is used as the storage and works area by the Vale of Rheidol Railway.
, , , Wellington
, , , , and .
There were proposals for reinstating a direct train to London which stopped running in 1991. The journey would have taken four hours, but the plan was rejected in 2010.
in 1938 to make way for a larger brick built structure, which is still standing.
Following withdrawal of all steam worked standard gauge services in 1968 Aberystwyth Motive Power Depot was notable as being the last steam locomotive depot on the British Rail network when it remained to operate the Vale of Rheidol line, which was steam operated until privatisation in 1989. Accordingly, it was an often requested posting for staff.
construction work started on a new steel framed locomotive depot in June 2010, due for completion in late 2011. The building will include a machine shop, restoration workshop and locomotive running shed. The existing former Great Western Railway shed will then be used to house the carriage fleet.
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, 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...
. It is served by passenger trains operated by Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva 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...
, being situated at the terminus of the Cambrian Line
Cambrian Line
The Cambrian Line is a railway from Shrewsbury to Welshpool, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. The railway runs first through the central part of Wales and then along the coast of Cardigan Bay....
and also by the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway
Vale of Rheidol Railway
The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a narrow-gauge gauge heritage railway that runs for between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in the county of Ceredigion, Wales...
.
History
The original station was built in the 1860s by the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast RailwayAberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway
The Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway was a standard gauge railway built in 1863 connecting major towns on the Welsh coast.- History :...
to serve trains arriving on the now-closed route from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth via Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
and the route to Machynlleth
Machynlleth
Machynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
which remains today. The original railway station was greatly extended in 1925 with the original station building on one side of the platforms being replaced by a grand terminus building. This was built by 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...
, to show the locals their power and to reassure them that the GWR had a vested interest in maintaining the railway service in West Wales - something that had been called into question at the grouping when the Cambrian Railway which owned the station and all the lines into it had been absorbed by the larger, rather more faceless GWR, that had its headquarters far away in London.
The station at this time had five platforms: platform 1 at the south end of the station and 2 island platforms. Platforms 1 and 2 were essentially bay platforms, with the same amount of indent. They were used for the Carmarthen services (though platform 2 would occasionally be used for mainline purposes). Following the closure of the line to Carmarthen in 1965 the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge Railway in 1968 was rerouted into the former standard gauge bay platforms 1 and 2 . As their trains unload at ground level, so a new ramp and island platform has been constructed in the space between the 2 original platforms. The former Platform 3 is on the other side of platform 2; it is the only platform still in use for mainline rail and has been redesignated as Platform 1 in recent years. The former Platform 4 closed in 1982 is now taken up by the "Craft" 'freecycling' shop. The running around line between these two, for locomotive hauled trains, still exists. Platform 5 closed in the 1960s was an emergency platform on the other side of platform 4 but little trace remains. This area is now an oil storage area and the marshalling yard is the Rheidol Retail Park.
With the decline of railway usage and of tourism within the United Kingdom, the facilities were far too large for its purpose. The railway yard was lifted in the 1980s and the row of shops in front, known as Western Parade, was demolished in the 1990s to allow construction of a new retail park and bus station. The 1925 station building has seen several uses, including as a local museum but was eventually sold off and converted into a Wetherspoons
Wetherspoons
J D Wetherspoon plc is a British pub chain based in Watford. Founded as a single pub in 1979 by Tim Martin, the company now owns 815 outlets. The chain champions cask ale, low prices, long opening hours, and no music. The company also operates the Lloyds No...
pub. This conversion maintained the architecture and won awards. Other parts of the building have become an Indian restaurant, office space and accommodation for a local furniture-recycling scheme.
Today
The station itself, as of 2006, has a single mainline platform used by trains to with a loop that is used to reverse locomotive-hauled specials, including steam services and maintenance trains. The second mainline platform had the track removed in 1982 and the signal box was also closed. Access to the station and the station facilities are now primarily via the original 1864 building.The platform that was originally used by trains via Lampeter to Carmarthen is now used by the narrow gauge steam-operated
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
Vale of Rheidol Railway
Vale of Rheidol Railway
The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a narrow-gauge gauge heritage railway that runs for between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in the county of Ceredigion, Wales...
. Opened in 1902, this railway originally had its own terminus at Aberystwyth Smithfield (named after Smithfield Road, now Park Avenue). This closed in 1925 and was replaced by a station a short distance from the main railway station; the station site is now a supermarket car park. In 1968 it moved again, this time to use the now-free platform at the main Aberystwyth station where there is a runaround loop and access to the former mainline railway shed. Nowadays, this is used as the storage and works area by the Vale of Rheidol Railway.
Services
Arriva Trains Wales services operate to and approximately every two hours although there are proposals, funded by the Welsh Assembly, to increase the frequency of this service to hourly during 2011. Trains currently call at , , , , NewtownNewtown (Powys) railway station
Newtown railway station is a railway station serving Newtown in Powys, Wales.The station currently has two through platforms, which are used separately for trains in either direction. The station is usually used as one of the passing points for trains on the Cambrian Line as it is a single track...
, , , Wellington
Wellington (Shropshire) railway station
Wellington railway station serves the town of Wellington, Shropshire, England. It is situated on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line. Trains are operated by London Midland and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
, , , , and .
There were proposals for reinstating a direct train to London which stopped running in 1991. The journey would have taken four hours, but the plan was rejected in 2010.
Motive power depot
A small engine shed was opened close to the station in 1864, and extended in 1867. This was demolished by the Great Western RailwayGreat 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...
in 1938 to make way for a larger brick built structure, which is still standing.
Following withdrawal of all steam worked standard gauge services in 1968 Aberystwyth Motive Power Depot was notable as being the last steam locomotive depot on the British Rail network when it remained to operate the Vale of Rheidol line, which was steam operated until privatisation in 1989. Accordingly, it was an often requested posting for staff.
construction work started on a new steel framed locomotive depot in June 2010, due for completion in late 2011. The building will include a machine shop, restoration workshop and locomotive running shed. The existing former Great Western Railway shed will then be used to house the carriage fleet.