Llandeilo railway station (formerly "Landilo Junction for the Carmarthen Line") serves the small town of Llandeilo

Llandeilo

Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th century stone bridge. Its population is 1,731.The town is served by Llandeilo railway station on the Heart of Wales Line.- Early history :...

, West

West Wales

West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....

 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...

. The station is 50 km (30¾ miles) north east of Swansea

Swansea railway station

Swansea railway station is a railway station that serves Swansea, Wales. The station is one of four in the City and County of Swansea and is the fourth busiest in Wales after Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Newport.-History:...

 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...

.

The station is located below the eastern side of the town beside the River Tywi

River Tywi

With a total length of the River Towy is the longest river flowing entirely within Wales, and is noted for its sea trout and salmon fishing.The river rises within of the Teifi on the lower slopes of Crug Gynan in the Cambrian Mountains and, flowing through the Towy Forest, forms the border...

. Dinefwr Castle

Dinefwr Castle

Dinefwr Castle is a Welsh castle overlooking the River Tywi near the town of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on a ridge on the northern bank of the Tywi, with a steep drop of several hundred feet to the river. Dinefwr was the chief seat of the Principality of Deheubarth...

 is within walking distance.

The station was built by the Llanelly Railway, who reached the town from the Llanelli

Llanelli

Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...

 direction in 1852. An extension on to Llandovery

Llandovery railway station

Llandovery railway station serves the market town of Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The station is on the Heart of Wales Line north east of Swansea and is located at Tywi Avenue....

 was constructed by the subsidiary Vale of Towy Railway

Vale of Towy Railway

The Vale of Towy Railway was a Welsh railway that provided an 11.25 mile-long extension of the Llanelly Railway from Llandeilo to Llandovery...

 (opening in 1858), whilst the branch line to Carmarthen

Carmarthen railway station

Carmarthen railway station is situated south of the River Towy on the edge of the town of Carmarthen. It is located on the West Wales Line and is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, who operate most of the passenger trains serving it...

 followed in 1865.

In its heyday, the station had four platforms

Railway platform

A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...

 serving trains for the Heart of Wales line as well as trains from Carmarthen

Carmarthen

Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....

 via the Llandeilo - Abergwili Jcn branch line (closed in 1963). The direct line to Swansea Victoria has also gone and the surviving passenger trains now run via the old Llanelly Railway and the South Wales main line.

The station building has been demolished, and until recently had only one platform in use as the passing loop

Passing loop

A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...

 here had been temporarily decommissioned (i.e. locked out of use) due to a lack of spare parts for the point machines. The second (southbound) platform has however now been reinstated along with the loop following the replacement of the points at both ends with new electrically worked units.

All trains serving the station are 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...

.

Services

There are four trains a day in each direction southbound to Swansea and northbound to Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury railway station

Shrewsbury railway station is the railway station serving Shrewsbury, county town of Shropshire, England. It is the only remaining railway station in the town; Shrewsbury Abbey, as well as other small stations around the town, having long closed. The station was built in 1848 and has been extended...

 from Monday to Saturday, and two services on Sundays.

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