Llandrindod railway station
Encyclopedia
Llandrindod railway station serves the town of Llandrindod Wells
in Mid Wales
. It is located on the single line Heart of Wales Line
and is served by four trains each way on Mondays to Saturdays, two each way on Sundays. Passenger services are operated by Arriva Trains Wales
. The facility to pass northbound and southbound trains is used daily. It is also the most used station on the line itself, despite only having
4 trains a day in each direction (Mon-Sat) , this has caused overcrowding on trains, despite campaigns by local rail groups, the service has not been improved. However, 6 trains in each direction (Mon-Sat) is being proposed for the near future.
The station was opened in 1865 as the terminus of a branch line from Knighton
by the Central Wales Railway (which was absorbed by the LNWR soon after completion). Construction of the Central Wales Extension Railway (another LNWR-backed project) southwards towards Llandovery
started soon after and upon completion of this line in 1868, the town found itself on a through route between Craven Arms & Swansea
. The line through the station was singled as an economy measure in the 1960s, although a passing loop was left a short distance to the north, near the town's level crossing
. However the loop was relocated to the station in 1986 as part of the signalling modernisation scheme that centralised control at Pantyffynnon
(the level crossing being converted to traincrew operation at the same time whilst the signal box was closed). The redundant No.2 signal box
was subsequently also relocated to the station (in 1990) after closure and restored to full working order as a museum. It is located on the southbound platform and is open to the public at certain times. The passing loop point machines were replaced on August 22, 2010 as part of a £5 million Network Rail
modernisation scheme to renew the points at all five loops on the route
Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells , colloquially known locally as "Llandod", is a town and community in Powys, within the historic boundaries of Radnorshire, mid Wales, United Kingdom. It was developed as a spa town in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government. Before...
in Mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
. It is located on the single line 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...
and is served by four trains each way on Mondays to Saturdays, two each way on Sundays. Passenger services 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...
. The facility to pass northbound and southbound trains is used daily. It is also the most used station on the line itself, despite only having
4 trains a day in each direction (Mon-Sat) , this has caused overcrowding on trains, despite campaigns by local rail groups, the service has not been improved. However, 6 trains in each direction (Mon-Sat) is being proposed for the near future.
The station was opened in 1865 as the terminus of a branch line from Knighton
Knighton railway station
Knighton railway station serves the market town of Knighton in Powys, Wales, although the station itself is located in Shropshire, England . It lies south west of Shrewsbury ....
by the Central Wales Railway (which was absorbed by the LNWR soon after completion). Construction of the Central Wales Extension Railway (another LNWR-backed project) southwards towards 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....
started soon after and upon completion of this line in 1868, the town found itself on a through route between Craven Arms & Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. The line through the station was singled as an economy measure in the 1960s, although a passing loop was left a short distance to the north, near the town's level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. However the loop was relocated to the station in 1986 as part of the signalling modernisation scheme that centralised control at Pantyffynnon
Pantyffynnon railway station
Pantyffynnon railway station is a railway station serving the village of Pantyffynnon, in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. It is situated on the Heart of Wales Line at its junction with the branch lines to Brynamman and Abernant.- History :...
(the level crossing being converted to traincrew operation at the same time whilst the signal box was closed). The redundant No.2 signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was subsequently also relocated to the station (in 1990) after closure and restored to full working order as a museum. It is located on the southbound platform and is open to the public at certain times. The passing loop point machines were replaced on August 22, 2010 as part of a £5 million Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
modernisation scheme to renew the points at all five loops on the route