Milford Haven railway station
Encyclopedia
Milford Haven railway station serves the town of Milford Haven
in Pembrokeshire
, Wales
. Opened on 7 September 1863, it was originally known as Milford, becoming Old Milford by January 1902, and finally being renamed Milford Haven by April 1910.
in 1856. Brunel
had a vision of connecting London to New York via a railway through Wales and then to a commuter port. The initial plan was to terminate the line at Fishguard
and to create a ferry service to Ireland. The failure to complete Irish rail links meant that the terminus was modified to a location on the Milford Haven waterway. 1854 saw track reach Haverfordwest, at which point a decision had to be made as to the terminus. New Milford
at Neyland was selected, in spite of opposition from Greville
, and was completed in April 1856. As a result, Greville determined to finance a project himself which would see the railway come to Milford Haven under the Milford Junction Railway, a four mile spur from Johnston
. Construction lasted five years, and completed in 1863, when a station at Milford was finally opened. The opportunity to provide a rival to the South Wales Railway
by using Milford as a terminus to the Milford to Manchester railway was also explored at this time.
Excavation work was necessary to provide an embankment upon which the aproaching track could be laid skirting the shoreline of Hubberston Pill. Public services commenced 7th September 1863. Further track was laid both towards the pier at Newton Noyes (via a lifting bridge at Castle Pill), and to the recently built dock complex. This development highlighted Milford station's less than favorable location, although equidistant between the two major populations of Milford and Hakin
, it was at a distance from the quayside and with no discernable pedestrian access. To rectify the issue, the short-lived Hakin Dock Station was constructed.
The original station was modest, with four sidings and a single platform, plus additional run around facilities sandwiched between the hillside and Hubberston Pill. By 1871, services had grown to seven daily in each direction, many connecting with passenger services from New Milford
at Johnston
. The trains using the line were operated by Great Western Railway
who had part funded the original railway. It initially rented use of the line, although in 1896 absorbed The Milford Railway Company. In the 1930's many improvements were made, including narrowing the corse of the Pill, extra side loops and goods yards. By 1923 the Milford Station Master
was re-graded as a special class post, supported by twelve booking clerks and up to ten porters. Up until 1947, three daily 'vacuum fish' express services transported fish from the Haven to various destinations in the UK, including London Paddington.
Into the twentieth century, direct sevices to London Paddington were in operation, and a sleeper service remained in place until the 1960's. High speed train
services to Milford terminated in 1994.
The usual service pattern is one train every two hours to via , , , , , , and .
Journey times are approximately 2 hours 50 minutes to and 6 hours to .
Milford Haven
Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, 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...
. Opened on 7 September 1863, it was originally known as Milford, becoming Old Milford by January 1902, and finally being renamed Milford Haven by April 1910.
History
The first links to a railway to Milford Haven came through the completion of the South Wales RailwaySouth Wales Railway
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
in 1856. Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
had a vision of connecting London to New York via a railway through Wales and then to a commuter port. The initial plan was to terminate the line at Fishguard
Fishguard
Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....
and to create a ferry service to Ireland. The failure to complete Irish rail links meant that the terminus was modified to a location on the Milford Haven waterway. 1854 saw track reach Haverfordwest, at which point a decision had to be made as to the terminus. New Milford
Neyland railway station
Neyland railway station was on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.-History:The Great Western Railway wished to link their system to Ireland. To do this, they supported the South Wales Railway , which would run from to a port in west Wales; steamships would then...
at Neyland was selected, in spite of opposition from Greville
Charles Francis Greville
Charles Francis Greville PC, FRS , was a British antiquarian, collector and politician.-Background:Greville was the second son of Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick, by Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of Lord Archibald Hamilton...
, and was completed in April 1856. As a result, Greville determined to finance a project himself which would see the railway come to Milford Haven under the Milford Junction Railway, a four mile spur from Johnston
Johnston railway station
Johnston railway station serves the village of Johnston in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The station was opened with the final section of the South Wales Railway main line, from to , on 15 April 1856...
. Construction lasted five years, and completed in 1863, when a station at Milford was finally opened. The opportunity to provide a rival to the South Wales Railway
South Wales Railway
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
by using Milford as a terminus to the Milford to Manchester railway was also explored at this time.
Excavation work was necessary to provide an embankment upon which the aproaching track could be laid skirting the shoreline of Hubberston Pill. Public services commenced 7th September 1863. Further track was laid both towards the pier at Newton Noyes (via a lifting bridge at Castle Pill), and to the recently built dock complex. This development highlighted Milford station's less than favorable location, although equidistant between the two major populations of Milford and Hakin
Hakin
Hakin is a small coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is often considered a district of the latter. It has a population of 2,313 inhabitants as...
, it was at a distance from the quayside and with no discernable pedestrian access. To rectify the issue, the short-lived Hakin Dock Station was constructed.
The original station was modest, with four sidings and a single platform, plus additional run around facilities sandwiched between the hillside and Hubberston Pill. By 1871, services had grown to seven daily in each direction, many connecting with passenger services from New Milford
Neyland railway station
Neyland railway station was on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.-History:The Great Western Railway wished to link their system to Ireland. To do this, they supported the South Wales Railway , which would run from to a port in west Wales; steamships would then...
at Johnston
Johnston railway station
Johnston railway station serves the village of Johnston in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The station was opened with the final section of the South Wales Railway main line, from to , on 15 April 1856...
. The trains using the line were operated by 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...
who had part funded the original railway. It initially rented use of the line, although in 1896 absorbed The Milford Railway Company. In the 1930's many improvements were made, including narrowing the corse of the Pill, extra side loops and goods yards. By 1923 the Milford Station Master
Station master
The station master was the person in charge of railway stations, in the United Kingdom and some other countries, before the modern age. He would manage the other station employees and would have responsibility for safety and the efficient running of the station...
was re-graded as a special class post, supported by twelve booking clerks and up to ten porters. Up until 1947, three daily 'vacuum fish' express services transported fish from the Haven to various destinations in the UK, including London Paddington.
Into the twentieth century, direct sevices to London Paddington were in operation, and a sleeper service remained in place until the 1960's. High speed train
High Speed Train
There are three types of trains in Britain that have been traditionally viewed as high speed trains:* Advanced Passenger Train - Tilting trains which never entered into regular revenue-earning service....
services to Milford terminated in 1994.
Services
The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Arriva Trains WalesArriva 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 usual service pattern is one train every two hours to via , , , , , , and .
Journey times are approximately 2 hours 50 minutes to and 6 hours to .