General information | |
---|---|
Location | Abererch, Gwynedd Wales |
Coordinates | 52°53′53″N4°22′30″W / 52.898°N 4.375°W |
Grid reference | SH403360 |
Managed by | Transport for Wales |
Platforms | 1 |
Other information | |
Station code | ABH |
Classification | DfT category F2 |
History | |
Original company | Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway |
Pre-grouping | Cambrian Railways |
Post-grouping | Great Western Railway |
Key dates | |
10 October 1867 | Station opens [1] |
1 May 1956 | Renamed Abererch Halt |
6 May 1968 | Renamed Abererch |
Passengers | |
2018/19 | 2,228 |
2019/20 | 2,148 |
2020/21 | 0 |
2021/22 | 396 |
2022/23 | 2,040 |
Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Abererch railway station is located at a level crossing on the minor road from the beach to the village of Abererch on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd,Wales.
Opened by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway,then run by the Cambrian Railways,it became part of the Great Western Railway. The line then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. When Sectorisation was introduced,the station was served by Regional Railways until the Privatisation of British Railways.
It was upgraded in 1933 to station status but in 1956 reverted to an unstaffed halt. The station was host to a GWR camp coach from 1936 to 1939. [2] [3] From 1952 to 1964 there was a British Railways camping coach located in the small siding on the northern side of the railway line;on the right-hand (west) side of the level-crossing when approaching the beach. The single-carriage Camping Coach was usually only located here during the summer months and would be rented out to families for holidaying purposes. Timber access stairways were provided to the coach from the side away from the railway line as there was no permanent platform associated with this siding. [4]
Abererch Halt,as it was referred to,did possess a timber constructed 'Waiting Room' up to the mid-1960s but this was destroyed by fire one evening when the felted roof (allegedly) caught fire from the hot-ashes discharged by a passing steam-hauled train. Other incidents witnessed at the station include severe damage to the railway crossing gates by locomotives when the gates had been left 'open' to vehicular traffic - usually overnight.
There used to be a crossing-keeper's cottage on the northern side of the railway line. The crossing-keeper would open and close the level-crossing gates between each train;principally to let holiday makers to/from the sandy Abererch beach and the adjacent caravan/camping site. The single-storey cottage was externally slate-clad throughout and was situated on the left-hand (east) side when approaching the beach from the A497 Pwllheli - Porthmadog road.
British Rail requested the permission of the Secretary of State for Transport to close Abererch and three other Cambrian Coast stations (namely Llandecwyn,Tygwyn and Tonfanau) during the mid-1990s. Their winter 1995/96 timetable featured only two northbound and three southbound trains Mondays to Saturdays,with a note that the service may be withdrawn before 1 June 1996. [5] The station was retained and service levels have since increased.
During the COVID-19 pandemic trains stopped calling at the station due to the short platform and the inability to maintain social distancing between passengers and the guard when opening the train door. [6] This meant that,in the Office of Rail and Road's statistics,it became one of Britain's least used stations,recording 0 passengers in the year 2020-21.
This railway station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services every 2 hours (Mon-Sat) calling at all stations between Machynlleth and Pwllheli,including Tywyn,Barmouth,Harlech and Porthmadog. Passengers can connect at Machynlleth for trains to Aberystwyth,Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street. Sunday service from here is limited with 5 trains in each direction. [7] Trains only stop at Abererch by request.
From 1 September 2023 engineering work is taking place to finish restoration of the Barmouth Viaduct. Rail replacement buses will serve all stations from Pwllheli to Machynlleth until 1st December. [8]
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Pwllheli | Transport for Wales Cambrian Coast Line | Penychain | ||
Historical railways | ||||
Pwllheli Line and station open | Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway Cambrian Railways | Afon Wen Line open;station closed |
The Cambrian Line,sometimes split into the Cambrian Main Line and Cambrian Coast Line for its branches,is a railway line that runs from Shrewsbury,England,westwards to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli in Wales. Passenger train services are operated by Transport for Wales Rail between the western terminals of Pwllheli,in Gwynedd,and Aberystwyth,in Ceredigion,and the eastern terminal at Shrewsbury,Shropshire,as part of the Wales &Borders franchise. The railway line is widely regarded as scenic,as it passes through the Cambrian Mountains in central Wales,and along the coast of Cardigan Bay in Snowdonia National Park.
Borth railway station is a railway station on the Cambrian Line in mid-Wales,serving the village of Borth near Aberystwyth.
Penrhyndeudraeth railway station is a railway station serving the small town of Penrhyndeudraeth on the Dwyryd Estuary in Gwynedd,Wales. It is a station on the Cambrian Coast Railway with services between Shrewsbury and Pwllheli via Machynlleth.
Llandecwyn railway station serves the rural area around Llandecwyn on the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd in Gwynedd,Wales.
Talsarnau railway station serves the village of Talsarnau on the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd in Gwynedd,Wales.
Tygwyn railway station is located at a level crossing on the A496 between Harlech and Talsarnau near the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd in Gwynedd,Wales.
Harlech railway station is located at a level crossing on the A496 in the centre of the town of Harlech in Gwynedd,North Wales. The waiting shelters were installed to cater for the high numbers of schoolchildren commuting to and from the adjacent secondary school,Ysgol Ardudwy.
Porthmadog railway station serves the town of Porthmadog on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd,Wales. The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Pwllheli,Harlech,Barmouth,Machynlleth,Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
Criccieth railway station serves the seaside town of Criccieth on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd,Wales.
Penychain railway station,formerly known as Butlins Penychain railway station,is located by an over bridge at Pen-ychain on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd,Wales. This railway station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Pwllheli,Porthmadog,Harlech,Barmouth,Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. For many years the station served the large Butlins Holiday Camp at Penychain.
Llandanwg railway station is in the village of Llandanwg in Gwynedd,Wales. It is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with direct passenger services to Harlech,Porthmadog and Pwllheli to the north and west,and Barmouth,Machynlleth,Shrewsbury and Birmingham to the south and east.
Llanbedr railway station serves the village of Llanbedr in Gwynedd,Wales. The station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Porthmadog,Pwllheli,Barmouth,Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. The station is a request stop and close to the popular camping resort of Shell Island.
Dyffryn Ardudwy railway station serves the villages of Dyffryn Ardudwy,Coed Ystumgwern and Llanenddwyn in Gwynedd,Wales.
Llanaber railway station serves the village of Llanaber near Barmouth in Gwynedd,Wales. The station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Harlech,Porthmadog,Pwllheli,Barmouth,Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. Most trains call only on request.
Barmouth railway station serves the seaside town of Barmouth in Gwynedd,Wales. The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Harlech,Porthmadog,Pwllheli,Tywyn,Aberdovey,Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. Between Morfa Mawddach and Barmouth the railway crosses the Afon Mawddach on the Barmouth Bridge.
Morfa Mawddach railway station is an unstaffed station located on the outskirts of the village of Arthog in Gwynedd,Wales,on the Cambrian Coast line between Machynlleth and Pwllheli. Built by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway in 1865,it was formerly the junction station for the Ruabon to Barmouth Line. Since the closure of the Ruabon to Barmouth line in 1965,it remains open,as a minor station on the Cambrian Line.
Tonfanau railway station is a railway stop that serves Tonfanau in Gwynedd,Wales. The station is located alongside the ruins of the army base it once served and only a couple of occupied buildings can be found within the surrounding area.
Aberdovey railway station serves the seaside resort of Aberdyfi in Gwynedd,Wales. The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services every two hours calling at all stations between Machynlleth and Pwllheli,including Tywyn,Barmouth,Harlech and Porthmadog. Passengers can connect at Machynlleth for trains to Aberystwyth or Shrewsbury,Wolverhampton,Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.
Afon Wen was a railway station in Afon Wen,Gwynedd,Wales,four miles (6 km) west of Criccieth.
The Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway was a standard gauge railway company,running a line along the west coast of Wales.
Media related to Abererch railway station at Wikimedia Commons