Craiglon Bridge Halt railway station

Last updated

Craiglon Bridge
General information
Location Pembrey, Carmarthenshire
Wales
Coordinates 51°41′45″N4°17′25″W / 51.6958°N 4.2902°W / 51.6958; -4.2902 Coordinates: 51°41′45″N4°17′25″W / 51.6958°N 4.2902°W / 51.6958; -4.2902
Grid reference SN418021
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Post-grouping Great Western Railway
Key dates
1 February 1932 (1932-02-01) [1] Station opened
21 September 1953 (1953-09-21) [1] Station closed

Craiglon Bridge Halt railway station may have served the Craig-Lon Colliery and its workers near Pembrey, but this business was closed in the 1930s. [2] It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Lando area between 1932 and 1953 and was one of several basic halts opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales. A firing range was located nearby in WWII.

Contents

History

The BP&GVR system in 1909. BP&GVR.png
The BP&GVR system in 1909.

The station was opened on 1 February 1932 by the Great Western Railway [3] on the Kidwelly and Burry Port section of the line and was closed by the British Transport Commission in 1953 with the last passenger train running on Saturday 19 September 1953. [1] It was on the southern section of the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway with Pembrey located to the south and Pinged to the north. [1]

A public house, the Butchers' Arms, stood across the road bridge to the west. [2] The station is shown as open in 1945 - 1947 after the Craig Lon colliery had been closed. [4] By 1951 - 1961 the station is shown as closed. [5] The railway was originally a freight only line, but stations were established due to pressure from the public.

Craig-lon Colliery had opened in the 18th century, was extended in the 19th and joined with others in 1918 to form the Pembrey Collieries Ltd but closed in the 1930s. In WWII part of the site was used as a firing range. [6]

The line had been built on the course of an old canal with resulting tight curves, low bridge clearance and a tendency to flooding. The freight service continued for coal traffic until 1996 by which time the last of the local collieries had closed down. [7]

Infrastructure

The station had a one single carriage length wooden platform on the western side of this single track line with a small shelter. The halt lay slightly to the north of the road bridge. The station had no public sidings, but a single siding exchange freight facility was present [2] to the south with an exchange siding for Craig or Graig Lon Colliery and a track ran up to the Craig Lon colliery. [8] The overbridge remains, once a canal bridge prior to the railway and cyclepath and walkway.

The Kidwelly route was used for coal trains, resulting in the lifting of track between Trimsaran Road and Burry Port by 2005. [9]

Services

The station was open for use by the general public and by miners from Craig Lon colliery. [1]

Remnants

The section of the old line between Burry Port and Craiglon Bridge Halt is now a footpath and cycleway, however the old entrance to the halt is still in use.

Routes

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Pembrey
Line and station closed		  Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway
Great Western Railway		  Pinged
Line and station Closed

See also

Related Research Articles

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Kidwelly Flats Halt railway station

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Pinged railway station

Pinged Halt railway station was opened in 1909 but was renamed Pinged railway station in 1922. It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Pinged area between 1909 and 1953 and was one of several basic halts opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Trimsaran Road railway station was opened in 1909 at Morfa It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Trimsaran area between 1909 and 1953 and was one of several basic halts opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lay some distance to the west of the village of Trimsaran.

Glyn Abbey railway station

Glyn Abbey railway station was opened in 1909 as Pontnewydd Halt It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Pont-newydd area and hinterland between 1909 and 1943; it was one of several basic halts opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Pontyates railway station

Pontyates railway station was opened in 1909 It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Pontyates / Pont-iets area and hinterland between 1909 and 1953; it was one of several stations opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Ponthenry railway station was opened in 1909 It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Pont-henri area and hinterland between 1909 and 1953; it was one of several basic stations opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Pontyberem railway station was opened in 1909 to timetabled passenger services however services for miners began in 1898. It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Pontyberem area and hinterland between 1909 and 1953; it was one of several basic stations opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Cwmmawr for Tumble railway station,Cwm Mawr railway station or Cwmmawr railway station was opened in 1913 to timetabled passenger services. It continued to serve the inhabitants of the Cwmmawr area and hinterland between 1913 and 1953; it was one of several basic stations opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Ty-coch Halt railway station,Ty Coch Halt railway station or Tycoch Halt railway station had been opened by 1927 to passenger services for miners use only. A halt is however marked on the 1913 OS map. It was opened by the Great Western Railway and served the colliers from the Kidwelly area working at the collieries in the Gwendraeth Valley between 1927 and 1949; several basic halts were opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales, however most were also opened to public use.

Pembrey railway station or Pembrey Halt railway station served the village of Pen-bre or Pembrey. It continued to serve the inhabitants of the area between 1909 and 1953 and was one of several basic halts opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Burry Port railway station served the town of Burry Port. It continued to serve the inhabitants of the area near Llanelli between 1909 and 1953 and was one of several basic halts opened on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Burry Port Harbour is a former industrial harbour which mainly served the coal industry, on the Loughor estuary. It is now converted into a marina. The town of Burry Port grew around the harbour.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 70. ISBN   1-85260-508-1. R508.
  2. 1 2 3 Carmarthenshire LVII.NE (includes: Burryport; Pen Bre.) Revised: 1948 to 1952. Published: 1953
  3. ↑ RAILUKForum
  4. ↑ OS One Inch. 1945 - 1947.
  5. ↑ OS 1 Inch. 7th Series, 1955-1961
  6. ↑ Cadw. Mynydd Penbre Wood
  7. ↑ Colonel Stephens Society
  8. ↑ Ordnance Survey, 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain - 1937-1961
  9. ↑ Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
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