Neyland | |
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General information | |
Location | Neyland, Pembrokeshire Wales |
Coordinates | 51°42′20″N4°56′35″W / 51.7055°N 4.9430°W Coordinates: 51°42′20″N4°56′35″W / 51.7055°N 4.9430°W |
Grid reference | SM967048 |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | South Wales Railway |
Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway |
Post-grouping | GWR |
Key dates | |
15 April 1856 | Opened as Milford Haven |
February 1859 | Renamed Neyland |
November 1859 | Renamed New Milford |
1 September 1906 | Renamed Neyland |
2 December 1963 | Goods facilities withdrawn |
15 June 1964 | Closed to passengers |
Neyland railway station was on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was established under the vision of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to link London to North America on the quickest possible route, with steamships landing passengers and goods in West Wales as opposed to steaming to an English port. Further, such a port link could also provide quicker access to Ireland.
To achieve this, the GWR supported the South Wales Railway (SWR), which would run from Gloucester to a port in west Wales. Brunel, the GWR's Chief Engineer, originally proposed to situate the Welsh port at Fishguard, which was intended to be the terminus when the line was authorised in 1845. But in 1852, under extensive shareholder pressure to deliver revenue, Brunel changed his mind in favour of Neyland, because it was sheltered and had deep water to allow large ships to dock. [1]
The SWR was opened in stages, and reached Haverfordwest on 2 January 1854; [2] the last section from there to the new port was opened on 15 April 1856. [3]
The western terminus of the SWR, a station originally named Milford Haven, was opened with the line on 15 April 1856. [4] Very soon there was a twice-weekly steamboat service to Waterford. [5] The station was renamed Neyland in February 1859, [4] [6] but was renamed again in November that year, becoming New Milford; [6] [7] it was shown as New Milford (Milford Haven) in some timetables. [7]
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On 1 September 1906, the station was again renamed Neyland. [6] [7] This followed the opening on 30 August 1906 of the new harbour at Fishguard, the associated railway station, the Clarbeston Road and Letterston Railway giving a shorter route to Fishguard from Clarbeston Road and the transfer to Fishguard of the steamship service to Waterford. Neyland then rapidly declined in importance. [8]
Goods facilities were withdrawn on 2 December 1963 [9] and the station closed to passenger traffic on 15 June 1964. [9] The Pembrokeshire Light Railway Society was launched in 1986 in an unsuccessful attempt to re-open the section of the line from Johnston to Neyland. [10]
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Johnston Line closed, station open | Great Western Railway South Wales Railway | Terminus |
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838 with the initial route completed between London and Bristol in 1841. It was engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who chose a broad gauge of 7 ft —later slightly widened to 7 ft 1⁄4 in —but, from 1854, a series of amalgamations saw it also operate 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard-gauge trains; the last broad-gauge services were operated in 1892.
Neyland is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Cleddau and the upstream end of the Milford Haven estuary. The Cleddau Bridge carrying the A477 links Pembroke Dock with Neyland.
Swansea railway station serves the city of Swansea, Wales. It is 186 miles 7 chains (299 km) measured from London Paddington on the National Rail network.
The West Wales lines are a group of railway lines from Swansea through Carmarthenshire to Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The main part runs from Swansea to Carmarthen and Whitland, where it becomes three branches to Fishguard, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock.
Fishguard Harbour railway station serves the port of Fishguard Harbour, Wales. It is the terminus of one of the branches of the West Wales Line from Swansea. The area is also now served by Fishguard and Goodwick railway station.
Whitland railway station serves the town of Whitland in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located on the West Wales Line from Swansea. To the west of the station, a branch line diverges towards Pembroke; the main line continues to Milford Haven and Fishguard Harbour. The Whitland and Cardigan Railway diverged from the Fishguard/Milford Haven line 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Whitland.
Clunderwen railway station serves the village of Clynderwen in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The station is unmanned. It is a request stop.
Clarbeston Road railway station serves villages such as Clarbeston Road, Clarbeston, Wiston, Walton East and Crundale in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The station, originally named Clarbeston, was opened by the South Wales Railway on 2 January 1854.
Johnston railway station is an unstaffed railway station in the village of Johnston in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It opened in 1856 as part of the final section of the South Wales Railway main line from Haverfordwest to Neyland. It has gone by various names and is now operated by Transport for Wales Rail. Train stops are made at the station by request only.
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. It is the westernmost railway station in Wales, but not in Great Britain as some stations in England and Scotland are further west.
The Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway was a 7 ft 1⁄4 in broad gauge railway line in Wales that was intended to connect Carmarthen on the South Wales Railway with Cardigan. In fact, it was unable to raise the necessary capital and was loss-making from the time of opening the first short section of its line in 1860, and it was in receivership for much of its life. It eventually reached Llandysul in 1864 but was not extended further during its independent existence.
The South Wales Railway was a main line railway which opened in stages from 1850, connecting the Great Western Railway from Gloucester to South Wales. It was constructed on the broad gauge. An original aspiration was to reach Fishguard to engender an Irish ferry transit and transatlantic trade, but the latter did not materialise for many years, and never became an important sector of the business. Neyland was the western terminus of the line until 1906.
The Pembroke and Tenby Railway was a locally promoted railway in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was built by local supporters and opened in 1863. The line, now known as the Pembroke Dock branch line, remains in use at the present day.
Fishguard and Goodwick railway station is a railway station sited 1 mile from Fishguard in the neighbouring town of Goodwick, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is owned by Pembrokeshire County Council and just over 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) from the larger Fishguard Harbour station. Following its closure in 1964, it reopened on 14 May 2012 following investment from Network Rail and Pembrokeshire County Council.
The North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway was a railway company in south-west Wales, incorporated to extend the moribund Narberth Road and Maenclochog Railway, with a view to developing a port on Fishguard Bay and ferry services to Rosslare in Ireland.
The Clarbeston Road and Letterston Railway was a small railway company formed to give the Great Western Railway a more direct route to the port at Fishguard Harbour.
Wolf's Castle Halt railway station was on the Clarbeston Road and Letterston line of the Great Western Railway. It served the villages of Wolf's Castle and Ford between 1913 and 1964.
Jordanston Halt railway station was an intermediate stop on the Great Western Railway's line to Fishguard Harbour. It served the hamlet of Jordanston, Pembrokeshire, Wales between 1923 and 1964.
The Great Western Railway was a railway company that was dominant in West Wales, in the United Kingdom.
Mathry Road Halt railway station was on the Clarbeston Road and Letterston line of the Great Western Railway. It served the village of Letterston 1 mile to the south east, and on railway maps was suffixed for St David's. It was named Mathry when opened in 1923, and renamed the following year.