Aberystwyth railway station is located in the town of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales; it is served by passenger trains operated by Transport for Wales. It is the terminus of both the Cambrian Line (sited 81+1⁄2 miles (131.2 km) west of Shrewsbury) and of the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway.
Aberystwyth  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Terminus at Aberystwyth station | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Alexandra Road, Aberystwyth Ceredigion Wales | ||||
| Coordinates | 52°24′50″N 4°04′54″W / 52.4139°N 4.0816°W | ||||
| Grid reference | SN585815 | ||||
| Managed by | Transport for Wales | ||||
| Platforms | 2 1 (standard gauge) 1 (narrow gauge) | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | AYW | ||||
| Classification | DfT category D | ||||
| History | |||||
| Original company | Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway | ||||
| Pre-grouping | Cambrian Railways / Great Western Railway | ||||
| Post-grouping | Great Western Railway | ||||
| Key dates | |||||
| 23 June 1864 | Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway station opens[1] | ||||
| 19 July 1867 | Manchester and Milford Railway station opens; later amalgamates with A&WC station[1] | ||||
| 22 December 1902 | Vale of Rheidol Aberystwyth Smithfield station opens[2] | ||||
| 31 July 1925 | Great Western Railway (Vale of Rheidol) station opens adjacent to standard gauge station replacing Aberystwyth Smithfield[1][2] | ||||
| 31 August 1939 | Great Western (Vale of Rheidol) station closes (World War 2) | ||||
| 23 July 1945 | Great Western (Vale of Rheidol) station reopens | ||||
| 1964 | Carmarthen Line services cease | ||||
| 17 April 1968 | Vale of Rheidol Railway services start from combined station using the Carmarthen Line platforms - Great Western (Vale of Rheidol) station closes | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2019/20 |  0.279 million | ||||
| 2020/21 | 41,430 | ||||
| 2021/22 |  0.171 million | ||||
| 2022/23 | 0.242 million | ||||
| 2023/24 | 0.276 million | ||||
Listed Building – Grade II | |||||
| Designated | 12 July 1981 (amended 24 November 1987) | ||||
| Reference no. | 9930 | ||||
| |||||
History
editThe original station was built in 1864 by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway for the route to Machynlleth. The neighbouring Manchester & Milford railway was to construct a two road platform adjoining this, to create a joint station and provide access south to Carmarthen. The station was greatly extended in 1925 by the Great Western Railway: the original station building on one side of the platforms was replaced by a grand terminus building.
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At that time the station had five platforms: Platform 1 at the south-east end of the station and two island platforms. Platforms 1 and 2 were essentially bay platforms, each of the same length (and shorter than the other three). They were the original Manchester & Milford railway platforms, used for the Carmarthen services (though Platform 2 was occasionally used for main-line trains). The Carmarthen line was closed in 1964 following flood damage. The former Platform 3 is on the other side of Platform 2; it is the only platform still in use for mainline rail and has been redesignated as Platform 1 in recent years. The former Platform 4 (closed in 1982, track removed) is now taken up by the "Craft" freecycling shop. At that time the signal box was also closed and demolished. Access to the station and the station facilities is now primarily via the original 1864 building. The running-around line between these two, for locomotive-hauled trains, still exists. Platform 5 (closed in the 1960s) was an emergency platform on the other side of Platform 4, but little trace remains. The goods yard has become the Rheidol Retail Park.
With the decline of railway usage and of local tourism, the facilities were far too large for their purpose. The railway yard was lifted in the 1980s and the row of shops in front, known as Western Parade, was demolished in the 1990s to allow construction of a new retail park and bus station. The 1925 station building has seen several uses, including as a local museum, but was eventually sold off and converted into a Wetherspoons pub. This conversion maintained the architecture and won awards including a National Railway Heritage Award in 2003.[3] Other parts of the building have become office space, accommodation for a local furniture recycling scheme, and in 2022 part of the station building was purchased by Aberystwyth University and remodelled into a studying space for the university's staff and students.[4]
Vale of Rheidol Railway
editThe platform that was originally used by trains via Lampeter to Carmarthen is now used by the narrow gauge steam-operated Vale of Rheidol Railway. This railway's track runs parallel to and immediately to the south of the main line as far as Llanbadarn Fawr. Opened in 1902, it originally had its own terminus at "Aberystwyth Smithfield" (named after Smithfield Road, now Park Avenue). This closed in 1925 and was replaced by a station a short distance from the main railway station; that station site is now a supermarket car park. In 1968 its track was rerouted into the former standard gauge bay Platforms 1 and 2 of the main station. As their trains unload at ground level, a new ramp and ground-level island platform were built in the space between the two original platforms. There is a runaround loop and access to the former mainline railway shed. This was used as the storage and works area for the Vale of Rheidol Railway. From 2014, the Vale of Rheidol railway, with the help of an EU-funded grant, converted the old platform 1 of the Carmarthen branch to a reduced height. This now allows passengers to board coaches from the level of the running board, as opposed to from ground level. The access is invaluable to passengers who have mobility issues. This does not allow wheelchairs to be wheeled onto coaches, but the company is working on a solution by adapting some existing rolling stock to this purpose.
In 2011, a purpose-built railway works was built on the site of the old GWR coaling stage. This now allows the railway to carry out heavy maintenance and restorations on its stock. It also allows contract work to be undertaken. The works has an apprentice school.
Today
editThis section needs to be updated. (May 2020) |
As of December 2020, the station has a single mainline platform for trains to Machynlleth and beyond, with a loop that is used to reverse locomotive-hauled specials, including steam services and maintenance trains.
There were proposals, by the Vale of Rheidol railway, to establish a railway museum at the station, using structures removed from London Bridge station during modernisation.[5] These proposals went ahead and construction began in 2018 and were set to be complete in late 2020. [6]
Facilities
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The station has a staffed ticket office, open six days per week. A self-service ticket machine is also provided for use outside these times and for collecting pre-paid tickets. Other amenities include toilets, waiting room and a customer help point. Train running information is also offered via digital information screens, automatic announcements and timetable posters. There is no ATM. Step-free access is available between the entrance, concourse and platform. Many of these improvements came from the Welsh Government with funding from European Regional Development Fund and the UK Government's National Station Improvement Project.[7][8]
Services
editTransport for Wales services operate to Shrewsbury and Birmingham International approximately every two hours.[9] As of the May 2015 timetable change, (almost) hourly services have commenced between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, some of which continue to Birmingham International .[10]
There were proposals for reinstating a direct train to London which stopped running in 1991. The journey would have taken four hours,[11] but the plan was rejected in 2010.[12]
Trains currently call at Bow Street, Borth, Dovey Junction, Machynlleth, Caersws, Newtown, Welshpool, Shrewsbury, Wellington, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.[13]
Departures
editThe current service pattern (Mondays to Saturdays) is
- 16 trains per day to Machynlleth
- 12 of which continue to Shrewsbury
- 8 of which continue to Birmingham New Street
- 7 of which continue to Birmingham International
- 8 of which continue to Birmingham New Street
- 12 of which continue to Shrewsbury
The current service pattern (Sundays) is
- 12 trains per day to Machynlleth
- 8 of which continue to Shrewsbury
- 6 of which continue to Birmingham International
- 8 of which continue to Shrewsbury
Arrivals
editOn Mondays-Saturdays, the station sees 16 arriving services (4 start at Machynlleth, 4 at Shrewsbury, 1 at Birmingham New Street, and 7 at Birmingham International).
On Sundays, the station sees 12 arriving services (3 start at Machynlleth, 3 at Shrewsbury, and 6 at Birmingham International).
| Preceding station |  National Rail
|
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | Transport for Wales Birmingham International-Aberystwyth | |||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Terminus | Cambrian Railways Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway |
Bow Street Line and station open | ||
| Disused railways | ||||
| Terminus | Great Western Railway Manchester and Milford Railway |
Llanrhystyd Road Line and station closed | ||
 Heritage railways
|
||||
| Terminus | Vale of Rheidol Railway | Llanbadarn | ||
Motive power depot
editThis section needs to be updated. (October 2016) |
A small engine shed was opened close to the station in 1864 and extended in 1867.[14] This was demolished by the Great Western Railway in 1938 to make way for a larger brick built structure, which is still standing. The shed was not allocated a code by British Railways since it was deemed a sub-shed of Machynlleth, and so locomotives bore that depot's code, 89C.[15]
Aberystwyth Motive Power Depot was notable as being the last steam locomotive depot on the British Rail network. Initially closed under the Beeching report, along with the line to Carmarthen, it was adapted for use by the Vale of Rheidol railway when it relocated to the former Carmarthen platforms. The facility replaced a dilapidated set of small sheds at the railway's original base, at the riverside by the football ground. The area is now used as a car park. The shed area creates a small spur in what is otherwise a linear layout. The Vale of Rheidol was steam operated by British Rail until privatisation in 1989. Accordingly, it was an often requested posting for staff. The line is still steam operated but is owned by a charitable trust.
A new steel framed locomotive works was completed in late 2011. The building includes a machine shop, restoration workshop and locomotive running shed. The existing former Great Western Railway shed is currently used to house the running fleet.[16]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c Butt 1995, p. 12
- ^ a b Butt 1995, p. 13
- ^ "Yr Hen Orsaf Aberystwyth". J D Wetherspoon. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ "The Workstation: New 24/7 study space open in town for AU students and staff". AberSocial. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "London Bridge station roof set for Aberystwyth museum". BBC. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
- ^ "Aberystwyth Railway Museum". 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Welsh Government | Aberystwyth station". Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- ^ [1] National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 13 December 2020
- ^ "Trains to Aberystwyth • Aberystwyth.org.uk". Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
- ^ Table 76 National Rail timetable, May 2016
- ^ "ATW announces plans for direct Aberystwyth - London Marylebone".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Aberystwyth-London route rejected". BBC News. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
- ^ "Arriva Trains Wales' new timetable responds to passenger demand". Arriva Trains. 6 October 2008. Archived from the original on 16 October 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
- ^ Roger Griffiths and Paul Smith, Directory of British Engine Sheds, I., Oxford Publishing (1999), p.187.
- ^ Sterndale et al. 1974, p. M30.
- ^ Vale of Rheidol Railway - New "Vale of Rheidol Railway - Latest News". Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
Sources
edit- Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
- Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.
- Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 978-0-906899-99-1. OCLC 228266687.
- Sterndale, A.C.; Parker, L.T.; Smith, C.; Reed, P.J.T.; Tabor, F.J.; Davies, F.K.; Allcock, N.J.; Lucking, J.H. (May 1974). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part twelve: A Chronological and Statistical Survey. Kenilworth: Railway Correspondence & Travel Society. ISBN 0-901115-28-2. OCLC 499807460.
External links
edit
- Train times and station information for Aberystwyth railway station from National Rail