The Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway (LMMR) Company Limited was formed in April 1999 to reinstate a mile-long length of track at Cynheidre built on part of the alignment of the Carmarthenshire Tramroad, one of the oldest public railways in the world.
The Carmarthenshire tramroad was authorised in 1802 and opened in 1803 as a twelve-mile horse-drawn system linking Llanelly
(the anglicised form of Llanelli) with
Gorslas, but the company folded forty years later. The dock which it had built was bought
by the Llanelli Harbour Commissioners, but it was not until 1875 that the LMMR was formed
to relay the track on the route of the former tramroad. By 1887 the track had been
extended a further mile to The Great Mountain collieries at Cross Hands. In thirteen miles
the line through the picturesque Swiss Valley rose through an elevation of some 500 feet,
and with gradients of up to 1-in-40, the branch witnessed some spectacular sights as
many as three locomotives struggled to get trains up and down the tortuous route.
Never a passenger railway, other than workmen's trains and the occasional holiday
excursion, the line was totally dependent on coal traffic from the mines along the branch.
But like other parts of the country, the demand for coal declined, so that, by the
mid-1960s, Cynheidre - just under seven miles from Llanelli - was the only remaining
colliery on the branch, but in 1988 this, too, closed. Early in 1995, it seemed
likely that the branch would once more see coal traffic, when a mining company
sought to open a mine at Cynheidre and establish a railhead nearby, but again,
this came to nothing when planning permission was refused.
Since Cynheidre closed, several attempts have been made to
reopen the historic
route but, for a variety of reasons, have been thwarted at every turn.
One of the unwanted
costs which reopening the branch has entailed was replacing stolen
sections of track, but LMMR members are encouraged that they have attracted
grants which have allowed them to purchase the freehold of the twelve acres of
land on which Phase
One of the scheme will be built. A proposal is being drawn up to try to secure
funding of £500,000 for the first phase. If the money is obtained, the Company
hope to run its first trains at the end of 2007.
Already, an access road has been completed, a 2,000 square-metre wildlife pond
created, and, with army help, the site has been fenced, cleared and levelled. A
car park area has also been surfaced with recycled stone.
The mile-long track will run between Cynheidre and Cynheidre North, while
subsequent phases will see extensions north to Sylen Bridge, south to Swiss
Valley, and longer term, ultimately will connect Llanelli and Tumble, a total
distance of around ten miles.
Steam Locomotives
Avonside 0-4-0 No 1498 Desmond, built 1906 (donated by the National
Museums and Galleries of Wales)
Diesel Locomotives
Sentinel 0-4-0 Rolls Royce powered Diesel No 10222 (donated by Hanson
Aggregates, Machen Quarry)
North British 0-4-0 Shunter No 27654
Ex-BR Diesel Multiple Units
Class 117 2-car DMU vehicles Nos 51354 and 51396
Class 107 DMU vehicle 52029
Rolling Stock Mk II First Class Buffet Car No 1206, Built 1973
GWR Toad Brakevan No DB35377
Tar Wagon
Tippler Wagon
GWR Six-wheel Luggage Composite Carriage No 8597
GWR Six-wheel Lavatory Composite Carriage (Number unknown)
(The last two listed are minus wheel frames, and are intended as
long-term restoration projects.)
At present, all the locos and stock is stored privately at the MoD
site at Llangenneth, with the exception of Desmond, which is at Llangollen
undergoing investigation as to the possibility of full restoration.
The Mk II
coach will be used as an on-site cafe pending construction of the
Heritage Centre/Stock Shed.
Cynheidre is served by First Cymru services 194/195 from Llanelli. For details of these and connecting services, including travel planner and timetables, visit the Traveline-Cymru website.
Select link to visit the LMMRC's official website.
Copyright © 2006/7 by Deryck Lewis. All rights
reserved.
Page created October 20 2006; Updated April 1 2007
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