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Swansea Vale Railway |
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Location: 51 39N 3 54W; UK National Grid Ref: SS 682 969Swansea Vale Railway, Upper Bank Works, Pentrechwyth, Swansea,
United Kingdom. SA1 7DB Scroll down the page or select subject heading to move directly to your topics of interest. The line today........Locos and rolling stock Search WalesRails .......... Message Board |
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The Swansea Vale Railway operates over a mile-and-a-half section of the former Midland
Railway route between Swansea and Brecon, on what was one of the oldest tramroads in South
Wales. The tramroad was built in 1815 and used horses to draw coal from Scott's Pit to
Foxhole Wharf on the River Tawe. The expansion of coal mining up the Swansea Valley, led
to a group of industrialists forming themselves into the Swansea Vale Railway Company to
develop a railway which would connect the mines in the valley with Swansea Docks. In 1846
the SVR sold out to the South Wales Railway - later absorbed by the Great Western Railway
- whose track intersected the SVR's by a level crossing near Six Pit Junction. But the SWR
did nothing about expanding the mineral railway, instead concentrating its efforts on
pushing its line westward to Fishguard with an eye on Irish and trans-Atlantic traffic
beyond. The SWR had created a new company called the Swansea Valley Railway which was
supposed to build the new line, but it was not until this company's powers had lapsed that
the SVR could once more revive the venture.
Following a fatal collision on the level crossing in 1858, the SWR diverted the Swansea
Vale's line under the main line, and passenger services between Swansea St Thomas and
Pontardawe began in 1860. By 1874 the line had been opened as far as Ystradgynlais with
branches to Glais and Brynamman, and had attracted the attention of the Midland Railway
which bought out the SVR two years later.
The Midland ran through trains from Swansea to Birmingham via Brecon and Hereford, a long
journey via a tortuous route, though the inconvenience was offset by the spectacular scenery
along the way.
But as the fortunes of the industries in the Swansea valleys declined, so did those of the
railway, and from the 1930s the piecemeal process of closing the line began.
Passenger services ceased completely in 1950, and by 1968 the last section of the line
between Six Pit and the Docks had been closed.
By 1980, most of the track had been lifted, but that between Six Pit and Upper Bank
remained, and it was to preserve this last reminder of the historic route that the SVR
(then called the Lower Swansea Valley Railway Society) was formed.
Swansea City Council helped by assisting purchase of the line and by funding various
community service projects to restore the line. Because of the dual connection with two of
the Big Five railway companies, the SVR's intention is to create a typical GWR halt at its
Six Pit terminus, while a Midland theme will predominate at the Upper Bank end of the
line. At Six Pit, the layout is being redesigned and a new platform has been built. On a
siding at the rear of the platform, a coach is used for displays and as a souvenir
shop. The SVR also brought King's Dock Junction signal box from Swansea Docks and this has
been re-erected at Upper Bank.
Application has been made to awarding bodies for funds to establish a Heritage
Rail Centre at the Upper Bank end of the line, where B&Q DIY superstores and the
Summer opening of one of the largest Morrison's branch in the UK increases the passing trade in the area.
The SVR is unique in being the only preserved railway whose track passes under a main line
on the national network.
The photograph alongside shows two of the locomotives at the SVR - Peckett 0-4-0ST Mond
Nickel Co. No 1 No 1345 and Ex-Great Western Railway 0-6-0 Pannier Tank No 9642 -
standing on the SVR's tracks, while ex-GWR King Class no 6024 King Edward I passes
overhead on the Swansea - London main line.
The 'King' was hauling a special steam charter service on May 22 1994.
The list of locomotives and stock given below contains a number of errors as some locos and rolling stock have been sold. The list will be corrected as soon as possible:
Contact the SVR for details, and for Times and Fares
At the Six Pit end of the line, supermarkets, DIY superstores and other retail outlets means that a visit to the SVR can be combined with a shopping trip. The more athletic visitor should make for Upper Bank, where New Stadium is shared between Swansea City Football Club and the Ospreys Rugby team, Tennis courts, football pitches and a dry ski slope are just a short stroll away. There is a riverside walk which offers the chance to trace other aspects of Swansea's industrial past in the remains of long-disused wharves along the river, and the ruin of the Vivian Copperworks across the valley.
The city of Swansea itself has a modern shopping centre, with many attractive parks
close by. The route of the historic and much-lamented Mumbles Railway - the world's first
passenger-carrying railway which operated from 1807 until 1960 - is now a seafront walk
from the town to Oystermouth and Mumbles. There are long-standing plans to reinstate the service using a
tram system.
The Grand Theatre celebrated its centenary in 1997, and has been refurbished to a very
high standard. It was opened by the celebrated Italian soprano Madame Adelina Patti, whose
pavilion stands in Gors Lane.
A barrage across the mouth of the River Tawe, and the conversion of part of the former
dockland area into a picturesque marina, has given Swansea an attractive waterfront
quarter which harks back to its seagoing heritage.
On the northern quay of the marina is the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum - with extensive displays
and artefacts which highlight that heritage, together with a statue of one of Swansea's
most famous sons: the writer, poet and playwright Dylan Thomas, author of 'Under Milk
Wood'.
The SVR is located at Bonymaen to the northeast of the city and is on the edge of the
city's enterprise zone, an area of superstores and light-industrial factory units.
Both termini of the railway are served by bus routes 31A and 31B from Quadrant Bus
station in the city centre. For Upper Bank, alight at Pentrechwyth, or to join trains at
Six Pit, get off the bus at Tesco superstore in Nantyffin Road.
For details of connecting services, including travel planner and timetables,
visit the Traveline Cymru website.
Motorists for Six Pit should leave the M4 at Junction 44, and pass through Llansamlet before turning left into Nantyffin Road at Peniel Green.
Copyright © 1996/7/8/9/2000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7 by Deryck Lewis. All
rights reserved.
Page created July 14 1996; Redesigned March 29 1999; Updated October 13 2007
If you have any suggestions, comments, or glitches to report, please contact the author at
WalesRails
