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Welshpool and Llanfair Railway | ||
| Location: 52 39N 3 10W; UK National Grid reference: SJ218 075 The Station, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys, United Kingdom. SY21 0SF Tel: +44 01938 810441 Scroll down to read the entire article, or select subject heading to move directly to your topics of interest Search WalesRails .......... Message Board |
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Days, times and Special Events .......... Fares .........Nearby Attractions..........How to get there
The Welshpool and Llanfair Railway celebrated the centenary of
the line in 2003, and the fortieth anniversary of its reopening as a preserved
railway.
It is one of the eight Great Little Trains of
Wales: narrow gauge railways located throughout the principality which have
a combined marketing strategy giving bargain travel through purchase of a Wanderer Ticket valid
either for eight days out of fifteen, or for four days out of eight. Steep
gradients and balcony saloon coaches from Austria feature on an eight-mile trip
which starts a mile from Welshpool station on the national railway network.
Once known as The Farmers' Railway on account of the crops which formed its
principal freight cargo, the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway was a 9-mile, gauge
line which was built 1901/3. It opened in March 1903, and although an
independent railway until it was grouped with the Great Western Railway in 1923,
it was worked by the Cambrian Railway.
Passenger services ceased in 1931,
but the line survived for freight until 1956.
The line was purchased for
preservation, and was reopened between Llanfair and Castle Caereinion in April
1963. The opening of the extension to Welshpool in May 1982 was marked with a
tree-planting ceremony using the same ornate spade used to cut the first sod in
1901.
The railway uses a different terminus from the original at Welshpool,
which reduces its operating length to eight miles.
There are intermediate
stations at Heniarth, Cyfronydd and Sylfaen which, together with Castle
Caereinion, are request stops.
On May the 4th 2001 the railway re-enacted the sod-cutting ceremony of 1901 with speeches and music played by the Newtown Silver Band.
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March |
Daily between 21st and 31st |
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April |
Daily between 1st and 6th, then 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th |
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May |
Saturdays and Sundays only; plus Monday 5th and 24th to 31st |
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June |
1st to 5th, then daily except Mondays and Fridays. |
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July |
Daily except 4th, 7th, 11th, 14th and 18th |
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August |
Every Day |
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September |
2nd to 14th except Mons and Fris; then 20th 21th, 27th and 28th |
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October |
4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th, then daily 25th to 31st |
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November |
1st and 2nd |
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December |
13th, 14th, 20th and 21st |
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Llanfair |
09.45 |
13.00 |
15.45 |
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Welshpool |
10.35 |
13.50 |
16.35 |
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Welshpool |
11.15 |
14.15 |
17.05 | |||
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Llanfair |
12.05 |
15.05 |
17.55 |
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Llanfair |
09.45 |
1130 |
13.00 |
14.30 |
15.45 |
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Welshpool |
10.35 |
12.20 |
13.50 |
15.20 |
16.35 |
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Welshpool |
11.15 |
12.40 |
14.15 |
15.40 |
17.00 |
|
Llanfair |
12.05 |
13.30 |
15.05 |
16.30 |
17.50 |
Vintage Weekends (Advance booking essential)
Saturday and Sunday
July 21st and 22nd; and August 11th and 12th
| V | ||||
| Llanfair C | 09.45 | 11.30 | 13.00 | 15.45 |
| Welshpool | 10.35 | 12.20 | 13.50 | 16.35 |
| Welshpool | 11.15 | 12.40 | 14.15 | 17.05 |
| Llanfair C | 12.05 | 13.30 | 15.05 | 17.55 |
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V |
Vintage mixed train featuring original locomotive, Pickering coaches and goods wagons |
| Adult | £11.20 | |
| Children (under 3 years) | Free | |
| 5-15 years (First child per adult) | Free | |
| All other children | £5.60 | |
|
Senior citizens,
National Trust members |
£10.20 | |
Single and part-journey fares, and Great Little Trains of Wales Runabout tickets are also available.
On selected Mondays during the season the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway offers driver experience courses.
The town of Llanfair Caereinion stands on the River Banwy, and was once
a Roman fort. In the Middle Ages, the Church and Well of St Mary made it a place
of pilgrimage; today, its tranquil surroundings make it a favourite with
anglers.
Welshpool is the chief market town of Montgomeryshire. From
the wharf a short distance from the station, there are boat trips along the
Montgomery Canal. Alongside the canal is the Powysland Museum, with a varied
collection of artefacts from the local area, including the ornate spade used at
the sod-cutting ceremonies.
At the Old Station is the Edinburgh Woollen Mill,
while a little further afield is the Moors Rare Bird Collection.
Welshpool's
main attraction, however, is Powys Castle, built in the reign of Edward 1
(1239-1307) on the site of a Norman fort.
Towards the end of the sixteenth
century, it was restored as an Elizabethan mansion. The spectacular terraced
gardens are renowned for their topiary and are the setting for outdoor concerts
and fireworks during the summer months. Inside, the Clive Museum - named after
the son of Clive of India - contains a wealth of material appertaining to the
British Raj.
How to get there
The Welshpool and Llanfair Railway's station in Raven Square, is about
one mile via Severn and Broad Streets from the national network station at
Welshpool, which is served by trains from Shrewsbury.
Llanfair Caereinion and
Welshpool are located on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Dolgellau.
Select to visit the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway's official web site.
Copyright © 1996/7/8/9/2000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 by Deryck
Lewis. All rights reserved.
Page created July 14 1996; Redesigned March 29
1999; Updated April 23 2008
If you have any suggestions, comments, or
glitches to report, please contact the author at
WalesRails
