BRONWYDD ARMS STATION - CARMARTHEN
Gwili Railway Steam Trains and Signal Box Memories
The Bronwydd Arms station was first opened in 1860 as the part of Carmathen
to Cardigan Railway and later the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth Line. The
railway closed to passengers in 1965 and the station buildings demolished.
In 1978, the Gwili Railway reopened the station as a heritage railway
terminus, starting from a bare platform and rebuilding the station structure
and signal box, moving buildings and equipment from the Heart of Wales
Line.
The former
GWR signal boxes from around the 1930s and 1950s have come from the
stations at Llandybie and from Ffairfach, just south of
Llandeilo. One of the signal boxes houses the Gwili Railway Museum,
basically a collection of items bequeathed by the former chief Signalman
for the
railway, John Morris, and other friends of the railway in a cramped
room of local railroading history, and the other as the current operating
signal box rebuilt on top of a recreated brick lower level as the original
wood one had rotted.
Gwili Railway
The
Gwili Railway offers a number of themed stream train excursions
departing from the
Bronwydd Arms station. “Who Dunnit” Murder
Mystery Evenings feature sleuths matching wits with clever criminals
while a four course meal is served on the train with a bar coach well
stocked with products from the Welsh home country Felinfoel Brewery.
Other nostalgic rail journey’s offer themes from 1920 Jazz dances
to 50s Rock & Roll and 1940s wartime weekends, as well as Christmas
Trains, and a rotating visit from Thomas the Tank for the kids. If
you’ve a
hankering to handle the power of a steam locomotive Gwili Railway Driver
Experience events offer an exciting, full day out
including breakfast and lunch with the chance to the experience the hands-on
driving a steam locomotive, prepping and firing the boiler, and assisting
the guard and signalman.
Signal Box Demonstration
If
you can’t make it for the steam train journey and come across
the station while wandering through South Wales in search of Merlin's
cave, climb up to the signal box, where the signalman sits at his post,
for
a fascinating
look back
at rail signaling of the past. The signalman has his seat by the fire
to keep warm on the long days on duty. The signal box was essential his
home for a good part of the day, whiling the long stretches between trains.
He’ll gladly explain the complex collection of switches and handles
with arcane redundant failsafe systems intended to keep from accidentally
putting two trains on the same track, though not really a problem at
the Bronwydd Arms station as the Gwili Railway operates essentially one
steam engine for its excursion operation. © Bargain
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Gwili Railway
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