Gowerton to Llanmorlais Pictures

Branch History & Timeline

Date	Event
1865	Line opened from Gowerton No.2 Junction on the Pontarddulais to Swansea Victoria line to Penclawdd by the Llanelly Railway & Dock Company. (note 1)
1871	Ownership transferred to Swansea & Carmarthen Railways.
1 July 1871	Line worked or leased by London & North Western Railway.
28 July 1873	Swansea & Carmarthen Railways renamed Central Wales & Carmarthen Junction Railway.
1877	Penclawdd to Llanmorlais opened.
21 July 1891	Central Wales & Carmarthen Junction Railway sold to London & North Western Railway.
1 January 1923	Absorbed by London Midland & Scottish Railway.
5 January 1931	Passenger services ceased, Penclawdd and Llanmorlais stations closed.
1 January 1948	Absorbed by British Railways.
2 September 1957	Branch closed completely.

Note 1. The Register of British Railway Companies (RCHS, 2005) shows the Llanelly company as leased and worked by Great Western from 13 July 1868 and absorbed by them on 24 June 1889. Col. Cobb's Atlas shows parts of the Llanelly company lines ending up in GWR and parts in LNWR. A brief history of the company appears in Wikipedia. Railway Passenger Stations (RCHS, 2009) gives date of opening as 14 December 1867. Carmarthenshire Archives Service holds several records.

Penclawdd, 15 September 2010

Location N51.641846° W4.102604°.

Station opened 14 December 1867 with limited service and fully from August 1871. Closed 5 January 1931. The "Railway Inn" which was near the station is still in business although well separated from the platform by dwelling houses.

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Llanmorlais, 14 September 2010

Location N51.631088° W4.120629°

Station opened 1 March 1884 and closed 5 January 1931. The line continued a short way onward to what appears to be siding and run-round facilities. The 1898 Glamorganshire 1:2,500 OS map seems to show a bridge over the off-shoot of Station Road rather than a level crossing.

There are other sidings and tram roads leading from the main siding / run-round that bear further exploration.