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Teifi Valley Railway |
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Location: 4 25W
52 03N; UK National Grid SN358407 The Teifi Valley Railway, Henllan Station, Henllan, Nr Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed, United Kingdom Telephone/Fax:
+44 (0)1559 371077 Search WalesRails .......... Message Board |
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History of the TVR.........The TVR today .......Locomotives and rolling stock.......Days, times and fares
The Teifi Valley Railway (TVR) was formed to preserve three miles of the former Carmarthen to Aberystwyth Railway Company's line which, in the eventuality, never got any closer to Cardigan than Newcastle Emlyn. The section which it has bought is from Newcastle Emlyn to Henllan which is at the other end of the same branch as that preserved by the Gwili Railway. There is a link to the TVR's official web site at the end of this page.
The broad-gauge railway was opened in 1860 from Carmarthen to Conwil by the ill-fated
Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway Company - which fell in and out of insolvency until it was
eventually absorbed by the Great Western Railway - though even under the auspices of the
GWR it took until 1895 for the line to reach Newcastle Emlyn, and there it terminated.
In its early days, the line thrived on serving the farming and wool industries, though in
the years following the First World War, this traffic declined. The routes always had a
reputation as lazy rural branches; where trains ambled along, being flagged down by
market-bound farmers' wives making their way across the fields to board the carriages, and
while World War two brought another lease of life to the main line between Carmarthen and
Aberystwyth as a relief route carrying heavy ammunition trains between south and North
Wales, traffic on the Newcastle Emlyn spur steadily declined. Though the main line was to
hold on as a passenger railway until severe flooding severed the route in the mid-19960s,
Newcastle Emlyn closed in 1952.
The TVR operates over 2 miles of 1ft 11½in gauge track from its main station at
Henllan, and an extension to Riverside was opened in 2006. Work in ongoing to
move the Henllan station onto the main site.
Other stations are Forest Halt, Pontprenshitw - with a short walk to the
waterfall - and Llandyfriog.
Facilities include nature trails and country walks, picnic and barbecue areas, woodland
trail and theatre, children's playgrounds and a GWR museum and library.
The TVR has introduced Dragon miniature trains Emlyn and Epod
which take visitors on a 20 minute journey through the legends of Wales.
There are also short-stay facilities for camping and caravanning.
To provide motive power to haul its trains, the TVR can call on the services of one of a number of locomotives, including one over a century old.
Steam
Diesel
There are also two new locomotives: a Kerr Stuart 0-6-0T Joffre, which has yet to
be assembled; and a Hudson Hunslet 4WDM which is awaiting a new engine.
A GWR 'Toad' brake van No 35029, once based at Severn Tunnel, is on site, and is
about to undergo intensive restoration.
The Railway Club of Wales
The Railway Club of Wales was formed in 1968 with the aim of 'encouraging an
interest in the principality's railways, past, present and future.'
Originally, the Club's activities were centred on Swansea Industrial and Maritime Museum,
where it undertook some restoration work on the Andrew Barclay fireless locomotive Sir
Charles and the cab section of Mumbles Railway electric tram No 7.
In subsequent years, the RCoW acquired locomotives and stock of its own, and by 1985 had
restored its Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Rosyth No 1. Frustrated at having a
working locomotive, but nowhere to run it, the Club decided to move to the Gwili
Railway in 1987. Now, the RCoW has severed its link with the Gwili, and made its
permanent base at the TVR, bringing with them three of their locomotives:
April 1st to 4th;
5th;
6th to 18th
May 1st, 2nd; 3rd;
4th to 6th; 9th,16th, then 23rd to 30th;
31st
June
1st to 10th; then 13th to 30th (except Fridays and Saturdays)
July 1st, 4th to 8th; 10th to 16th; 17th;
18th to 31st
August 1st to 29th;
30th;
31st
September 1st to 30th (except 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th)
October 25th to 29th; 30th;
31st
December 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th,
22nd, 23rd and 24th
Match the colours with the times below
Times
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On Green days, trains leave Henllan 11.30, 12.30pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm |
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On Blue days, trains leave Henllan at 11.30am, 12.30, 2.00pm, 3.00pm and 4.00pm |
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Red days indicate Special Events, for which special timetables apply Contact the TVR for details |
The journey lasts approximately 40 minutes, with a request stop to visit Pontprenshitw Gorge.
Subject to availability, all services are steam operated.
May 3rd
Bring a Teddy Day (Children with Teddies travel free)
July 17th 25th Anniversary Gala
October 30th
Halloween Trains (5.30pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm)
Dates in December Santa Specials (12 noon; 1.00pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm and 4.00pm
Adults £6.00; Children (3-16 years) £4.00; Senior
Citizens/Disabled £5.50; Family Ticket (up to 2 adults
and 2 children) £17.00; Dogs 50p.
There is a discount for Group bookings, and Children under 3 travel free.
Contact the TVR on +44 (0)1559 371077 for details of Special events, including Halloween, and for dates and details of Santa Specials in December.
Select this link to visit the Teifi Valley Railway's official web site
For details of connecting bus services, including travel planner and timetables, visit the Traveline Cymru website.
Copyright © 1996/7/8/9/2000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10 by Deryck Lewis. All
rights reserved.
Page created July 24 1996; Redesigned March 29 1999; Updated May 27 2010
If you have any suggestions, comments, or glitches to report, please contact the author at
WalesRails
