Index
- Carmarthen to Newcastle Emlyn Home
- Carmarthen Junction
- Carmarthen 1st
- Carmarthen 2nd
- Bronwydd Arms
- Conwil
- Llanpumpsaint
- Pencader
- Pencader Junction
- Llandyssul
- Pentrecourt Platform
- Henllan
- Newcastle Emlyn
Carmarthen to Newcastle Emlyn Railway
(1860 - 1965)
The Carmarthen & Cardigan Railway Company (C & CR) was formed in 1854 to promote a broad gauge railway from a junction with theSouth Wales Railway (SWR) at Carmarthen.
Initially, the line would terminate at Newcastle Emlyn, a distance of 26 miles, later to be extended 12 more miles to Cardigan where the company intended to build a deep-water port.
During construction in 1859, the C & CR attempted to switch from broad gauge to standard gauge but this never materialised
The first mile to a terminus at Carmarthen opened on March 1 1860 after which progress north was rapid, with Conwil station opening on September 3 1860. At this time, the C & CR owned no rolling stock so they had to rely on the SWR to provide the service, There was disagreement and the service was suspended on December 31 1860. The company then hired two 4-4-0 tank engines and reopened the line with its own rolling stock on August 15 1861
The 12-mile extension to Cardigan was authorized by an Act of July 1 1863 but it was never built largely because of opposition to the intrusion of the line into an area of natural beauty that had become a popular tourist attraction
The timetable for 1902 showed a daily service of four trains in each direction between Carmarthen and Newcastle Emlyn. On Saturdays, there were two extra trains to Llandyssul only. There was no Sunday service
Scheduled for complete closure at the end of 1972, the Newcastle Emlyn branch received a number of reprieves. The Teifi Valley Railway Preservation Society was formed in October 1972 with the intention of purchasing the Carmarthen-Newcastle Emlyn section for the operation of a steam-hauled tourist passenger service
The end came in 1965 for the Newcastle Emlyn branch but goods services were still operatng on the line, The final closure of the line came in 1973. Track was left in place until the summer of 1975
Some the track and stations is now used by the Gwili Railway Preservation Company
During construction in 1859, the C & CR attempted to switch from broad gauge to standard gauge but this never materialised
The first mile to a terminus at Carmarthen opened on March 1 1860 after which progress north was rapid, with Conwil station opening on September 3 1860. At this time, the C & CR owned no rolling stock so they had to rely on the SWR to provide the service, There was disagreement and the service was suspended on December 31 1860. The company then hired two 4-4-0 tank engines and reopened the line with its own rolling stock on August 15 1861
The 12-mile extension to Cardigan was authorized by an Act of July 1 1863 but it was never built largely because of opposition to the intrusion of the line into an area of natural beauty that had become a popular tourist attraction
The timetable for 1902 showed a daily service of four trains in each direction between Carmarthen and Newcastle Emlyn. On Saturdays, there were two extra trains to Llandyssul only. There was no Sunday service
Scheduled for complete closure at the end of 1972, the Newcastle Emlyn branch received a number of reprieves. The Teifi Valley Railway Preservation Society was formed in October 1972 with the intention of purchasing the Carmarthen-Newcastle Emlyn section for the operation of a steam-hauled tourist passenger service
The end came in 1965 for the Newcastle Emlyn branch but goods services were still operatng on the line, The final closure of the line came in 1973. Track was left in place until the summer of 1975
Some the track and stations is now used by the Gwili Railway Preservation Company
| Station name | Opened | Closed to passengers |
Goods closed |
| Carmarthen Junction | Oct 1852 | Sep 1926 | |
| Carmarthen 1st | Mar 1860 | Jul 1902 | 1982 |
| Carmarthen 2nd | Jul 1902 | ||
| Bronwydd Arms | Oct 1861 | Feb 1965 | |
| Conwil | Jun 1860 | Feb 1965 | |
| Llanpumpsaint | Mar 1864 | Feb 1965 | |
| Pencader | Mar 1864 | Feb 1965 | Sep 1965 |
| Pencader Junction | Jan 1866 | May 1880 | |
| Llandyssul | Jun 1864 | Sep 1952 | Sep 1965 |
| Pentrecourt Platform | Feb 1912 | Sep 1952 | |
| Henllan | Jul 1895 | Sep 1952 | Sep 1965 |
| Newcastle Emlyn | Jul 1895 | Sep 1952 | Sep 1973 |
