Caersws railway station

Railway station in Powys, Wales

52°30′58″N 3°25′59″W / 52.516°N 3.433°W / 52.516; -3.433Grid referenceSO028918Managed byTransport for WalesPlatforms1Other informationStation codeCWSClassificationDfT category F1HistoryOpened3 January 1863[1]Original companyNewtown and Machynlleth RailwayPre-groupingCambrian RailwaysPassengers2018/19Decrease 60,6262019/20Decrease 59,2742020/21Decrease 13,1962021/22Increase 31,3982022/23Increase 42,500
Listed Building – Grade II
FeatureCaersws railway station, with stationmaster’s houseDesignated28 August 1991Reference no.8697[2]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Caersws railway station is on the Cambrian Line in mid-Wales, serving the village of Caersws. It is notable in that there are 22 miles (35 km) separating this station and Machynlleth, the longest distance between two intermediate stations in Wales.[3]

History

The station was built by the Newtown and Machynlleth Railway of the Cambrian Railways in the 1863. Originally there was a passing loop, a goods shed, a water tower and a ticket office and a signal box - the latter remained in use until March 2011 as a gate box to supervise the station level crossing (this is now operated from Machynlleth).

The station was threatened with closure in 1964 along with all of the other wayside stops on the former Cambrian main line (as a consequence of the Beeching cuts), but reprieved by the Minister of Transport Tom Fraser in December that year to act as the notional railhead for the town of Llanidloes (following the demise of the Mid-Wales Railway that served it directly).[4]

In February 2013, Caersws station won the "Wales’ Best Unstaffed Train Station" award, supported by Keep Wales Tidy.[5]


Facilities

Though unstaffed, the station has a ticket machine installed. Train running information is offered via CIS displays, automated announcements, timetable poster boards and a customer help point. There is also payphone available.[6] Step-free access is available from the entrance to the platform.

Services

There is a basic two-hourly service in each direction Mon-Sat, with some additional services in the morning and evening (most of which run between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth only). Sundays also run every two hours, though there is only a limited service (one in winter, three in summer) along the Cambrian Coast line to Pwllheli.[7][8]

Van Railway

An independent railway the Van Railway started /terminated at Caersws serving lead mines ran from 1871 until 1940. There was a separate station and yard about 100 yards south west of the Cambrian Railway station. Passenger services operated from 1873 until 1879.

The notable Welsh romantic poet John Ceiriog Hughes was employed as a station master and Manager of the Van Railway at Caersws railway station from 1868 until his death in 1887.[9]

After closure the station building was sold and was used by various companies as offices. In 2024 the station building was still standing with a portion of the platform.


Preceding station   National Rail National Rail   Following station
Newtown
Transport for Wales
Disused railways
Pontdolgoch
Line open, station closed 		  Great Western Railway
Newtown and Machynlleth Railway 		  Moat Lane Junction
Line open, station closed
Red House
Line and station closed 		  Van Railway   Terminus

Gallery

  • Bilingual sign at Caersws station in the early 2000s
    Bilingual sign at Caersws station in the early 2000s
  • Caersws station in the early 2000s
    Caersws station in the early 2000s
  • Caersws station in September 2009
    Caersws station in September 2009
  • Ticket machine and station building (2015)
    Ticket machine and station building (2015)
  • Caersws station and signal box (2015)
    Caersws station and signal box (2015)

References

  1. ^ Butt 1995, p. 51.
  2. ^ Cadw. "Caersws railway station, with stationmaster's house (8697)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Support to re-open Carno railway station". BBC News. 6 January 2016.
  4. ^ Disused Stations - Montgomery Disused Stations Site Record; Retrieved 31 July 2017
  5. ^ http://www.keepwalestidy.org/10408[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Caersws station facilities National Rail Enquiries
  7. ^ Arriva Trains Wales Timetables Archived 29 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 6 May 2016
  8. ^ Table 76 National Rail timetable, May 2017
  9. ^ C P Gasquoine (1973). The Story of the Cambrian. Christopher Davies Ltd.

Sources

  • Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.

External links

Media related to Caersws railway station at Wikimedia Commons

  • Train times and station information for Caersws railway station from National Rail