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The Heart of Wales Railway
The
Heart of Wales railway provides a lifeline for the many towns
and villages along its 120 mile length between Swansea and Shrewsbury.
Llandrindod Wells lies at the midway point.
The
railway has a long and colourful history, having been constructed
by no fewer than five different railway companies over a 29 year
period between 1839 and 1868 when the line was finally opened
as a through route.
Primarily
built to connect the North West of England with the then flourishing
South Wales ports and its steel and coal industries, the railway
company quickly seized on the potential offered by the growth
of the Spa towns along the line, notably Llandrindod Wells, Llangammarch
Wells and Llanwrtyd Wells.
At one stage there were through carriages from many parts of the
rail network, including Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and
London.
Until the early 1960s it was open 24 hours per day to cater for
heavy traffic which ran throughout the night.
As
with many railways it suffered severe cutbacks in the 1960s but
fortunately it still retains regular weekday services, supplemented
by Sunday trains during the summer months.
With
connections to all parts of the rail network, the railway is vital
for the many small communities along the line which would otherwise
be devoid of public transport. It is also used by many visitors
to Llandrindod Wells and other towns along its route.
Not only can the railway be used to get into the area but is also
useful for planning day trips and/or walking and cycling around
the quiet, unspoilt countryside which is so easily accessible
from the many wayside stations.
Leaflets
describing walks are available from the Llandrindod Tourist
information Centre or from the Heart of Wales Line Travellers'
Association (HOWLTA), the local user group dedicated to the promotion
and improvement of the line.
For more details please contact the Membership Secretary, HOWLTA.
Frankville, Broad Street, Llandovery, Dyfed
SA20 OAR.
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