Neyland railway station

Neyland railway station was on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Neyland
LocationNeyland, Pembrokeshire
Wales
Coordinates51.7055°N 4.9430°W / 51.7055; -4.9430
Grid referenceSM967048
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companySouth Wales Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGWR
Key dates
15 April 1856 (1856-04-15)Opened as Milford Haven
February 1859Renamed Neyland
November 1859Renamed New Milford
1 September 1906Renamed Neyland
2 December 1963Goods facilities withdrawn
15 June 1964Closed to passengers

History

The Great Western Railway (GWR) was established under the vision of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to link London to North America on the quickest possible route, with steamships landing passengers and goods in West Wales as opposed to steaming to an English port. Further, such a port link could also provide quicker access to Ireland.

To achieve this, the GWR supported the South Wales Railway (SWR), which would run from Gloucester to a port in west Wales. Brunel, the GWR's Chief Engineer, originally proposed to situate the Welsh port at Fishguard, which was intended to be the terminus when the line was authorised in 1845. But in 1852, under extensive shareholder pressure to deliver revenue, Brunel changed his mind in favour of Neyland, because it was sheltered and had deep water to allow large ships to dock.[1]

Site of Neyland Station in 2008, Cleddau Estuary to the left

The SWR was opened in stages, and reached Haverfordwest on 2 January 1854;[2] the last section from there to the new port was opened on 15 April 1856.[3]

The western terminus of the SWR, a station originally named Milford Haven, was opened with the line on 15 April 1856.[4] Very soon there was a twice-weekly steamboat service to Waterford.[5] The station was renamed Neyland in February 1859,[4][6] but was renamed again in November that year, becoming New Milford;[6][7] it was shown as New Milford (Milford Haven) in some timetables.[7]

On 1 September 1906, the station was again renamed Neyland.[6][7] This followed the opening on 30 August 1906 of the new harbour at Fishguard, the associated railway station, the Clarbeston Road and Letterston Railway giving a shorter route to Fishguard from Clarbeston Road and the transfer to Fishguard of the steamship service to Waterford. Neyland then rapidly declined in importance.[8]

Goods facilities were withdrawn on 2 December 1963[9] and the station closed to passenger traffic on 15 June 1964.[9] The Pembrokeshire Light Railway Society was launched in 1986 in an unsuccessful attempt to re-open the section of the line from Johnston to Neyland.[10]

Routes
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Johnston
Line closed, station open		   Great Western Railway
South Wales Railway		   Terminus

References
  1. MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833-1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway. pp. 558, 566, 570, 578.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. MacDermot 1927, p. 572
  3. MacDermot 1927, p. 577
  4. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 160. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  5. MacDermot 1927, p. 578
  6. Butt 1995, p. 172
  7. Butt 1995, p. 170
  8. MacDermot, E.T. (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. II: 1863-1921. Paddington: Great Western Railway. pp. 434–5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  9. Clinker, C.R. (October 1978). Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830-1977. Bristol: Avon-Anglia Publications & Services. p. 102. ISBN 0-905466-19-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  10. "Railways Of Pembrokeshire", Pembrokeshire Records Office. Retrieved 31 March 2012
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