Abererch railway station
Abererch | |
---|---|
Location | |
Place | Abererch |
Local authority | Gwynedd |
Coordinates | 52°53′53″N 4°22′30″W / 52.898°N 4.375°WCoordinates: 52°53′53″N 4°22′30″W / 52.898°N 4.375°W |
Grid reference | SH403360 |
Operations | |
Station code | ABH |
Managed by | Arriva Trains Wales |
Number of platforms | 1 |
DfT category | F2 |
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries | |
Annual rail passenger usage* | |
2010/11 | 1,620 |
2011/12 | 1,786 |
2012/13 | 1,214 |
2013/14 | 1,380 |
2014/15 | 326 |
History | |
Original company | Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway |
Pre-grouping | Cambrian Railways |
Post-grouping | Great Western Railway |
10 October 1867 | Station opens[1] |
1 May 1956 | Renamed Abererch Halt |
6 May 1968 | Renamed Abererch |
National Rail – UK railway stations | |
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Abererch from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
UK Railways portal |
Abererch railway station is located at a level crossing on the minor road from the beach to the village of Abererch on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales.
History
Opened by the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway, then run by the Cambrian Railways, it became part of the Great Western Railway. The line then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. When Sectorisation was introduced, the station was served by Regional Railways until the Privatisation of British Railways.
In the 1960s there was a British Railways Camping coach located in the small siding on the northern side of the railway line; on the right-hand (west) side of the level-crossing when approaching the beach. The single-carriage Camping Coach was usually only located here during the summer months and would be rented out to families for holidaying purposes. Timber access stairways were provided to the coach from the side away from the railway line as there was no permanent platform associated with this siding.
Aberech Halt, as it was referred to, did possess a timber constructed 'Waiting Room' up to the mid-1960s but this was destroyed by fire one evening when the felted roof (allegedly) caught fire from the hot-ashes discharged by a passing steam-hauled train. Other incidents witnessed at the station include severe damage to the railway crossing gates by locomotives when the gates had been left 'open' to vehicular traffic - usually overnight.
There used to be a crossing-keeper's cottage on the northern side of the railway line. The crossing-keeper would open and close the level-crossing gates between each train; principally to let holiday makers to/from the sandy Abererch beach and the adjacent caravan/camping site. The single-storey cottage was externally slate-clad throughout and was situated on the left-hand (east) side when approaching the beach from the A497 Pwllheli - Porthmadog road.
British Rail requested the permission of the Secretary of State for Transport to close Abererch and three other Cambrian Coast stations (namely Llandecwyn, Tygwyn and Tonfanau) during the mid-1990s. Their winter 1995/96 timetable featured only two northbound and three southbound trains Mondays to Saturdays, with a note that the service may be withdrawn before 1 June 1996.[2] The station was retained and service levels have since increased.
Services
This railway station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services every 2 hours (Mon-Sat) calling at all stations between Machynlleth and Pwllheli, including Tywyn, Barmouth, Harlech and Porthmadog. Passengers can connect at Machynlleth for trains to Aberystwyth, whilst most services continue through to Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street.[3] Sunday servcie from here is limited - 3 each way in summer and just one in winter. Trains only stop at Abererch by request.
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Arriva Trains Wales | ||||
Historical railways | ||||
Afon Wen Line open; station closed |
Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway Cambrian Railways |
Pwllheli Line and station open |
References
Notes
- ↑ Butt (1995), page 12
- ↑ Regional Railways Central: "Cambrian Coaster Train Times", September 1995
- ↑ Table 76 National Rail timetable, May 2016
Sources
- Butt, R. V. J. (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 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.
- Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0086-1. OCLC 22311137.
- Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 0-9068-9999-0. OCLC 228266687.
- Abererch station on navigable O. S. map
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abererch railway station. |
- Train times and station information for Abererch railway station from National Rail