Centenary celebration for Aberaeron railway line
On May 12, 2011, Cymdeithas Aberaeron will commemorate 100 years since the opening of the Lampeter to 'Aberayron' railway line and launch a series of events and activities.
Thursday 12 May – Centenary Day
11.30am - Commemoration Ceremony
A plaque to commemorate the centenary will be unveiled by a descendent of the Gwynne family, Haydn Pythian Adams. Guests will be addressed by Mair Harrison (Chair of Cymdeithas Aberaeron and Mayor of Aberaeron) and Cynog Dafis (President of Cymdeithas Aberaeron)
Following the ceremony, 300 primary school children dressed in period costume will sing the National Anthem before walking along the old railway line to National Trust Llanerchaeron.
1pm (Approximately) Picnic Lunch
At Llanerchaeron, the 300 children will partake in a picnic lunch. A commemorative train cake will be cut by the guest speakers and two pupils from Ciliau Parc, Felin Fach and Aberaeron Primary Schools. Everyone is welcome to bring their own picnics or have lunch at the National Trust café.
1.45pm Llanerch Ayron Halt
People will walk to the Llanerch Ayron Halt where a replica sign will be unveiled at the restored Halt. The younger children (4-6 years old) will remain at Llanerchaeron and travel on the miniature train on the grounds in front of Llanerchaeron House.
3.15pm School children and guests depart
Friday 13 May
7.30pm, Tabernacle Chapel Vestry, Aberaeron.
Renowned historian, Rev Dr MRC Price, author of The Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway will be giving a photographic presentation on the history of the line. Free entry and light refreshments will be provided. This talk will be repeated at 12pm on Saturday 14 May at the Carriage House, Llanerchaeron.
Centenary Weekend
Saturday and Sunday 14 – 15 May – National Trust Llanerchaeron
A free Land Train will run every hour from the Cwmins (Aberaeron) to Llanerchaeron between 10.30am and 3.30pm, starting at the Cwmins, Aberaeron.
An on-board storyteller will guide passengers through the history of the line and point out interesting features along the journey.
Children (with a paying adult) will gain free entry into National Trust Llanerchaeron throughout the weekend.
Saturday 11 June
Collecting memories
11am-2pm
Members of the Aberaeron community are invited to share their photographs, memories and memorabilia with Cymdeithas Aberaeron at the British Legion Hall, Aberaeron. Photographs will be scanned and collected for use at the Aberayron Railway and Road Transport Exhibition 26 July – 27 August 2011.
For further details: Please contact Alwena Hughes Moakes, Indeg PR on 07779 101 351, 01974 261 411 or alwena@indegpr.co.uk.
Funding/support: This project has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This is an Axis 4 activity funded by the Rural Development Plan for Wales and is delivered by the Cynnal y Cardi, Local Action Group in Ceredigion.
Lampeter to Aberayron Railway line
The railway line to Aberayron was officially opened on 12 May 1911 by Mrs Edith Gwynne, sister of J C Harford, Chairman of the Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway Company and widow of Alban Gwynne of Monachdy. On the day, about 400 children of the schools at Aberayron and area were given a free return trip to Felin Fach and the children of the Aeron Valley were given a free return trip to Aberayron, for the majority it was their first train ride.
The railway proved to be very popular; in the first month of operation over 9,000 tickets were issued, transforming the lives of many people and businesses. School children from along the Aeron Valley who went to the County School no longer had to live in Aberaeron during the week but could travel daily. What excitement when the circus arrived in town with the elephant on board as well as when the rides for the 13 November annual fair arrived by train!
During WWII, the evacuees’ first sight of the town was its station. Aberaeron ‘exiles’ who had died in London were first given a service on Paddington station before making their last journey back home to be buried.
The railway only served passengers until 1951 but continued carrying freight until the final axe fell when Richard Beeching announced his swingeing cuts on unprofitable lines. The last train left Aberayron in 1965. Few could have foreseen on that euphoric day in 1911 that the railway was only to serve passengers for 40 years.
Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society
Cymdeithas Aberaeron was set following the success of the 2007 Aberaeron Bicentenary community heritage project. The Bicentenary project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and included the Aberaeron Town Trail and plaques; traditional skills workshops; schools projects; an oral history project; the Aberaeron 2007 Exhibition and an Exhibition of Quilting and needlework by Aberaeron women.
Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society is committed to the work of celebrating the area’s history while contributing creatively also to the town’s development in the present and future. It also aims to work in partnership with local organisations in order to build relationships and strengthen community ties.
Cymdeithas has ensured that the Aberaeron Exhibition has taken place every year since 2007, marking different aspects of its history each year – this year the railway is obviously its main theme - so that many more people can enjoy Aberaeron’s fascinating heritage and history.
www.cymdeithasaberaeron.org
Thursday 12 May – Centenary Day
11.30am - Commemoration Ceremony
A plaque to commemorate the centenary will be unveiled by a descendent of the Gwynne family, Haydn Pythian Adams. Guests will be addressed by Mair Harrison (Chair of Cymdeithas Aberaeron and Mayor of Aberaeron) and Cynog Dafis (President of Cymdeithas Aberaeron)
Following the ceremony, 300 primary school children dressed in period costume will sing the National Anthem before walking along the old railway line to National Trust Llanerchaeron.
1pm (Approximately) Picnic Lunch
At Llanerchaeron, the 300 children will partake in a picnic lunch. A commemorative train cake will be cut by the guest speakers and two pupils from Ciliau Parc, Felin Fach and Aberaeron Primary Schools. Everyone is welcome to bring their own picnics or have lunch at the National Trust café.
1.45pm Llanerch Ayron Halt
People will walk to the Llanerch Ayron Halt where a replica sign will be unveiled at the restored Halt. The younger children (4-6 years old) will remain at Llanerchaeron and travel on the miniature train on the grounds in front of Llanerchaeron House.
3.15pm School children and guests depart
Friday 13 May
7.30pm, Tabernacle Chapel Vestry, Aberaeron.
Renowned historian, Rev Dr MRC Price, author of The Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway will be giving a photographic presentation on the history of the line. Free entry and light refreshments will be provided. This talk will be repeated at 12pm on Saturday 14 May at the Carriage House, Llanerchaeron.
Centenary Weekend
Saturday and Sunday 14 – 15 May – National Trust Llanerchaeron
A free Land Train will run every hour from the Cwmins (Aberaeron) to Llanerchaeron between 10.30am and 3.30pm, starting at the Cwmins, Aberaeron.
An on-board storyteller will guide passengers through the history of the line and point out interesting features along the journey.
Children (with a paying adult) will gain free entry into National Trust Llanerchaeron throughout the weekend.
Saturday 11 June
Collecting memories
11am-2pm
Members of the Aberaeron community are invited to share their photographs, memories and memorabilia with Cymdeithas Aberaeron at the British Legion Hall, Aberaeron. Photographs will be scanned and collected for use at the Aberayron Railway and Road Transport Exhibition 26 July – 27 August 2011.
For further details: Please contact Alwena Hughes Moakes, Indeg PR on 07779 101 351, 01974 261 411 or alwena@indegpr.co.uk.
Funding/support: This project has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This is an Axis 4 activity funded by the Rural Development Plan for Wales and is delivered by the Cynnal y Cardi, Local Action Group in Ceredigion.
Lampeter to Aberayron Railway line
The railway line to Aberayron was officially opened on 12 May 1911 by Mrs Edith Gwynne, sister of J C Harford, Chairman of the Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway Company and widow of Alban Gwynne of Monachdy. On the day, about 400 children of the schools at Aberayron and area were given a free return trip to Felin Fach and the children of the Aeron Valley were given a free return trip to Aberayron, for the majority it was their first train ride.
The railway proved to be very popular; in the first month of operation over 9,000 tickets were issued, transforming the lives of many people and businesses. School children from along the Aeron Valley who went to the County School no longer had to live in Aberaeron during the week but could travel daily. What excitement when the circus arrived in town with the elephant on board as well as when the rides for the 13 November annual fair arrived by train!
During WWII, the evacuees’ first sight of the town was its station. Aberaeron ‘exiles’ who had died in London were first given a service on Paddington station before making their last journey back home to be buried.
The railway only served passengers until 1951 but continued carrying freight until the final axe fell when Richard Beeching announced his swingeing cuts on unprofitable lines. The last train left Aberayron in 1965. Few could have foreseen on that euphoric day in 1911 that the railway was only to serve passengers for 40 years.
Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society
Cymdeithas Aberaeron was set following the success of the 2007 Aberaeron Bicentenary community heritage project. The Bicentenary project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and included the Aberaeron Town Trail and plaques; traditional skills workshops; schools projects; an oral history project; the Aberaeron 2007 Exhibition and an Exhibition of Quilting and needlework by Aberaeron women.
Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society is committed to the work of celebrating the area’s history while contributing creatively also to the town’s development in the present and future. It also aims to work in partnership with local organisations in order to build relationships and strengthen community ties.
Cymdeithas has ensured that the Aberaeron Exhibition has taken place every year since 2007, marking different aspects of its history each year – this year the railway is obviously its main theme - so that many more people can enjoy Aberaeron’s fascinating heritage and history.
www.cymdeithasaberaeron.org
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