Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Improvements are being made to the Gwili Railway at Bronwydd near Carmarthen. Work has started on road access and a car park for the new railway station at Abergwili Junction, located close to Glangwili Hospital. Plans are in place to open the railway's extension to Abergwili Junction by 2015. The railway hopes to open half of the new extension, a distance of just over a mile, before October. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Leader Cllr Kevin Madge was invited to cut the first sod at a turf cutting ceremony to celebrate the start of work. Pictured cutting the first sod for the improvement works are Geoff Richards - Director, Gwili Railway, Dewi Jones - Gwili Railway, Glyn Evans - Chairman, Bronwydd Community Council, Irfon Jones Cynwyl Elfed, County Councillor, Cllr Pam Palmer, Deputy Leader CCC, Barry Williams Deputy Mayor of Carmarthen, Peter Nicholas Chairman, Gwili Railway Co, Cllr Kevin Madge Leader CCC, Steven Caws Gwili Railway.

One of the most historic Welsh steam locomotives is to pay a visit to Cardiff before going on temporary display at the Gwili Railway in Carmarthen. James Buckley, of the Gwili Railway-based Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG), said it was very appropriate that the engine would be returning 'home' to Cardiff for a brief stop on its latest journey. Mr Buckley said: "The engine will be picked up from Llangollen Railway on the morning of Thursday 10th April. It will be loaded on a lorry and will then head down to Cardiff for storage in a secure location overnight. "The idea, then, is to make the engine is then available for three to four hours on Friday, April 11, for some publicity shots in and around Cardiff. The main desire is to get it down to the old Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay to hopefully draw attention to Cardiff Civic Trust plans for the exchange. "Failing that, the old TVR headquarters and Cardiff Central railway station are possible other photo...

Valley Veteran TVR 28 needs your help! The cosmetic restoration of Taff Vale Railway ‘O1’ class 0-6-2T No. 28, the last surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam locomotive, is set to go ahead thanks to a unique three-way partnership between the National Railway Museum, and two of Wales’s leading standard gauge preserved railways. The Gwili Railway-based Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG), and the Llangollen Railway have agreed to work together to cosmetically restore the locomotive to showroom condition and display it with the only Welsh-built standard gauge railway carriage to survive into preservation, Taff Vale Railway Brake Third No. 220. James Buckley, of the GVCG, explained: “As custodians of No. 220, this project reflects a long-held aspiration to display the carriage within an appropriate context, and uniting it with the sole-surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam locomotive in South Wales is a fantastic proposition. “This project has three major benefits in that...

The Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council has attended Gwili Railway’s launch of the new gates at the level crossing at Bronwydd Arms. The event started with a welcoming address by Gwili Railway Company chair Peter Nicholas before Council Chair Cllr Siân Thomas and Robin Leleux of the National Railway Heritage Awards (pictured) unveiled the commemorative plaque. The guests then went on a train ride and took afternoon tea before returning to Bronwydd Arms Station.

The Gwili Railway in Bronwydd has received a Developing Identity and Distinctiveness grant of £12,000 from the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for new crossing gates. The funding was to erect timber lockable gates at the station in order to extend the passenger service for future development. The Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and you can find out what grants may be available for you by visiting the West Wales European Centre’s website www.wwec.org.uk

A man has been fined £500 plus £245.63 court costs for fly-tipping near a Carmarthen tourist attraction. Albert Glyndwr Phillips, aged 56, of North End, Trefin, Haverfordwest, failed to attend Ammanford Magistrates Court and was convicted in absence to an offence contrary to Section 2 of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers were called after black bags full of household waste were found dumped on land owned by the Gwili Railway Company Limited. An investigation was carried out and the waste was traced back to Phillips who admitted illegally depositing the bags at the location. It is now hoped this case will act as a warning to others that anyone caught fly-tipping will be prosecuted. More serious offences could lead to prosecution in the magistrates court and fines of up to £50,000 and/or up to five years in prison. Executive board member for the envir...