Aberdovey railway station

Aberdovey

Welsh: Aberdyfi
National Rail
General information
LocationAberdyfi, Gwynedd
Wales
Coordinates52°32′40″N 4°03′23″W / 52.54436°N 4.05638°W / 52.54436; -4.05638
Grid referenceSN606960
Managed byTransport for Wales
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeAVY
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Opened14 August 1867 (1867-08-14)
Passengers
2019/20Decrease 36,560
2020/21Decrease 5,396
2021/22Increase 22,888
2022/23Increase 34,208
2023/24Increase 37,538
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Aberdovey railway station (Welsh: Aberdyfi) serves the seaside resort of Aberdyfi in Gwynedd, Wales. The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services every two hours (weekday daytimes) calling at all stations between Machynlleth and Pwllheli, including Tywyn, Barmouth, Harlech and Porthmadog. Passengers can connect at Machynlleth for trains to Aberystwyth or Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.

History

The station building, now a private residence, pictured in August 1986

The first station opened 24 October 1863 near the harbour on a short branch line south of the present station. It closed when the present station was opened in 1867 by the Aberystwith [sic] and Welsh Coast Railway, then run by the Cambrian Railways. It later became part of the Great Western Railway and 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. Until the 1960s there was a summer service between London Paddington and Pwllheli, via Birmingham Snow Hill, Shrewsbury and Machynlleth.

The original station building is in use as a private residence. It is located next to a static caravan park which is all that lies between the station and the stretch of coastline between Aberdyfi and Tywyn, and next to the Aberdovey Golf Club.[1]

The station was host to a GWR camp coach in 1939.[2] At least one camping coach was positioned here by the Western Region from 1952 to 1962, there were two from 1957 to 1958 and three from 1959 to 1962 when the London Midland Region took over responsibility for the coaches, they had three here from 1963 to 1971.[3]

Facilities

Harrington Hump installed at the station

Originally a two-platform station with a short branch line (only a few hundred yards long) to the harbour, the station is now a single-platform, unstaffed halt. Like many stations in Wales and the North of England, the station was constructed before standard platform heights were established and is very low. Aberdovey was the third UK railway station to receive a specially designed raised section - a Harrington Hump - to improve accessibility for passengers. This was funded by the Welsh Government.[4][5][6] There are no ticketing facilities at the station, and there is also no waiting room. There is a free car park with 25 spaces.[7]

Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Aberdovey[8]
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23
Entries and exits 36,560 5,396 22886 34,208

Services

Transport for Wales run a two-hourly service each way on the Cambrian Coast Line from Machynlleth - where the route connects to the main Cambrian Line - to Pwllheli through Aberdyfi. Most services in the May 2016 timetable run to/from Birmingham International via Shrewsbury.[9]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Tywyn   Transport for Wales
Cambrian Coast Line 		  Penhelig
  Historical railways  
Towyn
Line and station open 		  Cambrian Railways
Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway 		  Penhelig
Line and station open

References

  1. ^ "Contact Us/Contact Details". Aberdovey Golf. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  2. ^ McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. p. 31. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
  3. ^ McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. pp. 112, 118–119. ISBN 1-870119-53-3.
  4. ^ "Transport | Topic". GOV.WALES. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Station hump helps train access". BBC News. BBC. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  6. ^ "UK Rail Station Installs Harrington Hump". Railway-Technology.com. Verdict Media. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Station Facilities". National Rail Enquiries. National Rail. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  9. ^ Table 76 National Rail timetable, May 2016

Media related to Aberdovey railway station at Wikimedia Commons