Tenby railway station

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Tenby railway station

Whether you’ve just arrived in Tenby or are waiting for a train here, take a moment to appreciate the ornate Victorian station building.

The canopy over the platform is finely decorated, especially the original section alongside the building. Station canopies were often tacked on to station buildings, but at Tenby the canopy is integral to the single-storey building. The canopy’s roof balances the slope of the roof on the other side of the building.

Photo of double-headed train arriving at Tenby in 1960s

The photos, courtesy of John Davies, show steam trains arriving at the station in the early 1960s, when long trains still brought holidaymakers to South Pembrokeshire resorts from London, Birmingham and other cities. The train in the upper photo was so heavy that it needed two locomotives for haulage over the steep and curving railway east of Tenby. On the right is a camping coach, with holidaymakers’ laundry drying outside!

The station building was erected by the Pembroke & Tenby Railway, formed in 1859 by local businessmen. It opened its first section of railway, between Pembroke and Tenby, in 1863. From 1866 its trains continued east to Whitland, and to Carmarthen from 1868, boosting Tenby’s holiday trade by providing connections from and to the wider rail network. Tenby station was enlarged to cope with the seasonal influx.

The task of building the railway was contracted to David Davies of Llandinam, Powys, and his partner Ezra Roberts. David Davies, whose statue overlooks Barry docks, was a fervent Calvinistic Methodist, and rail workers were encouraged to attend services at this local chapel.

Photo of steam trains at Tenby station in 1960sThrough trains to Tenby from far-flung places had to wait until the Great Western Railway’s broad-gauge tracks were converted to standard gauge, as used by the Pembroke & Tenby Railway. For many decades afterwards, summer Saturdays brought a procession of holiday trains from London, Birmingham and other cities.

In the 1960s the whole line from Whitland to Pembroke Dock was proposed for closure. Today Transport for Wales Rail Services operates trains from Tenby to Pembroke Dock, Carmarthen and Swansea.

With thanks to John Davies

Postcode: SA70 7JY    View Location Map