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There will be no major engineering work taking place during February 2012 on the Heart of Wales Line. However, there will be work taking place on other lines detailed in the downloadable PDF file which which may effect journey times..
For further details of how this may affect your journey on other parts of the network please see detailed posters at local stations or call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50. Alternatively use the Journey Planner.
Posted 3 Feb 2011.
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Click here to download the engineering works leaflet for February 2012. |
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This service has now stopped running for 2011 but will be returning again next year!
Visit www.thebusthatmeetsthetrain.co.uk to find out more about this service linking trains at Llandeilo station with some top class tourism destinations.
Posted 12 Dec 2011.
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A group of 3 mid Wales hotels are now offering a fantastic 6 days package that gives visitors the opportunity to expore mid Wales by electric car (options range from a modest electric bike to a Tesla supercar!)
- The Lasswade Hotel (Llanwrtyd Wells)
- Old
Vicarage Dolfor (nr Newtown)
- Westview (Llowes near Hay on Wye)
Visitors
arrive at Llanwrtyd by Heart of Wales train and starts the holiday at the Lasswade hotel 3
minutes up the road.
Included in the 6 days is use of an electric car with sufficent range
to tour mid wales. 2 nights each at the 2 other hotels are
included, and the final night is at the Lasswade, allowing a return
by train. There are newly installed charging points at each hotel.
For more information visit WelshRoadTrips.com
Posted 20 Nov 2011.
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ACoRP Awards for Community Rail Partnerships
Community Rail Partnerships from wales scooped a trainload of awards at the ACORP Annual Gala Dinner Awards in Sheffield, on Friday 23rd September.
Over 150 delegates enjoyed a prestigious event at which groups from Wales won more than their fair share of awards in this UK event:
- DOLWYDDELAN (Conwy Valleys Partnership) secured FIRST prize in the 'Best Station Garden' class
- Heart of Wales Development Co also had a FIRST with their LLANDOVERY Station project in the 'Station Development' class.
- Borderlands Community Rail Partnership won a SECOND for their SHOTTON Travel Plan in the "Local Transport Integration" class.
- Severn Dee Travel won a SECOND for their GOBOWEN Station Cafe in 'Best retail outlet'
- ATW/Welsh Government won a SECOND for their Easier Access programme to Welsh Stations in the 'Outstanding Teamwork" category.
The ceremony also included an audio visual presentation on the collaborative work of the six Community Rail Partnerships in Wales. This was fronted by Prof Stuart Cole of the University of Glamorgan who spoke enthusiastically of the way the Partnerships were working together to bring visitors to Wales using public transport.
Posted 8 Oct 2011.
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Arriva have formally launched their latest Club 55
initiative, which runs from Sept 4th until Dec 14th.
This latest promotion enables over 55's to travel between any 2 stations on the Arriva network for just £18 return with no prebooking needed and the ticket is valid for a month.
This enables travel to the Heart of Wales from mainline stations such as Birmingham and Manchester at a knockdown price with just one change of trains at Shrewsbury.
Posted 18 Sep 2011.
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The Heart of Wales Line is to feature on a radio programme as part of a series of trips taken by popular BBC Wales presenter Jamie Owen.
The series is called Jamie Owen's Journeys and episode 4 of 5 (to be transmitted at 11.15am on Thursday 30th December 2010) will be focusing on Llandrindod Wells via the Heart of Wales Line.
Posted 14 Dec 2010.
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An extra train ran down the Heart of Wales Line on Friday (Oct 15th) to celebrate the completion of a much needed track renewal project by Network Rail (NR). It carried members of the NR team responsible for designing and delivering the project, as well as representatives of Arriva Trains Wales and the Heart of Wales Line Travellers Association.
All five ‘passing loops’ on the route between Craven Arms and Llanelli have been fitted with modern power operated points and safety equipment at a total cost of over £4m.
The extra train was also special because it is the first of Arriva’s Class 153 units to have been completely refurbished and given a new interior.
At each town, there was a welcoming committee led by the town Mayor. ‘I’ve never seen so much gold chain in one day’ joked David Edwards, Development Officer of the Heart of Wales Line Forum, one of the event organisers.
The train was welcomed by Kirsty Williams AM and Roger Williams MP together with over 50 pupils of Ysgol Dolafon, each of whom was given a special souvenir ticket.
As well as receiving Mayoral greetings, those attending each reception heard from Mark Langman, NR General Manager for Wales. He emphasised NR’s commitment to the upkeep of the line. ‘This newly installed equipment will help keep the route operational for many years’ he said.
Posted 4 Nov 2010.
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The special train at Llandrindod Wells: L to R Cllr Price, Kirsty Williams AM, Mark Langman, NR.
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The train leaving Llanwrtyd, showing the driver waving to pupils from Ysgol Dolafon.
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Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wynn Jones AM travels on the
line.
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Click here to download the paper discussed at the meeting. |
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The 60163 Tornado worked into Swansea on a St.David`s Day special from London and was met by a huge crowd of adoring fans.
The Tornado is the first steam locomotive built in the United Kingdom since Evening Star in 1960! The project was carried out by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust using original plans from an LNER Peppercorn Class A1 class but modified to meet modern safety and certification standards.
Posted 23 Mar 2010.
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The Tornado - the first steam locomotive built in the United Kingdom since 1960. |
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'WelTAG’ is the name of the process used to establish whether the costs of providing an extra service on the Heart of Wales Line are justified in terms of benefits generated.
Produced by transport consultants Jacobs the Final Draft Report was released in February and showed that the proposal has significant social benefits, at minimal environmental costs/impact, and meets a long established
aspiration for train services at more accessible times for those living in
Wales part-way along the route.
‘Weltag’ is the mnemonic for the systematic analysis of the costs and benefits arising from any transport project funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Posted 16 Mar 2010.
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Click here to download the pdf version of the report. |
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A scenic Swansea community railway station has been given a new look for 2010.
A group of young people and volunteers has now introduced raised flower beds on the platforms of historic Pontarddulais Railway Station thanks to £5k funding from Tidy Towns- a Welsh Assembly Government initiative to help clean up communities.
The idea was originally put forward by the local branch of Merched y Wawr and the spruce-up was officially unveiled in January.
Seven young people from Pontarddulais Comprehensive School worked on the project with teacher Sue Davies Lowe, youth worker Angela Payne and experts from the Council's parks department who gave the young people advice on the planting process. Swansea Council, Arriva Trains Wales and the Pontarddulais Partnership were also involved.
Viv Makin, of the Pontarddulais Partnership, is delighted with the outcome commenting "The scenery on the Heart of Wales line is stunning and we're proud that Pontarddulais is part of the famous route."
Cllr Alan Robinson, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Community Regeneration, said: "It's fabulous that a group of Pontarddulais young people have shown so much pride in their wonderful hometown.
"There's something magical about rural train trips and this completed scheme will improve what's already a terrific travelling experience."
Posted 15 Feb 2010.
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The revamped Pontarddulais Railway Station |
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Llandrindod Wells - your gateway and hub for touring the Cambrian
Mountains and the Marches!
Heart of Wales Bikes, located next to the station, are the only Dawes bike retailer in mid Wales and specialise in touring machines. Rent a Dawes Touring Bike for your holiday. Just turn up, clip your own rack-pack or panniers in place, and head for the hills.
The Radnor Ring, Sustrans route 25, is a delightful 86 mile scenic ride, linking the small towns of Rhayader, Llandrindod Wells, Presteigne and Knighton. For more information download the advert on the right.
And finally, don't forget that there is plenty of opportunity to refuel before your adventure at one of the town’s ten café’s and tea rooms!
Posted 13 Jan 2010.
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Sustainable Transport and Tourism for Wales
Speaking at a conference to launch the report of a Study Group into Sustainable Transport and Tourism in Wales, Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones made it clear that the Assembly Government is 100% behind efforts to make tourism in Wales sustainable, endorsing recommendations of a study group, made up of representatives from the public transport and tourism sectors in Wales.
Short term objectives set out in the report are to:
- Provide better information to visitors on what sustainable transport options are currently available
- Encourage more local services linked to visitor attractions
- Offer incentives to visitors to use public transport
- Simplify ticketing arrangements including integrated ticketing for different modes of transport
- Provide travel planning for key visitor attractions
Later in the conference, the Community Rail Officers of Wales launched their own contribution to the sustainability campaign – a full colour A2 poster promoting ‘Scenic Wales by Train and Traws Cambria’. The poster folds down to convenient pocket size and shows the key scenic rail routes of Wales and the Border counties. We are keen to promote tourism in Wales by public transport’, explained Community Rail Officer David Edwards, of the Heart of Wales Line Forum. The leaflet is available from the Scenic Wales website.
Posted 28 Nov 2009.
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Click here to download the report on Sustainable Transport and Tourism for Wales . |
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David Edwards launches the new Scenic Wales by Train and Traws Cambria Leaflet.
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The Heart of Wales Line Railcard costs just £5 and offers at least one third off all individual Standard Class rail fares on the line.
Visit our Tickets page where you can download a leaflet containing more information and an application form.
Posted 20 Oct 2009.
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The ‘Calon Cymru’ Project
A small, informal group of professional planners and architects is developing a radical strategy to regenerate the landscape corridor through which the Heart of Wales railway line runs between Swansea / Llanelli and Shrewsbury. Members of the group are all experienced in dealing with the social and economic problems of deeply rural areas,
Their plan is to bolster the population by expanding existing settlements and by creating new villages at intervals along the line. All will be contained within a continuous linear forest of native broadleaf trees, interspersed with large glades for sustainable market gardens.
The new homes, built to zero-carbon standards, are to be developed through Community Land Trusts in order to control land prices and achieve genuine affordability. The forest and horticultural lands will be used for food, fuel and the production of building materials. This will facilitate local self sufficiency, provide a wide range of training opportunities and create a stable employment base for local people.
The increased and balanced population, and the economic activity in the communities linked by the line, will form a backbone that generates increased demand for the railway service and tourism in central Wales. It will at the same time recognise that the quality of the existing landscape and its wildlife are its greatest assets, which must not be compromised.
Posted 7 May 2009.
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Forum Briefs Transport Consortium About Need to Improve Service
Wales is currently drawing up long term plans for the improvement of its transport system. We have four Regional Transport Consortia, and the one that is taking the lead for the Heart of Wales Line is TraCC, which covers Mid Wales.
We have recently attended TraCC Stakeholder Consultation meetings to ensure that they are aware of our aspirations for an improved service on the line, and have just submitted our input for the Draft Regional Transport Plan. When finalised and approved, this will form the basis of Regional Transport Plans for the next 10 years.
In the meantime, we’re still pressing for an increase in the service on our line in the short term, and await feedback on a request to the Assembly Government for an improved weekend service using rolling stock that provides weekday peak hour strengthening on the Cardiff Valleys lines.
Posted 6 Apr 2009.
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Pressing for an Improved Service
A Heart of Wales Line Forum meeting was held on the 9th Mar 2009 to discuss how the service on the line could be improved.
The Forum believes that the Heart of Wales Line is underperforming. We live in an age when the concensus is to move more freight and passengers from road to rail. We have an ageing population which nevertheless wants to be mobile. It makes no sense that the key public transport ‘spine’ for the very Heart of mid Wales is kept open, but then only used for the current minimal service.
Posted 20 Mar 2009.
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Click here to download the paper discussed at the meeting. |
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