2011/12 0.112 million Station code 10 | Grid reference SN129005 DfT category F1 2012/13 0.109 million Number of platforms 2 | |
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Similar Kilgetty railway station, Lamphey railway station, Saundersfoot railway station, Penally railway station, Manorbier railway station | ||
Tenby railway station serves the town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by the Arriva Trains Wales train operating company, who also manage the station.
Contents
History
The first station at Tenby was opened by the Pembroke and Tenby Railway as the terminus of a line from the Pembroke direction on 6 August 1863.
This original terminus station was low-lying and when the decision was made to extend the line to Whitland, a new railway was constructed from the existing Pembroke and Tenby line, at a point called Black Rock Junction, which then climbed to the higher level necessary for the extension. The new Tenby station was opened on 4 September 1866. The original station was then used for freight traffic and became known as "Tenby Lower Yard". It was closed and removed in 1965.
The present station buildings date from 1871 and were designed by James Szlumper and built in Bath stone. The original cast iron canopy is still in place. A later passenger footbridge now links the two platforms.
To the north of the station is a viaduct carrying the Whitland extension line. It has seven arches and is 136 yards (125 metres) in length. It is a Grade II listed structure.
Signalling
Tenby has had two signal boxes. The first, of timber construction, opened in 1895 and closed in 1956. Its successor opened in the same year and closed in 1988.
In 2012 the only passing loop on the Whitland to Pembroke Dock branch is located at Tenby and as such east and westbound trains are often scheduled to pass here. As there is no longer a signal box at the station, the electric token instruments for the block sections either side are operated by the train crew under the supervision of the Whitland signaller (a similar system operates on the Heart of Wales Line). Tenby has the first application of motor points worked directly by the token system.
Services
The station is served by the Swansea to Pembroke Dock local trains, which run roughly every two hours each way (with some additional peak services). Some early morning and late night trains run only as far as Carmarthen. There are two trains from Manchester Piccadilly; also Great Western Railway operate here during the summer months and run a return train between London Paddington and Pembroke Dock every Saturday. This through service to London is expected to cease running following the introduction of new IEP rolling stock in 2018 due to additional gauge clearance work along the route which would be required for 26m carriages to operate.
There is also a limited Sunday service (4 trains per day each way) on the route.