Abandoned Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line to be explored in new Channel 4 documentary

The historic railway line which once connected rural Welsh communities and helped industries boom from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen is set to return to the spotlight 59 years after its initial closure as it features in a major new documentary, Abandoned Railways From Above, which airs on Channel 4 this Saturday (12 October).

First opened in 1860, the line was one of the most ambitious railway projects of the Victorian age and was notoriously difficult to build because a huge amount of rock had to be cut out of it.

Abandoned Railways From Above begins its exploration of the forgotten line in the coastal town of Aberystwyth, where former railway worker, John Davies, explains that the Carmarthen line was “unique” for its time.

He tells the programme: “The Carmarthen line was unique, really. It was a way of life and work. It was relaxed, compared with mainline services. It was a country life, so it was a slower pace.

John’s career on the railways began in 1952, when he started work as an engine cleaner, before he trained as a fitter, where he maintained and repaired the trains.

By 1953, John had become a fireman, responsible for keeping the fire burning on the trains to provide the necessary steam power. This was a particularly tough job on the Carmarthen line because, as John says, the line was “always uphill” and featured “very severe gradients”.

He also tells the programme that the Carmarthen line was responsible for introducing him to his future wife of 66 years, recounting a tale of when a train driver encouraged him to ask her on a first date.

John says: “We used to go to the refreshment rooms for a cup of tea. As we arrived there, the driver said, ‘go to that office and make a date with that nice little girl in there’.

“He was stern so I had to go – I couldn’t say no to him. I went to the window office and said, ‘I’m on rest day tomorrow – how about a date?’ This week, we’ll have been together for 66 years.”

The stunning historic route mapped out in Abandoned Railways From Above travels south from Aberystwyth to Strata Florida station and the ruins of the nearby 12^th century abbey which was at the centre of Welsh culture and is the burial spot for eleven Welsh princes.

Continuing to Pont Llanio, the programme explores the eerie ruins of a once thriving milk factory, which was once the hub of the local industry and, alongside the Carmarthen line, enabled gallons of milk to be transported as far as London.

At Pencader, an abandoned tunnel – the longest in West Wales – exists as a reminder that hope for reopening this line is not lost yet. Heading into the Teifi Valley and visiting the entrancing Elvet Woollen Mill, the programme uncovers how this area was at the heart of a booming textile industry made possible by the Carmarthen line.

The last stop on the journey is the Gwili Valley, before arriving into Carmarthen station.

Abandoned Railways From Above is a six-part co-production between Rumpus Media and High Rock Media for Channel 4. In each episode, the series explores a different lost railway line with its own unique history, revealing the vibrant industries that were once dotted along its route, examining the ingenious engineering that was needed to build it, and highlighting how it transformed the lives of people in the cities, towns, and villages that it once passed through.

Abandoned Railways From Above airs on Channel 4 at 8:20pm on Saturday 12 October and will be available on Channel 4’s streaming service.