Gwili Railway Carmarthen North Project

Bronwydd Arms Level Crossing – Part 2

October continued to be a productive month. With the removal of the first gateposts attention turned towards installing the first of the two tall gateposts.

This involved exposing the original GWR concrete foundation base,cleaning it then drilling four holes.Four bolts were then glued into concrete and the gatepost erected and bolted into position.

The hinge pin followed with the appropriate fittings attached. Of interest is the casting number “T47” – where and when was this made?

Bronwydd Arms Level Crossing

When the original two long gates were removed in the mid 1980’s the parts were put to one side and   stored. How these bits did not end up in the scrap pile we still don’t know.There were a few small parts missing (probably still in the undergrowth somewhere) which we would have had to be made. Again luck was on our side and amazingly the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway had one gate (not two!)  recovered from the Sirhowy Valley – not much use without the other and these parts were recoved in October. We now have all the parts required to reinstate the two gates.The story could have been so different.

In October the two short gates on the station side of the crossing were removed. The cast iron posts and their bases were also removed. The original concrete foundations were then unearthed and can be reused to bold the new high post and slam post to

The heavier components once loosened were removed using the Swansea Vale Railway’s machine.

With the first gate post gone the rodding tunnel under the road is exposed.As the new gates will be manually operated the rods will not be inserted but the tunnel can still be used to house water pipes,electrical cables and signal wires.

Mike Dickinson (Head of S+T) about to be assisted by Mike Goodwin (Head of MPD) in removing one of the crossing gate posts.What’s the joke? answers on a postcard.

The S+T Department press on with carrying out work associated with the extension. The bracket signal which controlled the access to Main/Loop at Bronwydd Arms was decomissioned and replaced by a double dummy.

With the resignalling of the Carmarthen end of the station this signal needed to be repositioned on the Carmarthen side of the level crossing.Rather than just replant it the opportunity has been taken to refurbish the post and fittings.The concrete anchors were pulled off the base after the steel clamps had been removed.

All the associated fittings have been removed and all the parts are due to be shot-blasted or water-blasted before being repainted.The drawing hanging up in the Signalling Linesman’s office (ex Haverfordwest) shows some of the unseen work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure that the work is carried out to the highest standard.

The new crossing gates, after trial fitting in the workshop, were finally assembled ready for cranage and haulage to Bronwydd Arms. Ironically the gates were assembled on top of what was originally a London and North Western Railway siding at Llandeilo. One remaining siding rail can be seen above the tarmac just to the right of the car. The yellow road-rail machine in the distance is alongside the Central Wales line.
The first gate has been built with the second above it being prepared to accept the hinge post and other machined timbers.

In the close-up the drilled holes for the tubes can be seen.Sash cramps are in place to keep the assembly tight for the joints to be drilled and beech dowels driven in.

We have been fortunate in obtaining the funding for the purchase of the two new crossing gates from Menter Bro Dinefwr.

These are part of the plan of altering the Bronwydd Arms Crossing from the present four gate system to two.

The specially ordered Douglas Fir baulks arrived from suppliers in the north of England and have been in store for some months.These two 9.6m gates have now been manufactured from them by Dinefwr Joinery,Llandeilo over the last few weeks.

All the main components were cut, planed and mortice and tennon joints made where required. Most of the joints have had beech dowels inserted for additional strength and to retain the accuracy of the assembly.

The timber component dimensions match the original GWR design for this type and size of installation and where required the edges of the timbers have been chamfered to achieve the correct level of detail.

For these the original design also requires 7/8” horizontal pipes to be inserted the length of the gates.The holes have been drilled in the timberwork for insertion of the tubes by the Gwili’s own team.The pipes were the only physical barrier to stop people or animals getting through the gate,although in later times the safety aspect appears to have been dealt with by application of expanded metal mesh.

The photos show the timbers being machined in Dinefwr Joinery’s workshops prior to them being moved to Bronwydd Arms.