AN IMAGINARY JOURNEY FROM
CARMARTHEN TO BRONWYDD ARMS
After leaving the Carmarthen station platforms on a gradient of 1 in 80 downhill,the train dives under the A485 Carmarthen to Lampeter road. This is Bridge No 5.This is much longer than originally built,being extended as part of the Carmarthen Eastern By-pass Road improvements.
After a quarter of a mile we loose the fields that have been either side of us and end up on a “shelf” looking down on the River Gwili on our right.
Kep an eye out for the “bridge rail” fence posts.These rails were recovered when the line was regauged from the broad seven-foot gauge to today’s standard gauge in 1872.
Having followed the line at a distance a dried up mill leat comes alongside the railway on our left.
This water fed Carmarthen Iron Works built in 1748.
We then cross the now dried up mill leat (Bridge No 6) and its original course can now be seen on our right marked by the row of mature trees and a shallow dip crossing the fields.
Another quarter of a we cross “Phillips’ Estate Accommodation Crossing”
This is named after Mr Grismond Phillips,owner of the land and Abergwili Mansion which can be seen in the trees on the otherside of the river.
Water for the mill was diverted into the leat by a weir in the River Gwili.It is thought the mill run had been out of use since about 1850 so the Army blew up the weir during the Second World War as an exercise.
The yellow Down Fixed Distance Signal is passed on our right.Usually this signal would be located on the left side but to give the driver a better view and advance warning of the approaching station its on the right.
A few short glimpses of road traffic on the A484 on our left and over “Gail’s Accommodation Crossing”.Who’s Gail?,the retired postmistress of Bronwydd and owner of the fields in this area.
We pass a signal department store on our right and cross over Pontyfelin Level Crossing.This has no lights or barriers and engine must whistle or sound horns to give an audible warning to pedestrians and road vehicles of the approach of the train.Road traffic must give way to trains.
Bronwydd Arms Level Crossing gates are in the distance,open with the Down Home clear for our entry into Bronwydd Arms platform,any passengers?
