Neyland - Lost Great Western Railway Port
The lost Great Western Railway port of Neyland has a fascinating history its establishment being credited to Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Today the local authority recognises the importance of the heritage and promotes Neyland as “Brunel’s Great Western Town”. It is a place which should be on the visiting list of any GWR enthusiast.
The port town has its origins when the Great Western Railway (GWR) wished to link their system to Ireland. To do this, they supported the South Wales Railway (SWR), which would run from Gloucester to a port in west Wales; steamships would then carry the passengers and goods to a suitable port in Ireland.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the GWR Engineer, originally proposed to situate the Welsh port at Fishguard, which was intended to be the terminus when the line was authorised in 1845; but in 1852,
Brunel changed his mind in favour of Neyland, because it was sheltered and had deep water, which would allow large ships to dock and could be used to service ocean going ships, particularly those serving north America.
Brunel envisaged Neyland as the home port for the SS GREAT EASTERN the world’s largest ocean liner. A grid iron was constructed at Neyland to service the ship which did visit the port twice.
The South Wales Railway was opened in stages, and reached Haverfordwest on January 02, 1854; the last section from there to the new port was opened on 15 April 1856. A steamship service initially to Waterford was established with later routes to Cork.
To facilities for passengers, freight and livestock a large floating landing stage known as “the Pontoon” was constructed rather similar to the original landing stage in Liverpool.
Neyland became the headquarters of the Great Western Railway Marine Department. However, in 1906, the GWR transferred shipping services to Fishguard which it hoped would also tap into the trans-Atlantic trade attracting liner service heading to and from Liverpool.
Partly to offset the loss of jobs in the area caused by switching the mainline rail and shipping services to Fishguard the GWR then facilitated the development of Neyland as base for a fishing fleet and supported the establishment of an ice works and fish market which would of course provide much fishing rail traffic.
However, this fell victim of the depression and competition from the established port of Milford Haven nearby. The ice works closing in 1935.
The railway continued and was of some strategic importance during World War II with a Royal Airforce Flying boat base being established at Pembroke Dock across the estuary.
In recognition of the strategic importance of the site and given the developing Cold War a new quay was provided in Westfield Pill which feeds into the estuary. This quay being known as the NATO Quay.
No expense was spared in constructing the NATO Quay and the extensive trackwork featuring several “double slip” points can still be seen embedded in the surface of the quay to this day, the difficulty of its removal ensuring its survival when the rest of the railway was recovered for scrap in the 1960s.
Freight traffic ended in 1963 and passenger services were withdrawn in 1964.
Today the area has been developed for recreational and business use as “Brunel Quay” with promenade, a boat yard, marina and other commercial premises. Signs erected at strategic points by the town council promote the town’s historic railway links.
Read MoreThe port town has its origins when the Great Western Railway (GWR) wished to link their system to Ireland. To do this, they supported the South Wales Railway (SWR), which would run from Gloucester to a port in west Wales; steamships would then carry the passengers and goods to a suitable port in Ireland.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the GWR Engineer, originally proposed to situate the Welsh port at Fishguard, which was intended to be the terminus when the line was authorised in 1845; but in 1852,
Brunel changed his mind in favour of Neyland, because it was sheltered and had deep water, which would allow large ships to dock and could be used to service ocean going ships, particularly those serving north America.
Brunel envisaged Neyland as the home port for the SS GREAT EASTERN the world’s largest ocean liner. A grid iron was constructed at Neyland to service the ship which did visit the port twice.
The South Wales Railway was opened in stages, and reached Haverfordwest on January 02, 1854; the last section from there to the new port was opened on 15 April 1856. A steamship service initially to Waterford was established with later routes to Cork.
To facilities for passengers, freight and livestock a large floating landing stage known as “the Pontoon” was constructed rather similar to the original landing stage in Liverpool.
Neyland became the headquarters of the Great Western Railway Marine Department. However, in 1906, the GWR transferred shipping services to Fishguard which it hoped would also tap into the trans-Atlantic trade attracting liner service heading to and from Liverpool.
Partly to offset the loss of jobs in the area caused by switching the mainline rail and shipping services to Fishguard the GWR then facilitated the development of Neyland as base for a fishing fleet and supported the establishment of an ice works and fish market which would of course provide much fishing rail traffic.
However, this fell victim of the depression and competition from the established port of Milford Haven nearby. The ice works closing in 1935.
The railway continued and was of some strategic importance during World War II with a Royal Airforce Flying boat base being established at Pembroke Dock across the estuary.
In recognition of the strategic importance of the site and given the developing Cold War a new quay was provided in Westfield Pill which feeds into the estuary. This quay being known as the NATO Quay.
No expense was spared in constructing the NATO Quay and the extensive trackwork featuring several “double slip” points can still be seen embedded in the surface of the quay to this day, the difficulty of its removal ensuring its survival when the rest of the railway was recovered for scrap in the 1960s.
Freight traffic ended in 1963 and passenger services were withdrawn in 1964.
Today the area has been developed for recreational and business use as “Brunel Quay” with promenade, a boat yard, marina and other commercial premises. Signs erected at strategic points by the town council promote the town’s historic railway links.
