LLANELLI - CROSS HANDS. The edition of Branch Line News dated 13th January 2001 contained an update on the former Llanelly & Mynydd Mawr Railway which opened in 1883 on the alignment of the abortive Carmarthenshire Railway. The Llanelli dock area has been rebuilt, but it is possible to to pick up the trackbed just north of Sandy Junction (GR 499006) and to walk the whole way from there to Cross Hands. The first section to the B4306 overbridge at Cwm Blawd (GR 515102) is a tarmac cycleway. The next section to a minor road overbridge (GR 535112) south of Tumble has been graded. Thereafter, the way becomes a narrow footpath, muddy in places, to the end of the line, making a total distance of a little over twelve miles, i.e. virtually the full length of the original Llanelly & Mynydd Mawr Railway.

Two points of interest arise following mention of this line in Railway Ramblings number 78 (page 11). The County Council only met in March 1998 to discuss its conversion, but less than 20 months later Sustrans has opened ten miles (albeit the section north of Cynheidre was already open to walkers). Phase two of the scheme was to link Cynheidre to the National Botanic Garden of Wales (currently taking shape in the wooded slopes of the south flank of the Lower Vale of Towy at Llanarthne) but this is four miles north of Cross Hands with no disused railways or suitable tracks to convert.

SWANSEA - BRYNAMMAN. The Swansea Vale Railway opened from Swansea St Thomas to Brynamman in 1868 and was taken over by the Midland Railway in 1876. A total of 6½ miles of the line have been utilised for improvements to the A4067 and A4068 roads, but the three miles from north of Alltwen (GR 733047, near Pontardawe) to just across the (replacement) bridge at Ystalyfera (GR 766082) is a well-used tarmac cycleway. In addition, a 1½ mile section between Upper Bank and Six Pits Junction has been taken over by the Swansea Vale Railway preservation group. A GWR style station has been provided at Six Pits and a Midland station is proposed at Upper Bank.

Report by Ralph Rawlinson