Builth Road
National Rail
Builth Road station platform looking north, September 2013
General information
LocationBuilth Wells, Powys
Wales
Coordinates52°10′08″N 3°25′38″W / 52.1689°N 3.4271°W / 52.1689; -3.4271
Grid referenceSO024532
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byTransport for Wales
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeBHR
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyMid Wales Railway (Llechryd) and Central Wales Extension Railway (Builth Road)
Pre-groupingCambrian Railways (Low Level) and London & North Western Railway (High Level)
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway (Low Level) and London, Midland & Scottish Railway (High Level)
Key dates
1864Llechryd station opened
1866Builth Road station opened
1889Llechryd station renamed Builth Road Low Level
1962Low Level platforms closed
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 7,132
2019/20Decrease 6,548
2020/21Decrease 246
2021/22Increase 2,336
2022/23Increase 3,914
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Builth Road railway station is a station primarily serving the town of Builth Wells, in mid Wales. It is on the Heart of Wales Line. The station is over two miles (about 3.5 km) northwest of Builth Wells via the A470, a busy trunk road.

The hamlet of Builth Road has developed around the station.[1]

History

The station uses one of the high level platforms of the former interchange station with the earlier Mid Wales Railway (closed 31 December 1962) which served the town of Builth Wells directly on its route from Cardiff to the North. The original (low level) station did not bear the name "Builth Road", instead being given the name "Llechryd". Builth Road was the name subsequently given to the Central Wales Extension Railway's high level station on the line from Llandrindod Wells to Llandovery that opened in 1866.[2] The Mid-Wales Railway station was eventually renamed Builth Road Low Level in 1889. The two routes crossed immediately south of the High Level station on a girder bridge and were at one time connected by lift.

Both the High and Low Level stations had substantial buildings until the mid-1960s, with High Level also having a goods shed (still in existence) and a running loop to accommodate the banking locomotives employed to assist trains on the 1 in 74 climb up from Llandrindod Wells.[3][4] The former Low Level station buildings also still stand and were used as the former Cambrian Arms public house,[5] whilst those on the remaining active platform at High Level are now used as housing.

Facilities

The station is unmanned (like most others on the route) and has no ticket machine, so tickets must be purchased in advance or on the train. There is a standard waiting shelter on the platform, along with a digital CIS display, timetable poster board and customer help point at the station entrance. Level access is provided from the entrance to the platform, with a section raised to assist passengers boarding and alighting.[6]

Services

All trains serving the station are operated by Transport for Wales and it is a request stop. There are five trains a day in each direction from Monday to Saturday, and two services on Sundays.[7] During the Royal Welsh Show, Transport for Wales run special services with connecting buses to/from the showground on the northern outskirts of Builth Wells.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Cilmeri   Transport for Wales
Heart of Wales Line		   Llandrindod
Disused railways
Newbridge on Wye
Line and station closed		   Great Western Railway
Mid-Wales Railway		   Builth Wells
Line and station closed
Builth Road
and Builth Wells
Mid-Wales Railway
to Welshpool
Heart of Wales line
to Craven Arms
 Builth Road
former low level platform
Heart of Wales line
to Llanelli
Mid-Wales Railway
to Brecon Mount Street
 Builth Wells
River Wye

References

  1. ↑ "Map of Builth Road". Streetmap.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Victorian Builth - a New Railway Community" Powys Digital History Project; Retrieved 23 July 2017
  3. ↑ Builth Road High Level (1967) Brooksbank, Ben Geograph.org.uk; Retrieved 23 July 2017
  4. ↑ Body, G. (1983), PSL Field Guides - Railways of the Western Region, Patrick Stephens Ltd, Wellingborough, ISBN 0-85059-546-0, p.48
  5. ↑ Cambrian Arms, Builth Road Halling , Phillip Geograph.org.uk; Retrieved 23 July 2017
  6. ↑ Builth Road station facilities National Rail Enquiries
  7. ↑ Table 130 National Rail timetable, December 2022

Bibliography

  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2007). Brecon to Newtown. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 56-63. ISBN 9781906008062. OCLC 288983659.
  • Organ, John (2008). Mitchell, Vic (ed.). Craven Arms to Llandeilo. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 61-75. ISBN 9781906008352. OCLC 648080889.
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