A NEW book has been released covering the history of the railways in west Wales.

Titled West Wales Railways: Whitland to Pembroke Dock, the book is written by former railwayman John Hodge who was born in Barry.

The book depicts the transformation of the railways between Whitland and Pembroke Dock between the early 1950s to the mid-1970s, during the era when the railways across Britain were dramatically reduced, with some even being closed permanently in the rural areas, including nearby Cardigan.

Western Telegraph: Whitland to Pembroke Dock is available to buy

In the book Mr Hodge talks about the Pembroke Coast Express between London Paddington and Pembroke Dock, the type of freight traffic on the line up until the mid-1970s and the Summer Saturday’s Inter City Express Units from Paddington to Pembroke Dock and back.

Describing the line, Mr Hodge says “A largely agricultural and holiday line, centring on Tenby and Pembroke.

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“The line was worked by Whitland depot which was a steam sub-shed off Neyland, with it’s own allocation, mainly of tank engines.” The engines worked the Cardigan and Pembroke Dock branches before the closure of the Cardigan line under the Beeching Cuts in 1964.

Along with images depicting the railway and trains through the period, there is discussion of the decline in freight traffic in the 1970s and how the traffic on the railways between Whitland and Pembroke Dock is now mainly passenger.

The book is the latest in Mr Hodge’s series of the history of the railways in West Wales. It is available from Pen & Sword Books Ltd and can be purchased for £25 here: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Whitland-to-Pembroke-Dock-Hardback/p/20466

It is also available as an e-book as well as hardback on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whitland-Pembroke-Dock-Wales-Railways/dp/1399095722