Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway
At a quiet former colliery site in the heart of Carmarthenshire, something special is happening.
Bringing together volunteers from all walks of life, the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway are taking their developments of the former Cwnheidre Colliery to the next level with the opening of Café Super Sprinter.
Donated by Transport for Wales, the Class 153 train shell has been stripped of its interior and converted to a community café over a number of months with a proud opening day during Easter weekend.
Selling hot food and drinks, the café is a first class example of upcycling whilst preserving heritage.
As well as being a Community Café and meeting room, the converted Class 153 will also provide enhanced facilities for volunteers and visitors with much-needed extra cover.
“It’s taken months to kit out and it’s going to be huge for us,” said James Davies Jones, Head of Site Maintenance.
“We want this place to bring the local communities together, volunteers and visitors alike. We’ve had team building days here too and also carried out railway safety talks for children. There are woodland walks too and plans for forest schools so it really is evolving.”
The work on the cafe was completed thanks to grants totalling £60,000, consisting of £40,000 from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund and £20,000 from the Carmarthenshire County Council Targeted Finance fund. These grants coupled with LMMR’s charity funds allowed the project to complete in time for the 2025 running season.
With 15 core volunteers from all walks of life and other keen supporters, the railway has come a long way since it was established in 1999 to preserve the industrial heritage of the area.
Like many similar groups, the LLMMR sees volunteers take on a range of roles, building up skills for younger members or sharing a lifetime of knowledge for the older ones.
The original railway can trace its history back to an Act of Parliament in 1802 which allowed for the construction of a tramway linking several industrial sites from Tumble via the Cynheidre colliery down to Llanelli. Pulled by horses along the tramway initially, the innovations were a precursor to what would later be achieved with the Penydarren Ironworks and the Oystermouth Railway later in the decade.
Transport for Wales’ Technical Lead - Heritage, Legacy & Sustainable Impact, Dr Louise Moon said: “There were so many innovations happening around this time, and what was achieved here should be seen very much in the same light when we think of early railway history.
“What the group have done in preserving the site for future generations is fantastic and we are proud to have donated some of our trains to them.
“These trains really were workhorses for so many years and in many ways saved the British Rail industry because they were cheap and quick to build but actually lasted a long time.
“They might not be as well-loved as the classic steam trains of the 1940s and 50s, but they are part of our recent history and culture in South Wales. So this site really does cover multiple parts of Welsh railway history and is a perfect place to visit if you’ve been inspired by Railway 200.”
Class 153374 spent most of its working life with East Midlands Trains before moving to TfW where it was used to supply parts for the rest of our fleet.
It was donated as part of a commitment to work with community groups.
Alongside it are three of the old TfW “Pacer” fleet of Class 142 and 143 trains. Built in the mid 1980s, the trains mainly served on the south Wales valley lines for more than 30 years. During that time, they would have carried hundreds of millions of people to and from work, down to rugby international and home from big nights out.
In addition to the trains that have been donated, the railway has also benefitted from a £7,000 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Community Fund towards staff wages and £85,000 from The Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) scheme. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with the Welsh Government. This is allowing the railway to restore the woodlands that surround its site at Cynheidre.
The Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway hope to extend their line to Swiss Valley Reservoir in the coming years.
For more information please visit: llanellirailway
