Welsh Valleys Weekend

The South Wales Valleys are a group of industrialised peri-urban valleys in South Wales. Most of the valleys run north–south, roughly parallel to each other. Commonly referred to as "The Valleys", they stretch from Carmarthenshire in the west to Monmouthshire in the east; to the edge of the pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain near the cities of Swansea, Cardiff and Newport.

The South Wales Valleys hosted Britain's only mountainous coalfields. The coal mining industry of the Valleys was buoyed throughout World War II, though there were expectations of a return to the pre-1939 industrial collapse after the end of the war. There was a sense of salvation when the government announced the nationalisation of British coalmines in 1947, but the following decades saw a continual reduction in the output from the Welsh mines. The decline in the mining of coal after World War II was a country-wide issue, but South Wales was more severely affected than other areas of Britain.

GWR 4144: During its service, it carried out various duties ranging from banking trains through the Severn Tunnel to hauling passenger trains deep into the Welsh coalfield valleys.

Class 14 No 9529: Initial allocations of the Class 14s were in the Western Region, and at London's Old Oak Common (Shed Code 81A), Bristol Bath Road (82A), Worcester (85A), Cardiff Canton (86A) and Landore (87E). 

Pacer: This was operated by the Great Western Railway throughout South Wales and the western region, from bases in Exeter and Cardiff.

Travel through the Nene Valley on all our Welsh-operated locomotives:

• Freight Trains
• Pacer Valley Service including the Fletton Branch
• GWR 4144 and Class 14 passenger services
• See GWR 4144 and Class 14 on the local freight services
• Brake Van Rides (supplement payable)
• Change trains at Wansford, Overton and Orton Mere
• Stop off at Yarwell for a Picnic in the Station Garden
• Shop at Wansford for those essential railway gifts
• Miniature Railway
• Wansford Garden Railway
• Children’s play area at Wansford
• Visit the Wansford Café for meals, refreshments and ice creams - children's Picnic Boxes available
• Enjoy the Buffet Car on the train for snacks and refreshments
• Charity shop
• Keith's Railwayana shop

Timetable

Ticket Prices              

Adult / Senior - £19.00
Child (3 to 15 Years) - £10.00
Toddler (1 to 2 Years) - £0.00
Baby (Under 1 Year) - £0.00
Family (2 Adults & 3 Children): £52
Carer - £10.00
Dog - £2.00

All attractions subject to availability.