:Morfa Mawddach railway station

{{Infobox station

| name = {{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}}

| symbol_location = gb

| symbol = rail

| image = Morfa Mawddach Station and shelter (geograph 7871980).jpg

| borough = Arthog, Gwynedd

| country = Wales

| coordinates = {{coord|52.7077|-4.0316|type:railwaystation_region:GB-GWN|display=inline,title}}

| grid_name = Grid reference

| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|SH628142|25|SH628142}}

| manager = Transport for Wales

| platforms = 1

| code = MFA

| classification = DfT category F2

| original = Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway

| pregroup = Cambrian Railways

| postgroup = Great Western Railway

| years1 = {{start date|1865|07|03|df=y}}

| events1 = Opened as Barmouth Junction

| years2 = 13 June 1960

| events2 = Renamed {{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}}

| mpassengers =

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{decrease}} 11,022}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 894}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 5,320}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 8,174}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 8,642}}

| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

}}

{{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}} railway station (formerly Barmouth Junction) is an unstaffed station located on the outskirts of the village of Arthog in Gwynedd, Wales, on the Cambrian Coast line between {{stnlnk|Machynlleth}} and {{stnlnk|Pwllheli}}. Built by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway in 1865, it was formerly the junction station for the Ruabon to Barmouth Line. Since the closure of the Ruabon to Barmouth line in 1965, it remains open, as a minor station on the Cambrian Line.

History

File:Morfa Mawddach Station 1973689 cd293007.jpg

The station was built by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway and opened on 3 July 1865 as Barmouth Junction.{{harvnb|Butt|1995|p=27}}{{harvnb|Butt|1995|p=163}} From 1899 to 1903 there was a connection with the Barmouth Junction and Arthog Tramway.

The station was host to a GWR camp coach from 1934 to 1939.{{harvnb|McRae|1997|p=31}}{{harvnb|Fenton|1999|p=24}} A camping coach was also positioned here by the Western Region from 1956 to 1962. In 1963 the administration of camping coaches at the station was taken over by the London Midland, there were three coaches here in 1963 and 1964 and two from 1965 to 1968.{{harvnb|McRae|1998|pp=112 & 120–123}}

Until the 1960s there was a summer service between London Paddington and {{lang|cy|Pwllheli|italic=no}}, via Birmingham Snow Hill, Shrewsbury and {{lang|cy|Machynlleth|italic=no}}.

On 13 June 1960 it was renamed {{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}}.

Background

North of {{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}} the railway crosses the {{lang|cy|Afon Mawddach|italic=no}} on the Barmouth Bridge.

{{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}} is mainly used by passengers travelling to Barmouth from south of the {{lang|cy|Mawddach|italic=no}} Estuary: parking at the station and taking the train to Barmouth is often much quicker than the 20-mile road journey via {{lang|cy|Dolgellau|italic=no}}. Originally a four-platform station, it is now a single platform unstaffed halt. Trains stop on request.

{{lang|cy|Morfa Mawddach|italic=no}} is often quoted as an example of a notable feature of the Great Western Railway in Wales, namely its inheritance of junctions in unlikely and inconvenient locations. Other examples are {{rws|Moat Lane Junction}}, {{rws|Talyllyn Junction}}, {{rws|Afon Wen}} and {{rws|Dovey Junction}}.{{Cite web |last1=Fifoot |first1=Les |last2=Wright |first2=Paul |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/afon_wen/ |title=Station name: Afon Wen |website=disused-stations.org.uk |date= 21 May 2017 |access-date=2 February 2020}}

The trackbed to {{lang|cy|Dolgellau|italic=no}} now forms the Mawddach Trail ({{langx|cy|Llwybr Mawddach}}), which officially starts at the station car park.

Facilities

The station has very few facilities. There is a payphone on the platform, but there are no toilets or help points available. There is a small waiting shelter and a car park with 20 spaces.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/MFA.aspx|title = National Rail Enquiries - Station facilities for Morfa Mawddach}}

Services

{{rail line |next={{stnlnk|Fairbourne}} |route=Transport for Wales
Cambrian Coast Line |previous={{stnlnk|Barmouth}} |col={{KAW colour}} }}

{{rail line one to two

|previous = {{stnlnk|Barmouth}}
Line and station open

|next2 = Fairbourne
Line and station open

|next1 = {{stnlnk|Arthog}}
Line and station closed

|route = Cambrian Railways
Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway

|col = {{Cambrian colour}} }}

References

= Notes =

= Sources =

{{Butt-Stations}}
{{cite book |last=Fenton |first=Mike |title=Camp Coach Holidays on the G.W.R |publisher=Wild Swan |year=1999 |isbn=1-874103-53-4 }}
{{cite book|last=McRae|first=Andrew|title=British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region)|volume=Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One)|publisher=Foxline|year=1997|isbn=1-870119-48-7}}
{{cite book|last=McRae|first=Andrew|title=British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s |volume=Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two) |publisher=Foxline |year=1998 |isbn=1-870119-53-3}}