Swansea District Line: Port Talbot Parkway to Llanelli diversion with 197034 03/02/2026

Описание: This video is giving the slightly "low key" Swansea District line a bit of love!
The line runs from Court Sart Junction, just west of Briton Ferry station on the South Wales mainline, loops round the south of Neath and the north of Swansea. It then joins up with the Heart of Wales line at Morlais Junction. Finally, the route then joins the West Wales line at Llandeilo Junction, before heading to Llanelli and beyond.
The line is double track throughout, but there are no open stations between Court Sart and Morlais. Line speed is 50mph max as far as I can see, though it may go to 60. Its primary purpose has always been as an avoiding line to Swansea (high st) which is a terminus. There is an avoiding line around Landore depot, but this causes congestion. It was also quicker than other routes, like the now closed line through Swansea Victoria and Killay. Generally, the Distract is used as a quick way for freight from the west to cut the corner off, and also improve capacity through the passenger route to Gowerton (which was singled at one point, but redoubled in the 2010s). Some passenger trains to Fishguard use the route to maintain driver route knowledge. Also, the line is used as diversionary route. There is talk of reintroducing passenger trains regularly on the route. As it parallels the M4 for much of its route, it would make an excellent Parkway to reduce the number of cars coming into Swansea. However, its function as cut off to Swansea often holds back the viability of schemes. I'm sure it could be built into a potential Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot tram train network, but how this would work out financially, I don't know.
I travelled this route on 03/02/2026- The South Wales Mainline was closed between Port Talbot and Swansea whilst the viaduct at Landore was repaired. I noticed that some trains in the morning and evening were being run round the District, so took a ride!

Index Points:
00:00:00 TFW 197034 arrives at Bridgend with its Pembroke Dock service
00:00:34 Parcffordd Port Talbot / Port Talbot Parkway
00:01:21 Passing over River Afan
00:01:47 We will be running by the M4 for a lot of this journey
00:02:49 Running by A48 (M4 is on the other side now)
00:03:02 Baglan (pass)
00:04:13 A48 passes over
00:04:25 Briton Ferry up flying loop junction- the up Swansea District joins the SWML here
00:04:48 Llansawel / Briton Ferry (pass)
00:05:03 The up Swansea District dives under the SWML here
00:05:19 We leave the SWML here, at Court Sart Junction
00:05:54 Neath Canal
00:06:09 Neath River flood plain doing its job
00:06:56 1892 swing bridge over River Neath (welded shut in the mid eighties)
00:07:13 Dynevor jct, with line to Swansea Docks (and formerly Swansea Victoria) leaving
00:07:30 Passing over Tennant Canal, then Vale of Neath Railway
00:07:54 Heads of the Valleys road passes over
00:08:19 M4 passes over- Swansea Docks line joins at Jersey Marine N Junc on other side
00:08:31 Llandarcy Platform (closed 1947)
00:09:16 Line to Llandarcy oil refinery left on other side
00:09:58 Link line to S Wales Main Line at Skewen left here
00:10:10 Lonlas Tunnel (924yd) runs under Llansamlet station on the SWML
00:10:55 Running by M4 again
00:11:16 Felin Fran Halt (fully closed by 1965)
00:11:31 Swansea Vale line passed under the District Line here
00:12:14 Crossing River Tawe
00:12:27 Branch to Landore Low Level etc left on other side
00:12:45 Morriston Viaduct
00:15:43 River Llan passes over the railway in an aqueduct
00:16:29 Llangyfelach (closed 1924)
00:17:16 Penllergaer Tunnel (284yds)
00:18:33 Crossing Afon Lliw
00:18:44 Bridge over A48
00:18:55 Pont Lliw (closed 1924)
00:20:15 M4 passes over, then Swansea-Pontarddulais line used to cross this line
00:21:00 Crossing River Loughor
00:21:23 Grovesend Colliery Loop Junction to Heart of Wales line
00:22:07 Morlais Junction, where the Heart of Wales line joins
00:22:59 Llangennech (pass)
00:24:13 Loughor Estuary looking very full
00:24:50 Bynie Bynea (pass)
00:25:46 Freight link to Trostre Steelworks
00:26:25 Llandeilo Junction, where we join the West Wales line
00:26:51 Trostre Steelworks
00:28:47 Llanelli
00:29:36 197034 heads on to Pembroke Dock