Description

High Street Station, Swansea circa 1850.

The opening of High Street Station Swansea took place in 1850. The scene looks eastward from the station over Swansea canal and the River Tawe towards Kilvey Hill and White Rock. The station was originally built by South Wales Railways which amalgamated and it became part of the Great Western Railway in 1863. At this time the GWR operated on broad gauge and it wasn’t until 1892 it was changed to the standard gauge lines that are used today. As it stands High Street is at a much higher level than the Strand and the station overlooked the Strand, Swansea Canal, North Dock, the River Tawe and Copper Works at White Rock. Prior to the railways, the barges on Swansea canal would have brought coal for the furnaces and factories down Swansea Valley from as far away as Ystradgynlais and Abercraf. At one time the River Tawe had run along side the Strand and past Swansea Castle. In 1840 work commenced to re-rout the river and create a new dock. In 1845 North Dock was opened and the course of the River Tawe ( New Cut) was as it is today. The North Dock ceased to be used after the 1930s and during the 1960s was filled in, today we know this site as Park Tawe. High Street station was linked up to other railway stations around Swansea by a system of stone arches some of which can still be seen at the top end of the Strand. The arches ran parallel with the strand with one line branching off to the Midland station, St Thomas (London Midland Scottish Railway) and another to Swansea Victoria Station also LMS which is now the site of the LC2.