Pantyffynnon Station

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at S end of road, some 1.4 km S of Ammanford town centre.

History

The line from Llanelli to Llandeilo was begun in 1835 by the Llanelli Dock and Railway Co., reaching Pontardulais 1839 and Pantyffynon 1840. This station would appear to be of later date, but the G W R design is remarkable as the line did not come under the control of the GWR until the end of the century, and in 1839 George Stephenson was consulting engineer. The very similar station at Chepstow dates from 1850.

Exterior

Mid C19 railway station to standard design by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Squared rubble stone with tooled stone dressings and deeply overhanging hipped roof, in corrugated iron. Single-storey, near symmetrical E front with roof swept out as canopy on seven shaped brackets. Tooled stone plinth, flush quoins and raised impost band. Raised surrounds and sill brackets to arched windows and piers to centre door. Centre is slightly advanced with stone brackets projecting sideways to carry canopy brackets, tooled stone piers up to impost band and plain arch to doorway with 3-light fanlight. Arched window each side with casement pair and plain fanlight. Left window has later door inserted to left. End bays are uneven, short N end bay has been rebuilt apart from plinth and canopy in early C20, in roughcast with purple brick dressings and has one window in original position and door in addition to left. S end has arched door and window similar in detail to windows of centre part, but narrower, and door was originally a window. S end wall has short brackets to eaves.

Rear W side is very similar, but one arched window to left end bay, centre door altered to window, and right hand bay, though refaced in roughcast retains an original arched window. Roughcast and brick addition to right with N end window, blocked door and window.

Reason for designation

A remarkable and scarce example of a small-scale Brunel design, formerly used extensively on the GWR in stone, timber and brick (compare Chepstow, Gwent, Charlbury, Oxfordshire and Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire).