Last days of the South Wales semaphores

Only weeks remain before another outpost of lower quadrant semaphore signalling is consigned to railway history, when much-delayed re-signalling of the main line between Swansea and Carmarthen spells closure for four signal boxes and with it the loss of mechanical signalling at Pembrey & Burry Port and at Ferryside.

Paying what could well be my last visit to the area (on 10/11 September 2025) before the new signalling is commissioned on 3 November, my aim was to capture for one last time trains passing the handful of semaphores at both locations, hopefully including one of the route’s only scheduled freight workings, the oil tanks to and from Robeston Sidings, near Milford Haven.

Under the final stages of what is known as the Port Talbot West 2 resignalling, the line between Swansea and Carmarthen will be closed to all trains from Friday, 31 October until Sunday, 2 November, with the very last train to be signalled by Pembrey Signal Box on Thursday, 30 October being 2E34 from Pembroke Dock (22.21) to Swansea, which is due to pass at 23.54.

That line blockade of just three days looks impressive when compared to another resignalling project being completed at the same time, on the Portsmouth Direct Line, where replacement of the signal boxes at Farncombe, Haslemere and Petersfield means a nine-day blockade of that route (25 October-2 November 2025).

A key issue in the South Wales project was the need to minimise disruption to the important oil traffic, and the contrast between the two schemes seems to reflect a view in Network Rail that minimising disruption to these daily freight movements is more important than the daily travel of many thousands of London commuters!

As I have noted in previous features, Pembrey Signal Box controls five lower quadrant semaphores from its 83-lever frame in the substantial 1907-vintage Great Western Railway signal box. This comprises three in the down (westbound) direction – home signal PY7, starter PY9 and section signal PY10, while two up signals are outer home PY82 at the end of platform 1 and inner home PY81 close to the signal box.

There is a similar pattern at Ferryside, where its Grade II-Listed signal box has three semaphores in the down direction, comprising FS21 (minus its finial) alongside the sea wall just south of the station and box, starter FS20 and section signal FS21 to the west of the station platforms. In the up direction, there are outer home FS2 and inner home FS3, opposite the signal box.

The PTW2 re-signalling sees control of the route from Swansea West Loop (215m 14ch) to Whitland (250m 0ch) pass to the signalling centre at Port Talbot, with closure of the signal boxes at Pembrey, Kidwelly, Ferryside and Carmarthen Junction. For a look inside each of the doomed boxes, see my December 2024 feature: “Four South Wales signal boxes on borrowed time”.

Passenger traffic passing Pembrey and Ferryside is almost entirely confined to TfW Class 197 units and five-car GWR 80x IETs on the London Paddington-Carmarthen services, but there is still the occasional appearance by one of the diminishing ranks of TfW Class 150s.

On my afternoon at Pembrey (10 September 2025) I noted two services worked by Class 150 units, with 150283 forming 2B72 from Pembroke Dock (15.02) to Swansea and then 150267, along with 153353 and a 1539xx vehicle in-between, forming 2E36 from Swansea (17.36) to Fishguard Harbour.

Loss of the signals at Pembrey and Ferryside will leave just three outposts of semaphore signalling in the southern half of Wales, namely Pantyfynnon on the Heart of Wales Line, Tondu on the Bridgend-Maesteg branch and at Abergavenny on the Marches Line.

Having decided to spend the night in Burry Port, where I had found a room in a place called Nik the Greek, just yards from the station and highly recommended, meant the perfect excuse to cross the road and re-visit the ever-popular Portobello Inn, where the Felinfoel beers remain as good and cheap as ever, with my fine pint of Dragon’s Heart (4.5%) coming in at just £2.60.

My early morning plan (11 September 2025) to photograph the eastbound oil train was sadly thwarted by the gloom and by the appearance of GWR 800027 with a delayed empty stock working from Swansea to Carmarthen, after which I took a short trip to Ferryside for a final look at its signal box and semaphores.

Highlights of my short visit there in fast-changing weather conditions were 800027 making the only daily GWR call in the up direction with 1L12 from Carmarthen (07.23) to London Paddington and another sighting of 150267, which was returning from West Wales with 2B52 from Pembroke Dock (07.07) to Cardiff Central.

Finally, on my way back to Reading (11 September 2025), I decided to get myself a free First Class upgrade by once again sampling the GWR Pullman Dining that is on offer from Swansea aboard 1L20 from Carmarthen (11.27), although only in the five-car set it attaches to at Swansea.

There were just three of us to sample the fine fare on offer and more really needs to be done to promote this stylish way to travel, where from the summer menu I can recommend the Tequila cured Scottish salmon starter, Miso chicken and chocolate brownie (£46.00 for three courses).