Disused Stations: Fishguard & Goodwick Station

Passengers wait under the limited shelter at Fishguard & Goodwick station on a wet day
circa early 1950s.

Photo from John Mann collection

Fishguard & Goodwick signal box at the back of the down platform c1950s. The box existed before the platform was built. Rather than replace the box, the platform was built around it leaving the locking room windows level with the platform. The man, complete with mac and cap, standing by the box may have been a member of railway staff as among the items beside him on the platform is what appears to be a billycan. The engine shed is seen behind the platform and present is a GWR diesel railcar which appears to be from the No.8 to No.16 batch. Two of these were shedded at Carmarthen and in December 1947 No.13 and No.15 were resident, while in August 1950 No.13 had been replaced by No.16 with No.15 still in residence. Of those, No.13 was withdrawn in August 1960, No.15 in January 1959 and No.16 in October 1957. All the pre-war streamlined cars had gone by August 1960 so this would be the latest possible date for this photograph. Aside, the experimental car No.18 was at Llantrisant for a time while Neath had the odd example at various times, but whether or not these would have worked as far as Fishguard is not known. The car seen here is most definitely not the very distinctive No.18.
Photo from John Mann collection

Sometime in the 1950s an 0-6-0PT waits at the down platform with a pair of BR brakevans while the crew natter with the signalman. Precisely what is happening is unclear as the train appears to be running 'wrong line'. A number of other locomotives can be seen around the shed, including one at the water column, but they are too obscure for identification. A siding can be seen running behind the station building on the left.
Photo from John Mann collection

At first glance this view across Fishguard & Goodwick station is difficult to date, especially as the station is still largely wearing its GWR wardrobe. Close examination yields a number of clues, however. A BR Western Region totem can just be seen on the lamp midway between signal box and running-in board while what goods wagons are in range are wearing BR livery. The houses in the background apparently lack television aerials; West Wales did not receive ITV until 1958 and BBC TV did not arrive until 1964. Given these observations a fair stab at a date might be the 1952 - 58 period. The locomotive shed is visible in the background with its elevated coaling stage to its right, between which can be seen the turntable and water column. The shed originally bore the GWR code 'FGD' and became 87J under BR in February 1950. It was known variously as 'Fishguard Goodwick' or simply 'Goodwick'. Its allocation ranged from small tank locomotives to 4-6-0 types and was destined never to see diesel traction. Of the three locomotives clearly visible, one is an 0-6-0PT, left, while outside the shed is what appears to be a Prairie Tank. On the right, below the coaling stage, is what looks like another 0-6-0PT. Right of centre stands a 'Toad' brakevan; although of GWR origin this one has diagonal bracing on its bodyside which suggests that it was one of a batch built after nationalisation. On its bodyside can just be made out a black panel with white lettering. These panels gave the name of the depot to which the van was to be returned and sometimes the instruction 'Not For Common Use'. The name 'Toad' was part of a system whereby for telegraphic purposes vehicles were identified by names taken from, usually, the animal kingdom. The practice spread across the entire network and in BR days was perhaps most familiar on hopper and flat wagons and the 'Shark' ballast brakevans of LMS origin.
Photo from John Mann collection

Ex-GWR 1400 class 0-4-2T No.1431 at Fishguard & Goodwick with an auto-trailer probably in the late 1950s. Many of these auto-trailers had been rebuilt from steam rail-motors but this appears not to be one of them, being instead a Diagram L 70ft vehicle built new in auto-trailer form. All of this batch had gone by 1959 but more modern types, which continued to be built into BR days, remained in service into the 1960s. Like most of these vehicles and the steam rail-motors, the example seen here has retractable steps for use at ground-level halts of which many were opened especially to be served by these trains. The GWR auto system involved the fireman, when the locomotive was pushing, to deal with the valve gear settings and for this reason firemen on auto-trains had to be of at least 'passed fireman' grade. A large number of GWR auto-trailers have survived into preservation, including one which has been restored to its original form as a steam rail-motor. Four of the 1400 class locomotives have also survived, of which three are auto-fitted.
Copyright photo from John Alsop collection

On a pleasant August day in 1959 Large Prairie 2-6-2T No.4134 pauses at Fishguard & Goodwick with colourful train of ex-GWR stock. The station is still very GWR with only the BR Western Region totems giving the game away. No.4134 was a member of Collett's 5101 class. She was new in October 1939 and at the time of the photograph was shedded at Carmarthen. Later moving to Court Sart shed, she survived until June 1963. At the formation of British Railways in 1948, what became the Western Region was unique in that its locomotives retained their GWR numbers without a prefix number being added. The reason was the cabside cast brass numberplates. Despite not having brass numberplates the GWR diesel railcars also retained their original numbers, albeit prefixed with a 'W' and in many cases also a 'W' suffix. Several of the 5101 class have reached preservation although one, No.5193, has been rebuilt into a 4300 class 2-6-0 while another, one of the famous 'Barry Ten' No.4115, has become a donor locomotive for two new-build locomotives. The 'Barry Ten' were the final locomotives in Woodham's scrapyard at Barry in 1990 when the late Dai Woodham retired. Their survival at Barry was due in no small part to their condition leaving them previously unselected for preservation. Today a few are being, or are proposed to be, restored while others have been used as parts donors and their remains scrapped. At least one other has been retained for eventual display as an unrestored 'Barry Wreck'. No.4134 was destined to be neither preserved nor one of the 'Barry Ten' for she was scrapped at Swindon Works towards the end of 1963
Copyright photo from Colour-Rail

Looking north-east towards Fishguard Harbour from the south end of the up platform. The picture is undated, but with BR Western Region totems on the lamp standard it must be 1950s or early 1960s. Station Hill bridge is seen in the background.
Photo from John Mann collection

Another undated view of Fishguard & Goodwick station, this time looking south-west along the up platform. The engine shed is seen in the distance beyond the station on the down side. St Peters Church overlooks the site from the hillside above.

Photo from John Mann collection

A busy scene at Fishguard & Goodwick as a pair of 1400 0-4-2Ts steal the show. Both are Auto fitted (Push & Pull) and the train on the left is certainly operating in this mode as the signal is off for it to propel to the harbour. The locomotive appears to be No.1452 (the smokebox door handle obscures the fourth digit) but this locomotive is not recorded as being anywhere near Fishguard at this time and her shedplate is unreadable. The locomotive on the left is No.1431 and the Stephenson Locomotive Society records her as being a Fishguard resident from June 1947 until April 1961 so assuming this to be accurate April 1961 is the latest date of this photograph. In the right background is a British Railways delivery van in red and cream livery complete with 'hotdog' logo. Often thought to be the same colours as used for crimson and cream rolling stock, the shade of red was darker and when fresh somewhat more glossy. Although by no means ornate, it was among the most pleasing of contemporary road vehicle liveries. Unfortunately it was replaced by an awful drab grey/green colour before the all-conquering yellow appeared courtesy of National Carriers Ltd (NCL).
Photo from John Mann collection

May 1962 at Fishguard & Goodwick saw super power for a single coach service in the form of Churchward 4300 class 2-6-0 No.7312 of Carmarthen shed. The distinctive roof profile of the maroon liveried carriage tells us it is a Hawksworth-designed vehicle. Mail is being loaded into the guard's compartment. On the opposite platform, the cabinet contained a fire hose and other associated equipment. Standing beside the signal box is a heavy jack similar to those used to jack derailed railway vehicles but this one appears to have a label attached, suggesting it is awaiting collection or delivery. Perhaps it is being sent away for repair. Attached to the fence on the right is one of those wire litter bins which everybody detested during the 1950s and 1960s. They were unsightly, they stank and in summer were a magnet for wasps. Of No.7312, she was to survive until December 1963, by that time allocated to Severn Tunnel Junction. Of 342 examples built only two survive in preservation but No.7312 is not one of them.
Photo from John Mann collection

Fishguard & Goodwick station looking north-east towards Fishguard Harbour c1960s. The station had no footbridge so passengers had to use the barrow crossing seen in the foreground to reach
the down platform.
Photo from John Mann collection

Looking north-east along the up platform at Fishguard and Goodwick station circa early 1960s. A van on the far side of the bridge stands on the shed line which runs behind the up platform. A sign on the station building locates the gents' toilet in its traditional place one end of the building. Although the station has BR totem nameplates fitted the running-in nameboard is a GWR specimen. The electric lighting may be of late GWR or BR provenance.

Photo from John Mann collection

Fishguard & Goodwick engine shed and coaling stage in September 1962. A turntable is out of view to the right of the shed. The standard 2-road Churchward shed was opened by the GWR on 30 August 1906 and closed by BR on 9 September 1963.
Photo from Roger Griffiths collection

Click here for Fishguard & Goodwick
Station Gallery 3: September 1963 - August 1974