As the Welsh Government significantly eased social distancing rules in Wales on the 7th of August Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway have been hard at work, revamping their current services and facilities to give visitors more of the railway to enjoy with improved operating arrangements and providing facilities that have been previously unavailable due to the pandemic.
All of the exciting changes were put into action on Monday the 9th of August 2021 and included a return of services to Big Pit Halt, round trips which are now longer, improved options for buying tickets on the day and increased seating availability for passengers.
The changes are set to improve the visitor experience and also to keep both customers and volunteers safe.
Here is what has changed at the railway:
Return of trains to Big Pit Halt – Big Pit Halt has been without a calling train service since September 2019 and finally services can call at the station during the initial part of the round trip.
Changes to station calling patterns – To provide a longer and more enjoyable journey for passengers, Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway has altered the calling order of their trains to the following:
- Furnace Sidings to Big Pit Halt
- Big Pit Halt to Whistle Inn Halt
- Whistle Inn Halt to Blaenavon High Level via Coed Avon
- Blaenavon High Level to Furnace Sidings
The round trip lasts around an hour and also includes a 15 minute stop off at Blaenavon High Level while the locomotive runs around.
The railway still recommends that visitors to the railway buy tickets ahead of their visit. If visitors travel on either the 11 am or the 12.30 pm departures, they may also be able to travel on a later train if space is available.
The last round trip of the day departs Furnace Sidings at 14:00pm
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