Listed building consent sought prior to refurbishment of Pwllheli’s historic railway station

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

Listed building consent is being sought to refurbish Pwllheli’s historic railway station.

Gwynedd Council has received an application to alter the Grade II listed building and other station features near the town centre.

The application aims to replace a window with a ticket office and includes changes to existing railings.

A design and access statement in the plans also describes the heritage impact for internal refurbishment.

Details include the ‘reconfiguration’ of staff facilities within the station building, the addition of an external covered store, external cycle hoops and replacement of existing metal railings

The application has been been made by Sonny Robinson, Network Rail Property (Wales and Western) of the Cardiff Railway Co Ltd, Pwllheli Railway Station, on  Station Square.

Terminus

The railway station is the terminus of the Cambrian Line from Machynlleth.

According to the History Points website, Pwllheli joined the rail network in October 1867. The original station was east of the town.

Cambrian Railways trains began running to Porthmadog and Machynlleth, and on to Whitchurch, Shropshire.

The new line connected into the Cambrian’s line at Afonwen, enabling trains to reach Pwllheli from Caernarfon and the main line at Bangor.

History Points chronicles 1500 Welsh historic sites , providing QR codes on windows, fences, doors, walls and gateposts, with mobile phone accessible information.

The website says the present station is in a more central location to its original site and opened in 1909.

“It followed the construction of a railway embankment across the north of the natural harbour.

“The embankment banished the sea from the land to the north, previously the shoreline extended as far as Penlan Fawr. ” The website reads.

Network Rail and Transport for Wales were contacted for more details on the upgrade plans.