View source for Van Railway

{{Short description|Railway line in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
[[File:Van_Railway_Track_bed_-_geograph.org.uk_-_218191.jpg|thumb|The former track bed.]]
[[File:Central Wales District RJD 154.jpg|thumb|right|A 1912 [[Railway Clearing House]] map showing railways in Central Wales, including the Van Railway (upper right)]]
The '''Van Railway''' was a [[standard gauge]] railway in [[mid Wales]]. The line was built in 1871 to link the highly productive [[lead]] mines at [[Van, Llanidloes|Van]], near [[Llanidloes]] to the main [[Cambrian Railways|Cambrian]] line at [[Caersws]]. The mines closed in 1920, but the railway remained open until 1940.

==Route==
The line ran westwards from Caersws along the [[Cerist]] and [[Trannon]] river valleys, with [[railway halt|halt]]s at  Red House, Trefeglwys, Cerist and Garth & Van Road. An underground railway portal has been restored at the mine site.

==Traffic==
Passengers were carried from 1873 until 1879. General freight was carried by the [[Cambrian Railways]] in 1896, to which company the line was leased.<ref name=Gasquoine>{{cite book |first=C. P. |last=Gasquoine |title=The Story of the Cambrian|year=1973 |publisher=Christopher Davies Ltd}}</ref> The railway was a private venture by [[George Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry|Earl Vane]], who also leased the mine to the mining company and was the chairman of the Cambrian Railway Company. It was built by David Davies of Llandinam, the contractor and colliery owner.<ref>{{Johnson-CRNH}}</ref>

==John Ceiriog Hughes==
Until his death in 1887, [[John Ceiriog Hughes]] was Manager of the Van Railway, and it is said that many passengers "made pilgrimage along its short length ... for a chance of conversing with one of (Wales') most notable characters".<ref name=Gasquoine/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

* {{Baughan-Regional-Vol11}}

{{Historical Welsh railway companies}}

[[Category:Pre-grouping British railway companies]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1871]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1940]]
[[Category:Industrial railways in Wales]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1871]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in Wales]]
[[Category:1940 disestablishments in Wales]]

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