Students get stuck in to clear ground on Goods Shed site
STUDENTS from Coleg Sir Gâr’s Level 2 public services course have recently got stuck in to clear the ground on the Llanelli Railway Goods Shed site in Marsh Street, ready for the arrival of a vintage railway carriage, very kindly transported in by volunteers from the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway.
As part of the final year of their BTEC course, the students dedicated 20 hours to volunteering at the Llanelli Railway Goods Shed, taking on the hard job of clearing the ground at the site.
The aspiring public service workers were equipped with shovels, rakes and brooms and made a big difference on the site, which is now looking much clearer and safer, and on their last day they battled stormy weather to get the vintage carriage under cover.
The GWR railway carriage has a story of its own to tell. Dating from the 19th Century, it was discovered some years ago in Bynea, where it had at some stage been converted and used as a home.
It was then rescued by the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway, but with their collection of railway vehicles continuing to grow at Cynheidre and visitors flocking to their open days they have had a restructuring of their site and have transported it to the Goods Shed with a view to it being fully restored.
Mark Thomas, LMMR chairman said: “By allowing this carriage to pass into the hands of the Llanelli Goods Shed Trust we give it the best possible chance of one day being restored to its former glory.
“We would love to see it back at Cynheidre one day as a fully restored vehicle capable of carrying passengers once again.”
Llanelli MP and chair of the Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust Nia Griffith, who was also on site to lend a hand, said: “We’re very grateful indeed both to the young people and their tutor Amanda Morgan who’ve been so enthusiastic about the project and have not been afraid of hard work, as well as to the LMMR for the wooden carriage and all their help to date.”
The Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust is looking forward to the completion of the renovation of
phase one, the office block by the new year and being able to invite the community in to see the transformation.
Meanwhile events at the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway in Cynheidre will see Santa on site on Saturday, December 4, and Sunday, December 5.
To find out more about the Llanelli railway Goods Shed Trust’s project in Marsh Street, Llanelli, see the website at https://www.llanellirailwaygoodsshedtrust.org/