A small crowd of all ages gathered at 3pm on Sunday, October 20, to witness the Pembroke Coast Express steam train heading back towards Tenby and Whitland following its arrival at the south Pembrokeshire line’s most western station.

The Pembroke Coast Express recalls the 1950s days of named steam trains on the former Western Region of British Railways. The train ran from London Paddington through South Wales to the Pembroke Coast.

On a trip organised by The Railway Touring Company, The Pembroke Coast Express, hauled by Black 5 class locomotive No.44871 left Bristol Temple Meads soon after 8am to head for West Wales.

The train - its carriages a mixture of red-brown vintage and blue and white Intercity coaches, switched to diesel power once at Carmarthen, from where it made its way to Tenby via Whitland, Narberth, Kilgetty and Saundersfoot stations, stopping at Tenby to set down passengers, before going on via Penally, Manorbier, Lamphey and Pembroke to Pembroke Dock.

The Pembroke Coast Express at Tenby
Photo: Malcolm Richards Photography (Malcolm Richards Photography)

Then it was back to steam power for the train’s departure from Pembroke Dock railway station, for the return journey, stopping again at Tenby to pick up passengers who left the train there.

On a trip organised by The Railway Touring Company, the Pembroke Coast Express recalled the 1950s days of named steam trains on the former Western Region of British Railways as it set down and picked up passengers from Tenby station on Sunday, October 20.
On a trip organised by The Railway Touring Company, the Pembroke Coast Express recalled the 1950s days of named steam trains on the former Western Region of British Railways as it set down and picked up passengers from Tenby station on Sunday, October 20. Photo: Malcolm Richards Photography (Malcolm Richards Photography)