Llandow Halt railway station facts for kids

Llandow Halt railway station was a small train stop that served the village of Llandow in South Wales. It was open for nearly 50 years.

History of Llandow Halt

When the Vale of Glamorgan Railway line opened in 1897, it had five stations. Most of these stations served the main towns along the route. However, there was a long part of the line between Southerndown Road and Llantwit Major that didn't have any stops.

The village of Llandow was very close to the railway line. But, it was hard for people in Llandow to get to the nearest stations by road. Because of this, the local council in Llandow asked the railway company to build a small station, called a "halt," for their village.

Their first requests in 1898 and 1901 were turned down. In 1905, the Barry Railway Company agreed to build halts at Llandow and another place called Fontigary. However, these plans didn't happen. Another request in 1908 was also refused.

Finally, in 1915, the company said yes to building Llandow Halt. The station got official approval on April 20, 1915, and opened just over a week later on May 1. Building the halt cost £250, which was a good amount of money back then!

What Llandow Halt Looked Like

Llandow Halt was a very simple train stop. It had two wooden platforms, each about 130 feet long. A platform is the raised area where people wait for trains.

Each platform had a small wooden shelter with an open front. These shelters protected people from the weather. There was a way to cross the tracks at ground level. For safety, this crossing had an electric bell. The bell would ring when a train was coming. This bell was set off by special devices on the tracks, about 250 feet from the crossing.

When Llandow Halt Closed

Llandow Halt closed in 1964. This happened because passenger train services along that railway line were stopped. Many small stations like Llandow Halt closed around this time.