Trains have been an essential part of the Welsh landscape since they were invented.
From bringing passengers to every corner of the country and allowing coal, iron and slate to be shipped to the rest of the world, they've helped make the country what it is today.
And now there is currently a lot of talk about the future of the rail network here in Wales, with Transport for Wales' plans to introduce new trains and stations over the next few years and work on the new South Wales Metro having started last month.
However, the network of railway lines and stations in Wales is much smaller than it used to be, with many stations and lines having been closed and forgotten about over the years.
This is the story of Wales’ lost railway lines.
Below is a map pinpointing the location of former railway lines in Wales:
Some of these closures were the result of the still controversial Beeching Axe of 1963, while other stations disappeared due to decreasing passenger numbers.
But if you went a hundred years back in time, here are some of the stations you might find:
Crumlin ( Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway)
Crumlin, in Caerphilly, was home to two stations in its heyday - Crumlin High Level (on the Newport to Hereford line), located on the bank of the famous viaduct crossing the town, and Crumlin Low Level (the junction for lines leading north to Ebbw Vale and south to Newport), which sat at the bottom of the valley.
Crumlin Low Level was closed first, in 1962, and High Level followed in 1964. The stations are gone today but the railway tracks running through the lower station remained in place.
In 2008, trains began running on them for the first time in 40 years when the Ebbw Vale Railway opened. However, today, the nearest station is a mile down the road in Newbridge, prompting a petition to the Senedd in 2018 to restore the low-level station in Crumlin.
Caernarfon (Caernarfon to Afon Wen)
Caernarfon station was part of the Bangor and Caernarfon Railway when it originally opened, with trains running between the Menai Bridge and Caernarfon.
There was also a branch which ran to Llanberis, and the Caernarfonshire Railway Line which ran from Caernarfon to Afon Wen - both of which closed in 1964 as a result of the Beeching Axe.
Today, a Morrisons supermarket stands on the land of the old station. The Bangor to Caernarfon line is part of the Campaign for Better Transport's plan to reopen disused railway lines across the UK and was also one of the lines Arriva Trains Wales planned to reopen when it took over the franchise in 2002 - although this never materialised.
Brecon (Brecon and Merthyr Railway)
According to the Powys Digital History Project, Brecon originally had three railway stations until one was selected to serve as the main hub for the town - Free Street.
Opening in 1871, it was part of the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway, connecting the two towns and also running other services to Dowlais, Newport, Hay-on-Wye and Hereford.
The station closed for good in 1964, and today the nearest train stations to Brecon are Merthyr Vale and Abergavenny - both of which are nearly 20 miles away.
Porthcawl (Porthcawl to Llynfi Valley)
Porthcawl station opened in 1916 as part of the 'Llynvi Valley Railway', before the line was taken over by Great Western Railway in 1873.
Trains ran up to Caerau and Abergwynfi via Maesteg until the station closed in 1965.
A few years ago, Porthcawl Mayor David Newton-Williams blamed the Beeching Axe for the closure of the station - claiming that Beeching had used poor ticket sales at Porthcawl station as the justification for closure of the station but failing to realise that most people bought their tickets outside of Porthcawl to travel in.
Aberaeron (Carmarthen to Aberystwyth)
Aberaeron railway station (or 'Aberayron', as it was then anglicised) opened in 1911. It was the terminus of the Lampeter, Aberaeron and New Quay Light Railway, which was a separate branch of the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line.
The station closed in 1951 and was later built over. The nearest train station today is Aberystwyth, which is 16 miles away.
Blackwood (Tredegar to Wattsville)
Blackwood railway station opened in 1865 as part of the Sirhowy Railway, which ran between Tredegar and Wattsville on the outskirts of Newport.
The last passenger train left the station in 1960, and goods traffic ceased in 1965.
Abertillery (Newport to Nantyglo)
The train station in Abertillery opened in 1850 as part of the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company's route between Newport and Nantyglo. It remained for over a century, closing for the last time in 1969.
There have been talks of reopening a station in Abertillery as part of the South Wales Metro project, although it would be at a different location to the original ( Aberbeeg has been mentioned ).
The site of the original station now forms part of the A467, with the old station house still standing on nearby Oak Street.
Transport for Wales metro system:
Dolgellau (Ruabon to Barmouth)
Dolgellau opened in 1868 as part of the Ruabon to Barmouth line and remained operational until 1965 when it fell victim to the Beeching Axe.
Being demolished in the 1970s, part of the A470 bypass was built along the old track, while other parts of the track became a part of the Mawddach Trail.
Blaenavon (Pontypool to Blaenavon)
Blaenavon low-level station opened in 1854 as part of the Pontypool to Blaenavon line and shut in 1962 due to declining passengers.
Its sister station, Blaenavon high level, remains in use to this day - with preserved steam trains of the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway calling there.
Swansea Bay (Central Wales Line)
Swansea Bay railway station opened in 1867 as part of the Llanelly Railway and Dock Company. It was the terminus of the Central Wales line, with trains running to Manchester, Shrewsbury and York.
The station was listed in the Beeching Report and closed in 1964. Today, much of the Heart of Wales line between Swansea and Shrewsbury uses the old Central Wales line.
Cardigan (Whitland and Cardigan Railway)
Construction on the Whitland and Taff vale railway began in 1857, but later expanded to a stop in Cardigan in 1886 - with the railway line renamed the Whitland and Cardigan Railway,
The station remained open until 1965 when trains ceased to operate. Parts of the old track remain visible in the Teifi marshes, forming part of a footpath and cycle path.
Today, Cardigan's nearest station is Fishguard Harbour, which is roughly 15 miles away.
Caerleon (Pontypool to Newport)
Caerleon railway station opened in 1874, on a line between Pontypool in the north and Newport in the south.
It closed to traffic in 1965 but, like Abertillery, has been identified as a potential candidate for redevelopment as part of the South Wales Metro.
Caerleon appears between Newport and Cwmbran on Transport for Wales' map of the proposed metro.
