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175 Years of Swansea Train Station (And One Angry Swan) đ
A look back at Swanseaâs station as it celebrates a landmark anniversary
Andrew M
June 18, 2025
Swansea Railway Station turns 175 this week. Now a quiet fixture of the city, it was a landmark of progress when it first opened way back in 1850.
This week, take a look back at the history of High Street Station, from wooden platforms and royal visits to swan-related PR disasters and one very enterprising local lad.
Catch you on Sunday!
Andrew.
The History of Swansea Railway Station
Swanseaâs High Street Railway Station first opened its doors on June 19th 1850, as part of the South Wales Railway designed under the guidance of famed engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
When it opened, the station became a vital hub - bringing coal down from Swansea Vale via local railways to the cityâs docks, and connecting passengers and exports all the way to London, the Midlands, and beyond.
Back then, it was one of seven stations serving the town centre (including Swansea Victoria and Swansea St Thomas), but by 1968, its name was shortened from âSwansea High Streetâ to simply âSwanseaâ, reflecting its new role as the cityâs only surviving central station.
The original station had a wooden structure and a pitched roof over the platforms, but by the 1870s and 80s, Great Western Railway (GWR) had expanded and upgraded the site, including new stone-built offices and enlarged platforms to handle growing traffic.
In the 1920s, the station got a more modern look with a major rebuild. Between 1923 and 1927, GWR added umbrella-style canopies - still partly visible today - and in the 1930s, they revamped the station frontage with a smart, symmetrical design.
More recently, in the early 2000s, Swansea station underwent a ÂŁ7.5 million upgrade, adding a new ticket office and improved accessibility. And in 2021, platform 4 was lengthened to handle longer trains.
Forgotten Stories from Swansea Station
All sorts has happened at Swansea train station over its 175-year history - including a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, who arrived by train to tour the city in June 1965. That event was fairly well documented, but research for this article threw up some perhaps lesser-known storiesâŚ
𦢠Swan Attack (1994)
In 1994, a publicity stunt for the new Swanline service went off-script when a swan named Whoopee turned on the dignitaries. As officials gathered on the platform for photos, the bird lunged at West Glamorganâs transport chief, Roy Jones, flapping, honking, and even rummaging through his coat pockets. It wasnât the publicity they planned for -but it certainly got the cameras clicking.
𧳠The Lucky Porter (1893)
In 1893, a teenager named Samuel Thomas was fined one shilling for unofficially carrying luggage at High Street Station. Accused of trespassing and "soliciting portersâ work" to the annoyance of passengers, he was brought before Swansea Police Court. The mayor, however, came to his defence, blaming the stationâs chronic shortage of staff. "I donât care whom the question affects, but I know it is a great inconvenience at Swansea," he said -before paying the fine himself, to a round of applause.
175th Anniversary Celebration
To mark Swansea railway stationâs landmark anniversary, thereâll be a small celebration tomorrow lunchtime - Thursday June 19th. Between 12 PM and 1 PM, the Penclawdd Brass Band, led by John Jones, will be performing live, and thereâll be cupcakes and community rail info to enjoy. Do pop down if youâre nearby!
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