From transporting freight in the early days and soldiers in WW1 to providing a vital public transport link today, the Heart of Wales Line has played a major role in community life.

The railway line was completed 150 years ago, built to transport coal from coal mines in the Welsh valleys up north to the burgeoning factories of the industrial revolution.

It was one of the few rural railway lines to survive the years of Beeching’s notorious ‘Axe’ and is also called the Central Wales Line.

The Heart of Wales Line Development Co Manager, Rachel Francis said: “This year we went on tour to celebrate the Heart of Wales Line’s Birthday. Now we have tried to capture some of the community spirit we found at each event along the line on our new website.”

The new Heart of Wales Line website at heart-of-wales.co.uk/DISCOVER is bi-lingual. There are practical details for passengers about timetables and tickets, special offers and advice for travellers.

This includes the first emerging details of new service improvements planned for the Heart of Wales Line as part of the new Wales and Border rail franchise.

“But the website is not just another marketing exercise,” added Rachel.

“First and foremost we want it to be useful for people using the trains, but it’s also become a way to capture and celebrate the community spirit we have along this particular railway line. It’s been fantastic.”

The Heart of Wales Line Development Co would like to thank everyone who has helped with the 150th celebration from helpers on stalls, Morris dancers and cake makers to the leaders of the viaduct walk, all the councillors and local representatives who joined the birthday train and everyone who turned up at the Royal Welsh Show, the organisers of Llandrindod Wells Victorian Fair and more.

Special thanks goes out to the Heart of Wales Line Travellers’ Association, Station Adopter groups, the station cafe at Llandovery, friends at Network Rail Wales, Arriva Trains Wales, local and county councils.

Lewis Brencher, Head of Communications for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “This has been an absolutely brilliant campaign.

“Fantastic people have come together to support this important line.”