The arrival of the railway at Goodwick

It had always been the intention of the Rosebush and Fishguard Railway to terminate their line at Goodwick but despite starting its development back in 1878, due to complications (financial and technical ) it still had not been completed by 1898.  In the interim years the Rosebush and Fishguard Railway Company had renamed itself the Fishguard and North Pembrokeshire Railway Company.

At this point, the Great Western Railway Company, concerned perhaps that if the line was completed by the F&NPRC, they might then go on to complete a harbour at Fishguard which would be in direct competition to the GWR’s facility at New Milford (Neyland).- decided to make a bid for the F&NPRC for both the railway and harbour works. This they successfully did and on 12th February 1898, acquired the F&NPRC for the sum of £157,500.

The contractor who had been appointed by F&NPRC for the Fishguard section of the line was Messrs Holme & King of Liverpool and it is assumed that it is this company who completed the line on behalf of the new owners, the GWR.

The first train left Goodwick at 7.25am 1st July 1899 and during the day a further three trains left and three arrived.  313 passengers passed through the station on this, its first day of operation. This must have delighted the newly appointed station master, Mr T. Richards of Glogue.

The little station was known as Goodwick up until 1904 when it became Fishguard and Goodwick.

The GWR then took the decision to abandon their plans to develop New Milford as a transatlantic port and instead concentrated their efforts at Goodwick resulting in the opening of the Fishguard Station and Harbour on the 30th August 1906.