The great drama of the Victorian age was the spread of railways across vasttracks of the country, bringingsocial and economic change.On the 28th December, 1853, the Haverfordwest branch of the South Wales Railway was opened, widening the horizons of many people.

A sketch I have, torn from 'The London Illustrated News' of January 7th, 1854, shows crowds gathering on the station platform to greet the arrival of the first train. On a banner are written the words: 'Llwyddiant Yr Railffordd': 'Success of the Railway'.

Growth of therailwayswas aided by one man in particular,Isambard Kingdom Brunel, son ofthe French engineer, Sir Marc Brunel.

When he was twenty seven, Isambard became chief engineer to the Great Western Railway line. He introduced the broad gauge (seven feet and a quarter inch) to replace the previous standard gauge. Although Brunel proved that the broad gauge gave more stability to coaches, enabled engines to travel at a higher speed and providedmore comfort to passengers,there was muchopposition, partly because the standard gauge would need replacing.

The railway acted as a touchstone in the town, a punctuationof time: events were cataloguedas occurring before the line was opened andafterwards.

Geographically, anywhere east of Haverfordwest was referred to as 'up the line'.

London became possible in a day, instead of the three days it had previously taken by stage coach. Travel by train was quicker and cheaper .

Therailway providedwork, paying two shillings a day for a twelve hour day, which compared favourably with the five shillings a week a farm labourer earned.Conditions left a lot to be desired, though,and accidents were frequent.

Irish 'navvies' worked in shifts, night and day, on the Shoal's Hook Cutting, a treacherous place, where many were killed or maimed.

Brunel's vision was remarkable. He wantedto enable passengersto board the train at Paddington and travel to Neyland, where they would take the Great Western Steamship to New York.

Neyland honoured the memory of Brunel by commissioning a statue. A few years ago, the statue was stolenand has never been found.