The Pembroke and Tenby Railway

During the 1880s improvements were made to the railway but in 1889 the Regulation of the Railways Act called for extensive safety improvements in signalling, rolling stock and in new station accomodation. The company was able to meet the large costs of improvements but the expense left its future in doubt. The board of the railway accecpted the realities of their isolated position and in 1894 -95 entered negotiations with the Great Western for a merger. In 1896 the G. W. R. leased the line and on July 1st 1897 the Pembroke and Tenby Railway became part of the Great Western Railway.

By 1884 the Pembroke and Tenby Railway was operating seven locomotives: the 2-2-2 tank engines Milford and the 0-6-0 Holmwood (very similar to a G. W. R. pannier tank engine and named after the Barrow family house). There were also the 0-6-0 tender engines Owen, Davies and Cambria and the 2-4-0 passenger engines Pembroke and Stella. Their liveries were probably green or black. Most were taken out of service soon after joining the Great Western which provides another reason for the company agreeing to be taken over as the replacement of these engines would have been beyond the means of the Pembroke and Tenby Railway in the 1890s.

There were also 22 passenger carriges and over 200 freight wagons as well as private owner wagons owened by local firms, the Bonvilles Court Coal Company had six wagons for example. The railway's main exports were limestone, coal, sand and agricultural produce. It brought in manufactured goods, foodstuffs, cheap coal and also iron plate and other supplies for the dockyard at Pembroke Dock.

The railway had the capability to repair, service and rebuild locomotives and could also rebuild both carriges and wagons.

Although the Pembroke and Tenby company disappered 100 years ago the local railway men continued to call the line the "P & T" throughout this century.