The ironwork installation, designed in the form of the front end of a steam locomotive, now stands at the junction of Sterry Road and Gorwydd Road – the exact site of the former Gowerton South railway station. The station was once part of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), which operated between 1867 and 1964 and played a key role in the area’s industrial growth.
Part of Active Travel placemaking
The project is the latest artwork commissioned by Swansea Council through the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Placemaking programme, which adds cultural and historic features to walking and cycling routes across the city.
It follows the unveiling of a life‑size horse sculpture along the Clydach canal towpath in 2022, created from more than 800 horseshoes to celebrate the animals that once pulled barges along the waterways.
‘An iconic landmark’
Andrew Stevens, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said the new locomotive sculpture was both a celebration of history and a boost for the community:
“As part of our ongoing active travel plans, we have the opportunity to celebrate our past history and help remind people how many of the city’s communities were shaped by transport services.
The latest sculpture is really impressive and now serves as a fantastic and iconic landmark for the residents of Gowerton and also for visitors. I hope it will receive the same warm praise that the horse sculpture in Clydach has also received.”
New link for walkers and cyclists
The unveiling also marks the completion of a vital active travel link at the current Gowerton train station. The new off‑road route connects the community with Kingsbridge and Gorseinon, giving pedestrians and cyclists a safe way to cross the railway and making it easier to combine cycling with train travel into Swansea city centre.
Cllr Stevens added:
“Gowerton’s current link to our rail transport services plays a huge part in offering locals alternative ways to travel. The newly opened link provides even more opportunities for commuters to mix cycling and rail with their travel plans, while also giving walkers and cyclists a safe option for crossing the station.”
Swansea Council says further walking and cycling routes are being developed across the city to promote sustainable and healthy travel.
