Barry Island (Ynys y Barri) photos
A spring trip to the seaside.
(Photos © urban75, May 2008)

Named after 6th century Saint Baruc, Barry Island is a popular seaside resort only a few miles south west of Cardiff.

Barry Island has actually been a peninsula since the 1880s as a result of Barry town expanding and the development of Barry Docks by the Barry Railway Company.


Running alongside the track into Barry Island is a short heritage line owned by the Vale of Glamorgan Railway. Here you can see a 'Thomas the Tank Engine' train puffing by.


Low tide.


Broken railing in the headland by Little Island.


Kite flying by Whitmore Bay.


Steam train heads south-east along the causeway from mainland Barry.




Impressive house by Friars Point.


Looking east towards Whitmore Bay.


Similar view from 1900, with a long-gone bathing pool in the foreground.


Gate house by the park.


Welcome to Barry Island!


The sign says, 'Luxury Apartments For Sale/Let.' Shurely shome mishtake?




Donuts and Candy Floss at Rossis.


Rock shop.


New pirate-themed crazy golf.


Two ladies heading towards Caesar's Palace.


These huge numbers were painted on the promenade during the heyday of Barry Island in the 50s to help children find their parents.

The beach used to be so packed kids used to get lost all the time - and I can remember what seemed like long, long hours trying to find my Mum after forgetting where we were all sat.




Apparently, we always used to set up on the beach near the shelter so we didn't have too far to run when the inevitable rain came!


The shelter and beach.

Behind it used to be Butlins Holiday camp, which closed in 1986 before reopening the following year under private ownership as Majestic Barry Island, and then Barry Island Resort.

The camp finally closed in 1996 and was redeveloped for housing between 1997-2003.

History of Barry Island Holiday Camp


Looking out across the Bristol Channel.

A lesser known fact about Barry Island is that it was the favoured hoiday haunt of the serial killer Fred West in the 1950s.

After he committed suicide in prison in 1995, he left instructions to be buried at the family plot at St Bartholomew's, Much Marcle. The villagers weren't much keen on the idea so he ended up being cremated, leaving West's unfortunate children were left with an urn full of his ashes - which they promptly despatched to the murky brown waters off Barry Island.
Read more.


Abandoned building.


This punk dude with the little dog was chilling out with a copy of 'Chopper'




Looking west across Whitmore Bay.


Coastguard in action.


Small bay to the east of Whitmore Bay, past Nell's Point.


The big shelter on Whitmore Bay.


Couple enjoying lunch.




Entrance to Barry Island Pleasure Park.
Here's some scenes from the park:












Queuing for the worryingly creaky Viper ride. We didn't fancy it.










The faded glory of Barry Island station, which once carried thousands of passengers on summer weekends.


Old semaphore signal.


The station once boasted four platforms to cope with the traffic, but just half of a platform is enough to serve passenger numbers now.

Nearby, there used to be a huge complex of sidings owned by Dai Woodham which housed hundreds of decaying steam locomotives ready to be scrapped. Many of these locomotives were subsequently bought and restored.

Ironically, the sidings area is now stuffed full of parked cars most weekends.


Past the station area are sidings and goods shed owned by the Barry Island Railway. The line used to go through a tunnel from here on to a pier station.


Passing 'Whites Cosy Corner' on the train back to Cardiff.