 The population was around 4000 in 1929 according to the parish entry of that year (Sourced from 'The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929').From 1909 to 1953 Pontyates had its own railway station run by the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway company.Pontyates was one of the stations that lay between Llanelli and the coal mine at Cwmmawr.