Its station at Carmarthen became the focus of several independent cross-country railways which made junctions with it, and for a time the toll charges for the short distances used by their trains was useful income, but the line never became solvent and it sold its concern to the Great Western Railway in 1882. The GWR eventually extended from Llandyssil to Newcastle Emlyn, which improved the use of the line somewhat. Meanwhile, another railway was built to Cardigan from Whitland, and the C&CR line did not extend beyond Newcastle Emlyn.