Brecon and Merthyr Railway






Dates

  /  /1858Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Bill presented for line to Dowlais. Backed by the de Wintons and other Brecon bankers. Also backed by GT Clark of the Dowlais Iron Company and John Boyle of the Rhymney Railway. Engineer: Henry Conybeare.
  /  /1860Hay Railway
Divided. Hay to Three Cocks Junction was owned jointly by the Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway and the Mid Wales Railway. Three Cocks Junction to Talyllyn was owned by the Mid Wales Railway. Talyllyn to Brecon was owned by the Brecon and Merthyr Railway. Hay to Eardisley was owned by the Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway.
  /  /1863Hay Railway
The Brecon and Merthyr Railway starts to operate to Brecon.
01/05/1863Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Brecon to Pant opened.
  /  /1865Rumney Railway, Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Rumney Railway purchased by the Brecon and Merthyr Railway.
  /  /1866Thomas Savin
Becomes bankrupt. Leads to near bankruptcy of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway.
01/08/1868Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Branch to Merthyr opened. Engineer; Alexander Sutherland.
01/11/1868Deri Branch (Rhymney Railway)
Line opened from Bargoed North Junction to Deri. The Brecon and Merthyr Railway had running powers of this from Deri to the main line of the Rhymney Railway and from there to the junction with a spur from the Rumney Railway.
23/06/1869Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Pant to Dowlais Lloyd Street opened. Connected to the Ivor Iron Works. (Named for John Guests heir).
  /03/1870Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Aber Bargoed re-opened.
  /  /1871Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Made available to all companies running to Brecon.
01/01/1873London and North Western Railway South Wales
Line extended to Dowlais Top and Ivor Junction with the Brecon and Merthyr Railway and access to Dowlais Lloyd Street and the Dowlais Iron Company.
  /11/1873London and North Western Railway South Wales
Bill for line to Merthyr and the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, Vale of Neath Railway and Geothin Railway.
16/05/1874Vale of Neath Railway
Train heading towards Neath breaks loose and runs into Merthyr station. It collides with a Brecon and Merthyr Railway train. One killed and fifty injured.
18/05/1874London and North Western Railway South Wales, Brecon and Merthyr Railway
London and North Western Railway agrees to withdraw Merthyr bill in exchange for joint ownership of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway branch from Dowlais to Merthyr. A link was to be opened from Penywern Junction, by Ivor Junction, and run from there to Morlais on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway.
08/08/1878Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway
Act passed. Promoted by J.C. Parkinson of the Alexandra Docks and Railway and Sir George Elliot of Powell Duffryn Collieries. Double track line to run from south of the Taff Vale Railway's Pontypridd station (Pontypool, Caerphilly and Newport Junction Railway) to Caerphilly (Penrhos Upper Junction) on the Rhymney Railway. Running powers over the Brecon and Merthyr Railway's Caerphilly Branch to Machen and on to Bassaleg Junction with the Alexandra Docks and Railway. Engineer Sir James W. Szlumper.
02/12/1878Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Northbound train at Torpantau fails to have its brakes pinned down and runs downhill derailing and killing its crew.
  /  /1905Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Abertysswg opened.
02/01/1905Rhymney Valley Branch (Barry Dock and Railways)
Line extended from Penrhos Lower Junction to Barry Junction on the Rumney Railway of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway opened. Penyrheol Viaduct and Llanbradach Viaduct on the line opened.
01/09/1905Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Aber Bargoed renamed Aber Bargoed and Bargoed.
  /  /1906Rhymney Branch (Brecon and Merthyr Railway)
Whiterose renamed New Tredegar.
14/04/1930Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Abertysswg closed.
17/09/1956Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport RailwayCaerphilly Branch (Brecon and Merthyr Railway)
Passenger service from Pontypridd to Caerphilly and Machen withdrawn.
02/05/1960Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Dowlais Central (formerly Lloyd Street) closed to passengers.
  /  /1962Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Brecon (Free Street) closed.
31/12/1962Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Closed to passengers from Brecon to Newport.
01/04/1963Extension to Rumney Railway (Brecon and Merthyr Railway)
Line closed to freight.
01/07/1963Caerphilly Branch (Brecon and Merthyr Railway)
Caerphilly to Newport workmen trains withdrawn.
  /10/1966Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Merthyr to Vaynor Quarry closed.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Brecon to Methyr







The station at Talybont-on-Usk closed in 1962, along with the Brecon and Merthyr line, but it has been extended and converted into a residential ...
Mark Bartlett 19/09/2009
1 of 1 images.






Looking southwards over the engine from the caboose on the Brecon Mountain Railway in 2014. ...
Ken Strachan 24/08/2014
Two lines in one picture!
...
John Thorn /07/1964
Across the road from the former Brecon and Merthyr Torpantau station, the Brecon Mountain Railway have built a new terminus (you can see the old ...
John Thorn //2004
Torpantau was the highest point of the Brecon & Merthyr and at the entrance to the highest tunnel in the UK (I think). This picture was taken in 1964 ...
John Thorn //1964
4 of 4 images.


Number 2 see image 48358 marks its passing on the way to Torpantau. View looks South; taken from the caboose. ...
Ken Strachan 24/08/2014
1 of 1 images.









Dowlais Branch