This line is open. Its main line runs from Grange Court, near Gloucester, to the original terminus at Neyland, by Milford Haven.
/ /1845 | South Wales Railway Incorporated to run from Gloucester to Fishguard but built to Neyland near Milford Haven instead. |
04/08/1845 | South Wales Railway Act passed. |
/ /1846 | South Wales Railway, Great Western Railway Great Western Railway to lease the South Wales Railway at 5%, if South Wales Railway completed to Fishguard. |
/ /1848 | South Wales Railway Timber bridge over the River Usk accidentally burned down. |
18/06/1850 | South Wales Railway Opened from Chepstow to Swansea. |
18/06/1850 | South Wales Railway 700 people celebrate the opening of the line in Swansea's new 2 platform station with a timber roof. |
19/09/1851 | Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway Gloucester to Grange Court Junction with the South Wales Railway opened. |
/ /1852 | South Wales Railway Opened to Carmarthen, built to the 7 foot gauge and required trans-shipment where it was met with lines from Monmouth and Glamorgan. |
/06/1852 | South Wales Railway Branch opened to Swansea North Dock from North Dock Branch Junction. |
/07/1852 | South Wales Railway Wye Bridge at Chepstow completed. |
11/10/1852 | South Wales Railway Extended from Landore, Swansea, to Carmarthen. |
02/01/1854 | South Wales Railway Extended from Carmarthen to Haverfordwest. |
15/04/1856 | South Wales Railway Extended from Haverfordwest to Neyland. Steamer service by Ford and Jackson to Waterford begins. |
19/04/1858 | South Wales Railway Branch to Bute docks opened. |
/09/1859 | South Wales Railway Swansea North Dock branch extended. |
/ /1860 | Swansea Vale Railway South Wales Railway taken over the line, removing a level crossing. Broad gauge link opened from Swansea Valley Junction, on the South Wales Railway, to Six Pit Junction and on as a mixed gauge to Swansea docks. |
02/08/1860 | Ely Valley Railway Broad gauge line opened from Llantrisant on the South Wales Railway. The line is worked by the Great Western Railway. |
31/12/1860 | Railway Clearing House By this date, Carlisle and Port Carlisle Railway and Dock, Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds Railway, Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock, Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway, Darlington and Barnard Castle Railway, Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway, Great North of Scotland Railway, Great Western Railway, Hertford and Welwyn Junction Railway, Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Junction Railway, North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway, Rhymney Railway, South Wales Railway, Stamford and Essendine Railway, Taff Vale Railway, Vale of Clywd Railway and Warrington and Stockport Railway join. |
/06/1863 | Cowbridge Railway Agreement with the Great Western Railway to join South Wales Railway at Llantrisant rather than run to Maesaraul. Third rail laid from Llantrisant to Maesaraul Junction along the Mwyndy Branch (Ely Valley Railway). |
01/08/1863 | South Wales Railway, Great Western Railway South Wales Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway. |
/ /1865 | South Wales Railway First Neath [1st] station closed and replaced by Neath High Level over the Neath and Brecon Railway. |
/ /1872 | South Wales Railway The line was converted to standard gauge in a single weekend. (263 miles). |
/ /1872 | South Wales Railway Converted to standard gauge. |
/ /1872 | South Wales Railway After gauge conversion of the South Wales Railway a connection was made at Waterloo Junction to the Monmouthshire Canal Tramway. The trans-shipment station was closed. |
01/03/1873 | Swansea and Neath Railway Swansea Wind Street station closed, traffic diverted to the South Wales Railway Swansea station. |
21/12/1874 | Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway Opened from Pontypool North Junction to Panteg Junction avoiding Coedygric Sidings. Passenger train start to use the line and run to Newport station on the South Wales Railway. |
04/06/1877 | South Wales Railway Neath High Level closed and the first Neath station, rebuilt, reopened. |
/ /1879 | South Wales Railway Swansea High Street enlarged. |
01/01/1879 | Monmouthshire Canal Tramway South Wales Railway Park Junction to Gaer Junction opened allowing Western Valleys access to use the main Newport station, High Street. |
11/03/1880 | Monmouthshire Canal Tramway South Wales Railway Newport Dock Street closed to passengers but retained for freight. All services now use Newport High Street. |
/ /1882 | Glamorganshire Canal A link is opened between the Sea Lock and Canal Basin in Cardiff to the South Wales Railway. |
14/08/1884 | Barry Dock and Railways Established by an Act. Led by David Davies of Ocean Collieries. The line was to run from Barry to Cadoxton Junction then north to Drope Junction for a branch to Peterston with the South Wales Railway (then a further junction, Tynycaeau Junction, with the same line from St Fagan's) and then north to the Treforest estate at Tonteg Junction for a connection with the Taff Vale Railway before finishing near Trehafod, joining the Taff Vale Railway. |
02/04/1885 | South Wales Railway Park Junction to Ebbw Junction made for through running towards Cardiff. |
/ /1886 | South Wales Railway Tawe Valley bridge, 587yd in timber with 110 ft bowstring centre span 75 ft above water with 36 approach spans, replaced by 389 yd wrought-iron bridge on stone piers with timber decking and 147 ft centre span. |
/ /1887 | Taff Vale Railway Cardiff station re-built as Cardiff Queen Street and connection opened to the South Wales Railway. |
13/05/1889 | Barry Dock and Railways Cadoxton to Tynycaeau Junction opened for freight. Section included the Venvoe Tunnel and large masonry viaduct over the South Wales Railway. |
/ /1896 | South Wales Railway, Taff Vale Railway Bute Street Junction between the lines closed on opening of new fly-over east of Cardiff General. |
/ /1896 | South Wales Railway Neath platforms extended. |
/ /1906 | South Wales Railway Swansea West Loop opened, services can run from Swansea to Carmarthen without reversal. |
/ /1906 | South Wales Railway Neyland renamed New Milford and Neyland. |
28/09/1907 | South Wales Railway Accident at Ebbw Junction when freight over-runs signal and hits passenger train. |
/ /1911 | South Wales Railway Second bore opened by the Hillfield Tunnel, Newport. Bridge over the River Usk is quadrupled. |
/ /1915 | South Wales Railway Newport locomotive shed re-located further west from by station goods yard to Ebbw Junction. |
/ /1923 | South Wales Railway Re-construction of Newport station begins. |
/ /1923 | South Wales Railway Reconstruction of Swansea High Street station begins. |
/ /1930 | South Wales Railway Expansion of Newport station complete. |
/ /1932 | South Wales Railway Cardiff General re-built. Riverside station becomes an island platform. |
/ /1932 | South Wales Railway Reconstruction of Swansea High Street station ends. |
/ /1935 | Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Aberavon to Court Sart closed to through traffic, traffic diverted onto the South Wales Railway. |
28/10/1940 | South Wales Railway Cardiff General absorbs Cardiff Riverside. |
/ /1960 | South Wales Railway Llanwern station closed. |
/ /1961 | South Wales Railway Bishton signal box becomes gate box. |
/ /1961 | South Wales Railway East Usk signal box opened. |
23/02/1963 | Glamorganshire Canal Cardiff Corporation closes the last part of the Glamorganshire Canal's operation; a link between the sea lock and canal basin and sidings on the South Wales Railway. |
/ /1964 | South Wales Railway Branches to North and South Docks closed by 1965. |
02/11/1964 | South Wales Railway Landore station closed. |
02/11/1964 | South Wales Railway Llantrisant station closed to passengers. |
07/05/1973 | South Wales Railway Cardiff General renamed Cardiff Central. |
10/03/1974 | Nettleford Branch (South Wales Railway) Branch in Newport closed. |
06/03/1978 | South Wales Railway New building at Neath opened. |
/02/1988 | South Wales Railway Llantrisant closed to freight. |
/04/2019 | South Wales Railway Eask Usk signal box burned down. (Formally closed in January 2020.) |
This line is divided into a number of portions.
These loops are east of Pontyclun. ...
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