Machen | |
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General information | |
Location | Machen, Caerphilly County Borough Wales |
Coordinates | 51°35′52″N3°08′26″W / 51.597896°N 3.1405004°W Coordinates: 51°35′52″N3°08′26″W / 51.597896°N 3.1405004°W |
Grid reference | ST211894 |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway |
Key dates | |
1865 | Opened |
31 December 1962 | Closed to passengers |
16 July 1964 | Closed to freight |
Machen railway station was an interchange junction in Caerphilly County Borough, South Wales. It was large and substantial compared with many other stations in the vicinity.
The passenger facilities at Machen comprised two platforms with a booking office, waiting-room and goods-shed, with a shelter also provided on the 'down' platform. The Machen Loop Act 1887 authorised the Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway to double the B&MTJR's Caerphilly branch. Accordingly, a new 'down' line was laid on a divergent route to Machen from Gwaun-y-Bara Junction. The former single line became the new 'up' line, and came into use in 1891. The PC&NR opened to passenger services in 1904. After Machen became a junction, it had many sidings, some of which were used by local businessmen. The local collier's trains were always parked in the north siding. Machen also had a carriage works, built originally in 1870 and expanded in 1900, 1911 and 1922. Apart from repairing railway stock, it also trained apprentices in many fields of engineering. The works closed in c. 1927. [1]
The service between Machen and Pontypridd was withdrawn in 1956. The remaining passenger services at Machen ceased in 1962 and freight closure followed in 1964. By 1996, this once-important station was still standing, but in an advanced state of decay. [2]
The Taff Vale Railway (TVR) was a standard gauge railway in South Wales, built by the Taff Vale Railway Company to serve the iron and coal industries around Merthyr Tydfil and to connect them with docks in Cardiff. It was opened in stages in 1840 and 1841.
From 1839 the Trustees of the Marquis of Bute, operated a large dock operation in Cardiff, the "Bute Docks". This was very successful, but was overwhelmed by the huge volume of coal exported through Cardiff. At the same time it was seen that railway companies, especially the Taff Vale Railway (TVR), were making money conveying the coal to the docks.
The Rhymney Railway was a railway company in South Wales, founded to transport minerals and materials to and from collieries and ironworks in the Rhymney Valley of South Wales, and to docks in Cardiff. It opened a main line in 1858, and a limited passenger service was operated in addition.
Machen is a large village three miles east of Caerphilly, south Wales. It is situated in the Caerphilly borough within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities. It lies on the Rhymney River. Mynydd Machen provides a view over the village. It is possible to walk up to and along the top of the mountain, where a number of large boulders are present.
The Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway (B&MR) was a railway company in Wales. It was originally intended to link the towns in its name. Finding its access to Merthyr difficult at first, it acquired the Rumney Railway, an old plateway, and this gave it access to Newport docks. This changed its emphasis from rural line to mineral artery.
Radyr railway station is a railway station serving the Radyr area of Cardiff, South Wales. It is at the foot of the hill at the eastern edge of the village, alongside the River Taff and adjacent to the Taff Trail. The station is on the Merthyr Line, and is also the northern terminus of the City Line.
Pontypridd railway station serves the town of Pontypridd in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located at the junction of the Merthyr line and the Rhondda line and has for many years been the only station serving the town.
Cadoxton railway station is a railway station serving Cadoxton and Palmerstown near Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. It is located on the Barry Branch 6½ miles (10 km) south of Cardiff Central. The line continues to the terminus of the Barry Branch at Barry Island but from Barry Junction the line also continues as the Vale of Glamorgan branch to Bridgend via Rhoose for Cardiff International Airport bus link and then Llantwit Major.
Caerphilly railway station is a railway station serving the town of Caerphilly, south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line of the Valley Lines network. The station is located at Station Road in the south of the town. Facilities include a small shop and a ticket kiosk. A self-service ticket machine was installed near the entrance to the station on 22 December 2008. Several advertising murals depicting holiday travel in various parts of South Wales have been placed on the northbound side of the station in order to improve the 'look' of the station.
Caldicot railway station is a part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Transport for Wales. It serves the town of Caldicot in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located between Chepstow and the city of Newport on the Gloucester line; the line to Bristol via the Severn Tunnel runs just to the north but there are no platforms here; however, Severn Tunnel Junction station is within walking distance for those wanting to travel to Bristol.
The Barry Railway Company was a railway and docks company in South Wales, first incorporated as the Barry Dock and Railway Company in 1884. It arose out of frustration among Rhondda coal owners at congestion and high charges at Cardiff Docks as well the monopoly held by the Taff Vale Railway in transporting coal from the Rhondda. In addition, the Taff Vale did not have the required capacity for the mineral traffic using the route, leading to lengthy delays in getting to Cardiff.
The Pontypool, Caerleon & Newport Railway was promoted independently to relieve congestion on the heavily worked Eastern Valley Line of the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company. The Great Western Railway put up half the capital, making it in effect a GWR subsidiary. It opened in 1874, and most long-distance passenger and goods traffic, especially the heavy mineral traffic, transferred to it. It amalgamated with the GWR in 1876.
The Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway was built to bring the coal output of the Aberdare and Rhondda valleys directly to Alexandra Docks at Newport.
The Llancaiach Branch railway line was a mineral branch line in Glamorganshire, South Wales. It was authorised in 1836 as part of the Taff Vale Railway, and its purpose was to connect collieries at Llancaiach and bring their output to Cardiff for onward shipment. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and built on the standard gauge. It opened in 1841 from a junction with the Merthyr line immediately south of Abercynon. It was intended to be horse worked, and included a self-acting rope-worked inclined plane near the junction. The collieries were slow to use the line, preferring their customary use of a tramroad and the Glamorganshire Canal, and the value of the line was diminished when the Taff Vale Extension line, an east-west connecting line belonging to the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, intersected it and cut off the colliery connections, and the line became dormant.
The Alexandra Docks and Railway (ADR) was a company formed in 1882 from the former Newport Dock Company of 1865. There was considerable demand for dock accommodation in Newport, South Wales, chiefly for the export or coastal transport of iron ore and coal. The Newport Dock Company had built an earlier dock that was now outgrown.
Pontypridd Tram Road was a railway station in Pontypridd, Wales. From 1904 to 1922, it served as the Pontypridd terminus of the Alexandra Docks and Railway's local passenger service between Pontypridd and Caerphilly.
White Hart Halt was a short-lived railway halt in South Wales.
Dynea Halt was a railway station in Rhydyfelin near Pontypridd, Wales. It was a small halt on the Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway, and closed in 1956.
The Ynysybwl branch line railway, formally known as the Clydach Valley Branch, was opened by the Taff Vale Railway company in 1885 to serve collieries that were expected to open in the Clydach Valley, Glamorganshire, South Wales. The branch line made a junction with the main line of the Taff Vale Railway at Stormstown, between Pontypridd and Abercynon. In fact the colliery development was limited, but the Lady Windsor Colliery became productive in 1886 and had a large output.
Waterloo Halt railway station was a small halt which served the community of Rudry in Caerphilly, South Wales between 1908 and 1956.
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
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Trethomas Line and station closed | Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway Rumney Railway | Church Road Line and station closed | ||
White Hart Halt Line and station closed | Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway |