Monmouth is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, two miles from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Cardiff, and 113 miles (182 km) west of London. It is within the Monmouthshire local authority, and the parliamentary constituency of Monmouth. The population in the 2011 census was 10,508, rising from 8,877 in 2001. Monmouth is the historic county town of Monmouthshire although Abergavenny is now the county town.
Chepstow Railway Bridge was built to the instructions of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1852. The "Great Tubular Bridge" over the River Wye at Chepstow, which at that point forms the boundary between Wales and England, is considered one of Brunel's major achievements, despite its appearance. It was economical in its use of materials, and would prove to be the design prototype for Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash. Although the superstructure has since been replaced, Brunel's tubular iron supports are still in place. It is a Grade II listed structure.
The St. Julian's railway bridge is a crossing of the River Usk close to the city of Newport, South Wales. and currently carries the Welsh Marches Line across the river in a north—south direction. Due to the meanderings of the river, all the other crossings are east—west.
Kerne Bridge is a hamlet in south Herefordshire, England, about 3.5 miles (6 km) south of the market town of Ross-on-Wye on the B4234 Ross-on-Wye to Coleford road. Situated on the left bank of the River Wye, it takes its modern name from the nineteenth century bridge over the river. It was once a significant stop on the now disused and abandoned Monmouth to Ross-on-Wye railway, and is now known for a popular canoe-launching site. It marks the northern start of the Upper Wye Gorge and is situated in the heart of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Usk Railway Bridge is a railway viaduct in Newport city centre, Wales. It crosses the River Usk in an east—west direction, carrying the Great Western Main Line.
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales.
The Wye Valley Railway was a standard gauge railway that ran for nearly 15 miles (24 km) along the Lower Wye Valley between the towns of Chepstow and Monmouth, crossing several times between Wales and England. Opened on 1 November 1876, it was leased to, and worked by, the Great Western Railway (GWR), before being fully absorbed by the GWR in 1905.
Monmouth Troy was one of the two former railway stations at Monmouth. It was built in 1857 by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway and was used by several other branch lines as the local rail network expanded. The station closed in January 1964 following the closure of the last two lines to the station, the Wye Valley Railway and the Ross and Monmouth Railway.
The Coleford Railway was a railway company that constructed a short railway from near Monmouth to Coleford, close to the Forest of Dean. The company was sponsored by the Great Western Railway. It was built on part of the course of the Monmouth Railway, a horse-operated plateway, and it was intended that its primary business would be the conveyance of minerals and forest products from the Forest of Dean.
The Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway (CMU&PR) was a standard gauge railway of 16 miles (26 km) which ran from Monmouth to Little Mill, near Pontypool in Monmouthshire, Wales. It was intended to convey the mineral products of the Forest of Dean to the ironworks of South Wales, by connecting to the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway at Little Mill Junction. The NAHR made the onward connection over its Taff Vale Extension line. The CMU&PR intended to acquire the Monmouth Railway, actually a horse-operated plateway, and convert it to locomotive operation.
The Ross and Monmouth Railway was a standard gauge railway of 13 miles (21 km) which ran between Ross-on-Wye, in Herefordshire, England and Monmouth, Wales.
Wyesham Halt was a request stop at Wyesham on the former Wye Valley Railway, it was also used by the Coleford Railway. It was opened on 12 January 1931 and closed in January 1959. The railway between Wyesham Halt and Monmouth Troy was originally built by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway in 1861.
Monmouth Mayhill railway station is a disused railway station on the Ross and Monmouth Railway which was opened in 1873 and closed in 1959. It was one of two stations that served the town of Monmouth, Wales and was situated on the opposite bank of the river River Wye from Monmouth. It was the initial terminus of the line, but the line was extended across the River Wye to the junction station of Monmouth Troy in 1874 with the construction of the Duke of Beaufort Bridge.
Lydbrook Junction railway station is a disused railway station in England opened by the Ross and Monmouth Railway in 1873, it remained open for 91 years until 1964 when the line finally closed to freight, though passenger services ceased in 1959. The station was constructed in the hamlet of Stowfield approximately half a mile from Lydbrook and its viaduct on the Severn and Wye Railway. It was located approximately 4 miles and 34 chains along the railway from Ross-on-Wye station. In 1874 the Severn and Wye Railway opened a branch from Serridge Junction and Cinderford, passenger services commenced in 1875. All passenger trains along the S&W branch were withdrawn from 1929.
Monmouth Troy Goods Yard was a large goods yard near Monmouth Troy railway station in Monmouth, Wales. It was opened in 1857 by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway at the same time as the station. As other railways reached Monmouth Troy the goods yard grew in importance. At its height, the goods yard was used by the Wye Valley Railway, Coleford Railway, Ross and Monmouth Railway as well as the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway. The goods yard closed in 1964 when the last two railways, the former Wye Valley Railway and Ross and Monmouth Railway, closed. The non-rail depot remained open until October 1964.
Usk (GWR) railway station is a disused railway station in the town of Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales. The station is now barely recognisable with the remains of the platforms beneath undergrowth, but the trackbed, the adjacent Usk Tunnel and road and river bridges remain extant and can be walked.
Cefntilla Halt was a request stop on the former Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway. It was opened on 27 March 1954 and was open for less than two years, closing in 1955 when the railway closed. It was not near any particular village but was located near Cefntilla Court, the family seat of the Somerset family, the current holders of the title Baron Raglan and relatives of the House of Beaufort. It was construction was first suggested by FitzRoy Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan to the BR in 1953 to bring needed passenger traffic to the line, which was under threat of closure. It was located about 9 miles and 66 chains from Monmouth Troy. The halt consisted of only a single wooden platform with a length of only 12 feet (3,700 mm), a platform lamp and a name-board.
The Monmouth Railway, also known as the Monmouth Tramroad, was a horse-drawn plateway of 3 ft 6in gauge. It ran for about 5 miles (8.0 km) from Howler's Slade, east of Coleford, in Gloucestershire and Monmouth; there were two branches from other mineral sites. It was intended to bring mineral products of the Forest of Dean to Monmouth, and to the works alongside the River Wye.
The Wye Bridge in Monmouth is a bridge across the River Wye. The A466 passes over it and immediately meets the A40 at its western end. The bridge is a grade II listed building. The total span of the bridge is 71 metres (233 ft).
Monmouth Gasworks was the facility for making town gas in Monmouth, Wales. The gasworks had its coal delivered by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway and was frequented by Charles Rolls to fill up his balloon.
Monmouth Viaduct structure today, showing the missing river span.
View from the viaduct across the river.
The Duke of Beaufort Bridge, now used as a footbridge.
Monmouth Viaduct (left) and Duke of Beaufort Bridge (right).
View of Monmouth from South at Penallt, with railway bridges and viaduct in the foreground.
