Rhymney Bridge | |||||
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![]() Rhymney Bridge station, 1951 | |||||
General information | |||||
Location | Llechryd, Caerphilly Wales | ||||
Coordinates | 51°46′40″N3°17′55″W / 51.7778°N 3.2987°W | ||||
Grid reference | SO104095 | ||||
Platforms | 3 | ||||
Other information | |||||
Status | Disused | ||||
History | |||||
Original company | Nantybwch and Rhymney Joint | ||||
Pre-grouping | London and North Western Railway and Rhymney Railway | ||||
Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway and Great Western Railway | ||||
Key dates | |||||
2 October 1871 | Opened for Rhymney Railway services | ||||
1 January 1873 | Start of L&NWR services | ||||
21 September 1953 | Withdrawal of Rhymney services | ||||
22 November 1954 | Withdrawal of goods facilities | ||||
6 January 1958 | Final closure | ||||
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Rhymney Bridge railway station was a station on the London and North Western Railway's Heads of the Valleys line serving the village of Llechryd in the Welsh county of Glamorganshire. [1]
The first section of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway from Abergavenny to Brynmawr was opened on 29 September 1862. [2] The line was leased and operated by the London and North Western Railway (L&NWR) which acquired the smaller railway company on 30 June 1866. [3] [4] On 1 March 1864, the line was extended from Brynmawr to Nantybwch. [5] A further 3-mile (4.8 km) extension to Rhymney Bridge through to Rhymney was jointly constructed by the L&NWR and the Rhymney Railway; the section to Rhymney Bridge was double-track whilst the Rhymney portion was single-track. [5] The joint line came into operation on 5 September 1871 when the junction was opened; the L&NWR had running powers over the Rhymney's line to Cardiff Docks. [5]
The station, which was at first known as Rumney Bridge, [6] opened to Rhymney services on 2 October 1871 and to L&NWR services on 1 January 1873. [6] [7] It took its name from the bridge over the River Rhymney which was situated a short distance to the south-east; the nearest settlement was the village of Llechrhyd. [8] The station had three platform faces [9] and, as with the junction at Nantybwch, the signal box stood in the "V" of an island platform. [10] The two platforms serving the Abergavenny and Merthyr line had no passenger accommodation, although a brick station building stood on the Merthyr platform. [11] This structure has been described as "resembling a peasant's dwelling from the bleak wastes of northern China". [12] Rhymney Bridge itself was situated in a desolate location, with scant protection from the inclement weather provided by a weather-boarded footbridge linking the platforms. [13] The Rhymney branch platform was situated at a lower level to the main line platforms and was skirted by two goods loops which were useful for slow-moving goods trains. [14]
As a result of decline in the local industry and the costs of working the line between Abergavenny and Merthyr, [15] passenger services ended on 4 January 1958. [16] Services on the Rhymney branch had ceased on 23 September 1953 [17] [18] and goods facilities were withdrawn from Rhymney Bridge on 22 November 1954. [19] The last public service over the Merthyr line was an SLS railtour on 5 January 1958 hauled by LNWR 0-8-0 49121 and L&NWR Coal Tank No. 58926. [16] [20] At Rhymney Bridge, a laurel wreath was placed on the smokebox door of No. 58926. [15] [21] Official closure came on 6 January. [22] [23] [24]
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
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Dowlais Top Line and station closed | London and North Western Railway Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway | Nantybwch Line and station closed | ||
Terminus | London and North Western Railway and Rhymney Railway Nantybwch and Rhymney Joint Line | Rhymney Line closed, station open |
The site of the station has been lost under the A465 road. [9] [25] [26] The branch to Rhymney has been obliterated by the A469 road. [9]