I grew up in this area, closer to Porthcawl. When I was an infant, they closed the branch line to Porthcawl. Later, in the 90s when they re-opened this line, they also built some new stations on the mainline, including that near my family home, at Pyle. On a visit home, I was on the first train from there to Cardiff.
Great video, 9:02 the line diverging to the right here hasn’t seen traffic for around 25 years and is very overgrown- rails are still in excellent condition though and go all the way up to Brynmenyn with semaphore signals/levers and many structures intact along the way- strange how none of it has been lifted after all this time
Thanks for the nice video. Just one point, The Garth station shown is the one nr. Bridgend, and not the one on the Central Wales/Heart of Wales Line in Powys.
Smashing outing. Thanks for sharing. Have read the Channel ‘About’ notes. Makes sense to me. Anyway, life is too noisy as it is. I rabbit on to myself and dread to think what a microphone would pick up. I’d have to edit my life! Enough rabbit. Back to viewing and reading the info.
Great video, one note, the Garth in this video is Bridgend and not Powys. Powys is a completely different part of Wales. I used to travel this route home from work every day when I was younger (before I could drive). You can see my mother's house (where I lived at the time) when approaching Maesteg station.
I used this line a few years after it reopened and was very surprised at how busy the train was. It reminded me how shortsighted line closures were in the 1960s and what demand there is for decent public transport away from cities. I'm sure there must be dozens of lines around the UK that if reopened would be great successes. Meanwhile politicians and civil servants often downplay or sabotage reopening possibilities with overly conservative traffic estimates. In Scotland, both the new Alloa branch and the new Borders Railway now have traffic levels several times that forecast!
To be fair, at the time lines like this were closed, most people in the towns they served worked locally and didn't use the trains. Now that the jobs are all in Cardiff, there's a demand which in the 60s and 70s there just wasn't.
Excellent video but as i live within a stones throw from Garth, this particular Garth station is Garth (Bridgend) not Garth (Powys). Garth (Powys) is on the central wales line.
MY MUM CAME FROM MAESTEG BUT THE FAMILY MOVED TO ASKERN,DONCSTER PROBABLY TO SEEK WORK.I HAVE A FRIEND THAT LIVES IN YSTRAD MYNACH (HENGOED END) AND WHEN ON A VISIT TO HIS PLACE FOR A WEEK TOOK THE TRAIN TO MAESTEG.WE SAT IN A CAFE' AND HAD A DRINK WHERE MY MUM MAY HAVE SAT MANY YEARS AGO AS A LITTLE GIRL.MUM DIED IN 1996 AGED 74.
It's all by the Garth Station the people living in the houses by there are trying to get Network Rail to pay for it to be removed as its growing underneath the houses, they are apparently responsible for keeping it under control.
Wildmill station shelter one inch too close to the platform edge and they stop the service? How absolutely ridiculous can you get? An inch is minimal! Garth (Powys) is on the the Heart of Wales line. This is Garth (Mid Glamorgan).
It's great to see a beautiful branchline reopened.
Nice video, and scenic, can well remember it as double track and steam trains along here
Glad you enjoyed it
I use to live in Swansea long time ago. This bring back lot of memories. Thanks.
Glad to hear that
I remember visiting Tondu shed (86F) on an official 'spotting' trip in 1955. Fantastically busy place bristling with plenty of tank engines.
First class video -many thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome video!This will definitely help me out! Making this aswell as the other Valley Lines for train sim!
I've never travelled this branch so Thanks for taking us along. It's a pretty line and that's a wonderful set of semaphores at Tondu/Tondu Jct.👍👌😁
Glad you enjoyed it!
I grew up in this area, closer to Porthcawl. When I was an infant, they closed the branch line to Porthcawl. Later, in the 90s when they re-opened this line, they also built some new stations on the mainline, including that near my family home, at Pyle. On a visit home, I was on the first train from there to Cardiff.
Great video, 9:02 the line diverging to the right here hasn’t seen traffic for around 25 years and is very overgrown- rails are still in excellent condition though and go all the way up to Brynmenyn with semaphore signals/levers and many structures intact along the way- strange how none of it has been lifted after all this time
Thanks for the nice video.
Just one point, The Garth station shown is the one nr. Bridgend, and not the one on the Central Wales/Heart of Wales Line in Powys.
Thanks for the info!
Smashing outing. Thanks for sharing. Have read the Channel ‘About’ notes. Makes sense to me. Anyway, life is too noisy as it is. I rabbit on to myself and dread to think what a microphone would pick up. I’d have to edit my life! Enough rabbit. Back to viewing and reading the info.
Very true!
A pleasant virtual journey, and some interesting information. Who would have thought little Tondu once served so many different lines?
Love this!
Very interesting, not been on this line, alas. Must try and get there one day. David, Crouch End, London N8
Great video, one note, the Garth in this video is Bridgend and not Powys. Powys is a completely different part of Wales. I used to travel this route home from work every day when I was younger (before I could drive). You can see my mother's house (where I lived at the time) when approaching Maesteg station.
I used this line a few years after it reopened and was very surprised at how busy the train was. It reminded me how shortsighted line closures were in the 1960s and what demand there is for decent public transport away from cities. I'm sure there must be dozens of lines around the UK that if reopened would be great successes. Meanwhile politicians and civil servants often downplay or sabotage reopening possibilities with overly conservative traffic estimates. In Scotland, both the new Alloa branch and the new Borders Railway now have traffic levels several times that forecast!
To be fair, at the time lines like this were closed, most people in the towns they served worked locally and didn't use the trains. Now that the jobs are all in Cardiff, there's a demand which in the 60s and 70s there just wasn't.
So there’s no Station in LLANGYNWYD AND the track doesn’t go to Caerau anymore!
My house after the garth station just before the crossing on the left 😁
great work thank you so much -The Garth station on this line is Garth Bridgend-the Garth Powys station is of course on the heart of wales line
You are correct
Great vid. How about one from Cardiff central to Rhymney?
Sorry don't have that. I do have Part of the Central Wales line.
Excellent video but as i live within a stones throw from Garth, this particular Garth station is Garth (Bridgend) not Garth (Powys). Garth (Powys) is on the central wales line.
MY MUM CAME FROM MAESTEG BUT THE FAMILY MOVED TO ASKERN,DONCSTER PROBABLY TO SEEK WORK.I HAVE A FRIEND THAT LIVES IN YSTRAD MYNACH (HENGOED END) AND WHEN ON A VISIT TO HIS PLACE FOR A WEEK TOOK THE TRAIN TO MAESTEG.WE SAT IN A CAFE' AND HAD A DRINK WHERE MY MUM MAY HAVE SAT MANY YEARS AGO AS A LITTLE GIRL.MUM DIED IN 1996 AGED 74.
This is my local route used to stand on to top bridge it Tondu when I was a kid to try and get the drives to HONK the horn 😅
Hopefully soon we will see the long awaited half hourly service when the lynfi loop is resignalled at Tondu
Lovely journey, but worrying amount of Japanese Knotweed lining the track in places.
It's all by the Garth Station the people living in the houses by there are trying to get Network Rail to pay for it to be removed as its growing underneath the houses, they are apparently responsible for keeping it under control.
SWANSEA TO LONDON PADDINGTON WOULD BE A GREAT VID 👍
You should do Cardiff to swansea class 175 and maesteg to Newport class 170
Wildmill station shelter one inch too close to the platform edge and they stop the service? How absolutely ridiculous can you get? An inch is minimal!
Garth (Powys) is on the the Heart of Wales line. This is Garth (Mid Glamorgan).
Was this line double tracked or did they allow for anticipate doubling in later years?
You must be the train driver
Would definitely love to see more Welsh routes
We have some to come.
@@RailMart you have literally just made my day!!!
Cavan
Beautiful country.
We agree!