44:40, nice view of the remaining abutment of the Llanbradach (Pwll-y-pant) viaduct on the left. Connected the Barry Railway to the Brecon and Merthyr to increase coal traffic from Barry Docks to the Midlands. Built in the early 20th Century but closed and demolished before the start of WW2. Nice video, thanks for posting.
Great video. Bit of trivia for you. Ystrad Mynach was the station Fletcher, played by Ronnie Barker, arrived at on his way to prison in the pilot episode of Porridge.
Woo-hop! More Wales just like you promised! Can you tell I’m excited. I grew up in South Wales so seeing these routes from the front can is amazing for me!
Also to watch out for if you ever get the chance, is the stretch of railway between Radyr and Taff’s Well as it runs along the river and you get the Disneyesque Castell Coch (Red Castle) towering on the side of the mountain on the other side of the river. Also the whole stretch of railway between Swansea as it goes right along the coast and before turning upriver to Carmarthen you glimpse Llansteffan Castle guarding the river estuary. Both routes quite spectacular but not so well known. Don’t know if they would ever come up for you though!
Top quality! Didn’t have time to run it last night, but I jumped on board this morning. Another good chance for me to learn and enjoy. Thank you so much.
At the 28 minute mark you are passing through the location of the former Nelson & Llancaiach station which originally had 3 platforms and 4 lines, it closed in 1964 and very little is left. I grew up and still live in Nelson. During the 70's this area echoed to the sound of class 37's serving the collieries of Deep Navigation & Taff Merthyr, class 47's had the run up to Cwm Bargoed.
I live near Cwmbargoed and photograph train movements when I can. Some weeks we get two trains up there at the same time, one to Port Talbot and one to Hope in Derbyshire. It all ends next year though when their coal extraction license ends. On May 11th we had 66108 there in DRS livery which was very rare. Prior to 66s we had 37s and 58s plus several railtours.
It has always puzzled me about the collapse of the coal industry in Britain. In an age where burning coal can be done in an environmentally safe manner, it makes more sense to use this resource instead of relying of expensive alternative power sources.
I was on Ystrad Mynach station a few weeks ago and saw one of these coal trains climbing up this line toward Ffos-Y-Fran. It's nice to see what the entire route looks like. Lovely video. There's a small mistake in the above notes from RailMart. There is no such place as the "Brecons". The Brecon Beacons (Beacons for short) start about 10 miles north of where the journey starts. Cwmbargoed washery is on the the northern edge of the South Wales Coalfield. The area is most commonly known as the Heads of the Valleys.
As seen through the front window in the era of DMUs - if you go through the tunnel the other way, then for almost all of it you can see the distant light at the end! Cefn Onn station, closed 1986, when replaced by Lisvane, was at the tunnel's south end by that pillar that is the remains of a crumbled demolished footbridge. There was a bend near that end of the tunnel, but past there it was all straight.
That’s a long decent, seems to go down forever. No wonder there’s a 20 mph limit. Takes some skill to not let that train run away from you I would guess. How often does this train run ?
It is confusing with all the railways that used to run down every valley,but the line you are referring to,Rob,is in another valley. This line is the gw/rr joint line from Dowlais down to Nelson where it joins to the vale of neath line eastwards then onto the Rhymney line proper and so to Ystrad Mynach south.I am old enough to remember this as the domain of the 56xx class.
44:40, nice view of the remaining abutment of the Llanbradach (Pwll-y-pant) viaduct on the left. Connected the Barry Railway to the Brecon and Merthyr to increase coal traffic from Barry Docks to the Midlands. Built in the early 20th Century but closed and demolished before the start of WW2. Nice video, thanks for posting.
Very interesting journey which is completely new to me. Well done.
Glad to hear it!
Great video. Bit of trivia for you. Ystrad Mynach was the station Fletcher, played by Ronnie Barker, arrived at on his way to prison in the pilot episode of Porridge.
Woo-hop! More Wales just like you promised! Can you tell I’m excited. I grew up in South Wales so seeing these routes from the front can is amazing for me!
Hope you enjoy it!
@@RailMart certainly am!
Also to watch out for if you ever get the chance, is the stretch of railway between Radyr and Taff’s Well as it runs along the river and you get the Disneyesque Castell Coch (Red Castle) towering on the side of the mountain on the other side of the river. Also the whole stretch of railway between Swansea as it goes right along the coast and before turning upriver to Carmarthen you glimpse Llansteffan Castle guarding the river estuary. Both routes quite spectacular but not so well known. Don’t know if they would ever come up for you though!
Top quality! Didn’t have time to run it last night, but I jumped on board this morning. Another good chance for me to learn and enjoy. Thank you so much.
Good stuff!
Great video as usual, I really enjoyed the tour of an obscure line. Good place for a rail tour as Jon Townsend said.
Marvellous video I really enjoyed it 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
At the 28 minute mark you are passing through the location of the former Nelson & Llancaiach station which originally had 3 platforms and 4 lines, it closed in 1964 and very little is left. I grew up and still live in Nelson. During the 70's this area echoed to the sound of class 37's serving the collieries of Deep Navigation & Taff Merthyr, class 47's had the run up to Cwm Bargoed.
It would be nice to get a rail tour up to the washery, the scenery is lovely, thanks for sharing.
It goes down very well with me early morning coffee.
Maybe one day!
Noticed the buildings and chute is still there at Ffynonnau Dduon No3 at 10:06 . Unfortunately they’ve been demolished now.
So much litter!
I live near Cwmbargoed and photograph train movements when I can. Some weeks we get two trains up there at the same time, one to Port Talbot and one to Hope in Derbyshire. It all ends next year though when their coal extraction license ends. On May 11th we had 66108 there in DRS livery which was very rare. Prior to 66s we had 37s and 58s plus several railtours.
It has always puzzled me about the collapse of the coal industry in Britain. In an age where burning coal can be done in an environmentally safe manner, it makes more sense to use this resource instead of relying of expensive alternative power sources.
a nice trip thank you.
Our pleasure!
Good video
I was on Ystrad Mynach station a few weeks ago and saw one of these coal trains climbing up this line toward Ffos-Y-Fran. It's nice to see what the entire route looks like. Lovely video. There's a small mistake in the above notes from RailMart. There is no such place as the "Brecons". The Brecon Beacons (Beacons for short) start about 10 miles north of where the journey starts. Cwmbargoed washery is on the the northern edge of the South Wales Coalfield. The area is most commonly known as the Heads of the Valleys.
As seen through the front window in the era of DMUs - if you go through the tunnel the other way, then for almost all of it you can see the distant light at the end!
Cefn Onn station, closed 1986, when replaced by Lisvane, was at the tunnel's south end by that pillar that is the remains of a crumbled demolished footbridge. There was a bend near that end of the tunnel, but past there it was all straight.
Oh look! Dinner running along the track-bed @ 23:27 ......
Caerphilly station looks like it could be on a main line somewhere - long platforms.
Great video. Pity you have to record when there is a gobfest in the cab.
To see what it was like on the footplate with Griffo or Kedwell driving watch this on x4 speed and spill tea everywhere.
That’s a long decent, seems to go down forever. No wonder there’s a 20 mph limit. Takes some skill to not let that train run away from you I would guess. How often does this train run ?
You're braking nearly all the way down. There's one spot at Nelson where power needs to be applied but by Ystrad Mynach your brakes are white hot!
It would have been good to see a view of the locomotive and carriages. Would make up for no sound.
It might be worth mentioning that initially we are following the Brecon & Merthyr Railway as far as Deri, then over the Rhymney Railway.
Thanks for that.
It is confusing with all the railways that used to run down every valley,but the line you are referring to,Rob,is in another valley.
This line is the gw/rr joint line from Dowlais down to Nelson where it joins to the vale of neath line eastwards then onto the Rhymney line proper and so to Ystrad Mynach south.I am old enough to remember this as the domain of the 56xx class.
Was this line double track. It looks like it.
I thought that, too.
yes it was
N America's still cheap, there are still too many dangerous level crossings (this island city here happens to prefer its streets pass underneath)