This railway line is now the sirhowy valley walk as far as just outside Blackwood. Very little remains of the railway - this video is nice if you were there when it was running.
Confession. It's been 50 years and I'm living in a different country so catch me if you can. As a kid, I was sent to stay with my aunt for the Summer holidays in Wattsville (between Cwmfelinfach and Crosskeys). The line from Nile Mile Point carried the coal wagons and with the train, looked huge and intimidating. Completely forbidden to us of course. We would inevitably get told off for something when we got home (sometime after dark and hungry) so we would get our feet wet in the Sirhowey and say we had been playing in the river....a lesser crime. Dirty and wet socks were a source of shame to my aunt. One day we picked 100s of crab-apples and put them all along the rail line. My dad had told me how he would put a penny on the line to see it flattened. None of us were prepared to spend and besides, watching crab-apples being squished seemed to promise more entertainment. There was a water-tank for refilling the trains and it happened that we had put the apples where the train stopped. The train, pulling its long line of wagons stopped and proceeded to fill. We waited. The train made to pull away. The wheels slipped and spun violently (to us). It tried again and the wheels simply spun. We had broken the train with crab apples! At least, that how it seemed to us. Of course, they all did that when pulling such loads but we didn't know. It was each man to himself as we beat a hasty retreat down the embankment. A week later, we were still asking each other ' Do you think they fixed it yet?' We passed the rest of the Summer playing in the river. The riverbed was usually black with a sticky mix of coal dust and whatever. We got home a lot dirtier from then on. Seems my aunt only looked at our socks.
I’m too young to remember these lines but my farther told me about where they ran. I always imagined the layout and what it might have looked like, and now I know. Thanks for the video.
Thank you so much for showing us this video. It brought tears to my eyes when I saw the train passing Gelligroes Road, as I thought of the wonderful happy times I spent with my grandparents in Gelligroes Road, and of the times my brother and I would run up to the front bedroom window to watch the trains going by or, climb up the embankment to get a closer view of them. My brother actually broke his wrist on one occasion, after climbing up the embankment, as he fell backwards down onto the road, and broke his wrist, and had to be taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital to get it fixed. It didn't stop him later though, from going up the embankment!
Absolutely brill. Remember as a young lad taking trip on steam train from Pont top station to Newport just before they closed the line. Also played about on the top station by the level crossing as trains were so attractive to us kids. Thanks for these clips.
WOW! Thanks a million for posting this. I have faint memories of using the Sirhowey line as a small child. Much has changed of course though the Pontllanfraith station was as I remember it.
I’d just like to say thank you what a marvellous job you have done. What an era shame it got taken away and yes it would be very useful today what short sightedness and now they may be building HS2 !
Nicholas Jones this line closed about 50 years ago, and now after 3 major recessions' the "credit crunch" of 2008, a winter of discontent and a 3-day week, this line would now be of use again. Judt how would they have known 50 or so years ago that this loss making line would be of use? By loss making it didn't raise enough in revenue to cover a sufficient portion of its operating and maintenance costs.
Shame so much of our railways were lost, especially in Wales, a kind of vandalism in some ways. Could they have not just moth balled everything for later generations to perhaps bring back to life. I firmly believe that British Rail knew at the time that it would have to pay for the total electrification of all lines as steam really was coming to an end. The cost would be enormous so they blamed it on non-profitability as an excuse for line closure. There are some track beds near to me in Watford Herts, that if they had kept open, would be a boon now for commuters. Shortsightedness by Beeching and the BR Board and what a waste of the hard work originally spent in laying these lost railways.
You have expressed so well Mr Carpenter precisely what I and others have felt for so long. Beeching was an utter disaster and has assured his place in British history but not for any good reason.
Christopher Barnett yes, but for how long and at what cost? Remember in 1967 we had to devalue the pound by 14% after 3 years of runs on the Pound which cost us ALL of our foreign currency reserves and MOST of our bulion reserves caused by the country's poor economic performance caused in part by lack of investment in business by the owners/directors in terms of both money, new equipment and new methods of working, unions being stuck in the past and wanting more for less and general economic mismanagement by the Conservatives during the 1950s (these policies encouraged businesses to employ more people than necessary and lead to cycles of boom and bust).
Hi, this is an amazing video, my parents live in Blackwood road just below the police station, I'm just woundering if you have anymore video / PIctures of this area. Thanks Glenn.
Confession. It's been 50 years and I'm living in a different country so catch me if you can.
As a kid, I was sent to stay with my aunt for the Summer holidays in Wattsville (between Cwmfelinfach and Crosskeys). The line from Nile Mile Point carried the coal wagons and with the train, looked huge and intimidating. Completely forbidden to us of course. We would inevitably get told off for something when we got home (sometime after dark and hungry) so we would get our feet wet in the Sirhowey and say we had been playing in the river....a lesser crime. Dirty and wet socks were a source of shame to my aunt.
One day we picked 100s of crab-apples and put them all along the rail line. My dad had told me how he would put a penny on the line to see it flattened. None of us were prepared to spend and besides, watching crab-apples being squished seemed to promise more entertainment.
There was a water-tank for refilling the trains and it happened that we had put the apples where the train stopped. The train, pulling its long line of wagons stopped and proceeded to fill. We waited.
The train made to pull away. The wheels slipped and spun violently (to us). It tried again and the wheels simply spun. We had broken the train with crab apples! At least, that how it seemed to us. Of course, they all did that when pulling such loads but we didn't know.
It was each man to himself as we beat a hasty retreat down the embankment. A week later, we were still asking each other ' Do you think they fixed it yet?'
We passed the rest of the Summer playing in the river. The riverbed was usually black with a sticky mix of coal dust and whatever. We got home a lot dirtier from then on. Seems my aunt only looked at our socks.
@Just Browsing Aye, I know. But the lines been gone these past 40 years ennit. We musta brokeit proper like.
This line would be a real crowd puller were it still here today . truly wonderful
What a shout was all swept away 😫 Great footage 👍🏻
most enjoyable - I really enjoy anything to do with railways and the valleys of South Wales - thankyou!
I’m too young to remember these lines but my farther told me about where they ran. I always imagined the layout and what it might have looked like, and now I know. Thanks for the video.
Thank you so much for showing us this video. It brought tears to my eyes when I saw the train passing Gelligroes Road, as I thought of the wonderful happy times I spent with my grandparents in Gelligroes Road, and of the times my brother and I would run up to the front bedroom window to watch the trains going by or, climb up the embankment to get a closer view of them. My brother actually broke his wrist on one occasion, after climbing up the embankment, as he fell backwards down onto the road, and broke his wrist, and had to be taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital to get it fixed. It didn't stop him later though, from going up the embankment!
Absolutely brill. Remember as a young lad taking trip on steam train from Pont top station to Newport just before they closed the line. Also played about on the top station by the level crossing as trains were so attractive to us kids. Thanks for these clips.
WOW! Thanks a million for posting this. I have faint memories of using the Sirhowey line as a small child. Much has changed of course though the Pontllanfraith station was as I remember it.
I’d just like to say thank you what a marvellous job you have done. What an era shame it got taken away and yes it would be very useful today what short sightedness and now they may be building HS2 !
Nicholas Jones this line closed about 50 years ago, and now after 3 major recessions' the "credit crunch" of 2008, a winter of discontent and a 3-day week, this line would now be of use again. Judt how would they have known 50 or so years ago that this loss making line would be of use? By loss making it didn't raise enough in revenue to cover a sufficient portion of its operating and maintenance costs.
Absolutely stunning pictures thank you
I remember riding my motorbike down on the ballast in the 70's from risca to wyllie after the track had been removed and before they moved the river
This and your other videos are great and so evocative
! Thanks for posting
so hard to believe this has all gone....Risca looks like an main line junction and not a branch line....so sad
I remember this line so well
Great footage.
truly shocking all this could be used today
Shame so much of our railways were lost, especially in Wales, a kind of vandalism in some ways. Could they have not just moth balled everything for later generations to perhaps bring back to life. I firmly believe that British Rail knew at the time that it would have to pay for the total electrification of all lines as steam really was coming to an end. The cost would be enormous so they blamed it on non-profitability as an excuse for line closure. There are some track beds near to me in Watford Herts, that if they had kept open, would be a boon now for commuters. Shortsightedness by Beeching and the BR Board and what a waste of the hard work originally spent in laying these lost railways.
You have expressed so well Mr Carpenter precisely what I and others have felt for so long. Beeching was an utter disaster and has assured his place in British history but not for any good reason.
Great stuff!
Just a reminder...this line was closed before the Beeching Report was published, so closure wasn't his doing.
Mad how things change look how pontllanfrith high level was back then wtf
Great video ex LNW in WALES
brilliant
Even Dr. Beeching ( the devil incarnate to us train buffs back in the day ) advised mothballing these lines in case they could be re-opened later.
Christopher Barnett yes, but for how long and at what cost? Remember in 1967 we had to devalue the pound by 14% after 3 years of runs on the Pound which cost us ALL of our foreign currency reserves and MOST of our bulion reserves caused by the country's poor economic performance caused in part by lack of investment in business by the owners/directors in terms of both money, new equipment and new methods of working, unions being stuck in the past and wanting more for less and general economic mismanagement by the Conservatives during the 1950s (these policies encouraged businesses to employ more people than necessary and lead to cycles of boom and bust).
Great video! :) Ynysddu - spelling...
Vintage SWV footage here. .Tidy
Didn't the Welsh Mystery Flyer go up here with a Type 3.
Hi, this is an amazing video, my parents live in Blackwood road just below the police station, I'm just woundering if you have anymore video / PIctures of this area. Thanks Glenn.
+Glenn Lippiett
Not at the moment Glenn - on the hunt for some new stuff soon
+Glenn Lippiett - New video of the same line, but not anything in blackwood itself this time
Happierfeet Risca
What is there today?
Tidy memories, but it is Ynysddu.
3:50 aint Argoed, that's part of Blackwood Road Pontllanfraith !
Tho it’s spelt Ynysddu lol