Griffithstown and Panteg

Along the canal bank and railways

A footpath ran between the two sections of Panteg Steelworks and lead to the original NAHR station building, derelict but still standing in 2009, and an unusual footbridge over the Hereford line.

Griffithstown canalside	Griffithstown skew bridge	Griffithstown skew bridge	Griffithstown Station, MRCC
Bridge over the GWR (NAHR)	Bridge over the GWR (NAHR)	Panteg Station GWR (NAHR)	Panteg Station footbridge
Panteg, Freightliner '66547'	Panteg, Freightliner '66547'

County Hospital, Griffithstown - ST 2927 9956

A narrow-gauge tramway ran from a siding on the MRCC line to deliver coal to the hospital boiler house. It crossed the Monmouthshire Canal to the hospital grounds on what appears to be simply a couple of girders on concrete abutments. The girders have gone but the abutments remain.The line was a simple 'L' shape, the wagon being moved by hand. I don't think it even boasted a siding. It's on the 1965 map but not on the 1948 map, I'd suspect it was closed soon after, when natural gas arrived.

County Hospital tramway, 1965

County Hospital tramway, Panteg

County Hospital tramway, Panteg

Pontypool Gasworks, New Inn - ST 2960 9980

The second gasworks in Pontypool opened in 1946, right beside Pontypool Road loco sheds, with extensive sidings coming off the Hereford line. The works closed in 1973 and the site is now an industrial estate. A public footpath ran around the site, beside the Hereford line, and to avoid the railway connecting line, a pedestrian subway was built. This still exists, fenced off and very overgrown, with the footpath now crossing the trackbed. The foundations of the main gasholder, which was dismantled in 2005, also lurks in the undergrowth.

Pontypool Gasworks subway	Pontypool Gasworks subway	Pontypool Gasworks subway
Pontypool Gasworks subway	Pontypool Gasworks subway	Pontypool Gasworks subway

Panteg Steelworks - ST 2965 9840

The Panteg Steelworks began operation in 1973 but had mixed success until 1883 when acquired by the forerunners of Richard Thomas and Baldwins Ltd. A period of expansion and modernisation followed right up to the late 1980s. Subsequently the works considerably reduced its activities and rail traffic ceased in 1989 before the final closure in 2004. In 2009 the upper part of the works had been demolished, the lower part was still standing but derelict. The site is now a housing estate.

Peckett 2146 of 1953

Panteg steelworks sidings

Panteg steelworks site

Panteg steelworks site

Pontymoile and Little Mill

The canal aqueducts - SO 293002
Pontypool NAHR Station - SO 2977 0011

There are three aqueducts at Pontymoile, the centre one is the course of the Afon Llwyd, the Western one was the route of the Pontypool Tramway and the Eastern one less obvious. It is certainly a footpath now but was it also a tramway route? The outside tubes are probably flood tunnels but the shape of the middle 'tube' suggests a horse tramway. There is no evidence of this on the old maps but.... The Western aqueduct has two tunnels, the Western one probably a watercouse and the Eastern one carried the tramway from the Lower Mills tinplate works to Pontypool town. All three aqueducts are in excellent condition.

Canal aqueduct over Afon Llwyd	Aqueduct over tramway and leat	Aqueduct over tramway and leat	Canal aqueduct over a footpath
Canal aqueduct over a footpath	Canal tollhouse		Pontypool NAHR Station

Pontymoile Basin - SO 2918 0018

Pontymoile Basin is the rump of the Monmouthshire Canal's branch to Pontnewynydd which closed in 1851 when the MRCC line to Blaenavon was built. It was the terminus of the Trosnant Tramroad from 1810. Stone sleepers from the tramroad were still present in 1952.

Pontymoile basin tramroad sleepers

Pontymoile basin tramroad sleepers

Pontymoile Tinplate Works - SO 2891 0046

This listed building in the builders merchant's yard is described as an iron and brass foundry on early maps and is the last remnant of the tinplate works complex.

Pontypool Foundry building	Pontypool Foundry building	Pontypool Foundry from above
Pontypool Foundry advert	'Pontypool Foundry & Eng Co Ld'

Little Mill brickworks - SO 3150 0220

Originally shown as 'Bryntovey Brick Works' on OS maps, this works was started by John Burgoyne in 1850 according to his bricks! The name was changed to 'Little Mill Brick Co' around 1910 and the works continued until the 1980s, becoming a Go-Kart track

Little Mill brickworks, 1899	Little Mill brickworks, 1948	Little Mill Brickworks in 1983	Little Mill Brickworks in 1983
'Burgoyne PP'	'Burgoyne est 1850 Plastic Pressed'	'J Burgoyne Pontypool'	'Little Mill'
'Little Mill Estb 1850'	'Little Mill Pontypool'	'Little Mill Brick Pontypool', type 1	'Little Mill Brick Pontypool', type 2
'Little Mill Brick Pontypool', type 3	'Little Mill Brick Co Pontypool', type 1	'Little Mill Brick Co Pontypool', type 2	Little Mill Brick Company Pontypool'

Pontypool Town

The MRCC through Pontypool

The MRCC has almost vanished under new roads through Pontypool.

MRCC embankment	MRCC Goods shed	Railway arch on Crane Street	Site of original gasworks
Lower Bridge Street bridge	Lower Bridge Street bridge	George Street bridge, 1967

Pontypool Tramway - ST 2830 0081

The Pontypool Tramway, ran from Lower Mill, Pontymoile, to Osborne Forge at Pontnewynydd. It was opened as a tramroad c1825 and is shown on the 1843 Tithe Map. Up until 1836 a loop served the Pontypool Park furnace. It was converted to a railway at some time and the tracks appear to have been lifted on the 1920 OS map. It passed under the canal at Pontymoile through the still-existing tunnels and can be traced up the lane, across Usk Road and past Pontymoile tinplate works. The tramway carries along the riverbank through the leisure centre car park. The tunnel under the town centre was originally constructed c1825 but has probably been enlarged to take the railway. It is still maintained as it contains pipework for one of the services. There are openings to the right onto the steep riverbank and then it is blocked up. It is untraceable beyond here as it carried on along the riverbank to Town and Osborne Forges. Modern housing and roads have obliterated the area but in places the Western river banks and walls show their age and heritage.

Pontypool Tramway, 1901	Pontypool Tramway, 1901	Pontypool Tramway, 1901	Pontypool Tramway, 1901
Tramway tunnel approach	Tramway tunnel approach	Tramway tunnel portal	Tramway tunnel interior
Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel interior
Tramway looking South	Tramway looking South	Tramway looking South	Tramway looking South
Tramway looking North	Tramway looking North	Tramway looking North	Trosnant tramway bridge
Trosnant stream sluice gate		A train near Osborne Forge

Trosnant weir - SO 2842 0068

The weir was the principal source of water for the leat to the Pontymoile Tinplate Works and the Lower Mills, running alongside the tramway. The single Eastern sluice gate controlled the level of water behind the weir while the Western pair controlled the flow of water into the leat. On the opposite side of the river a leat led to Park Forge with the water returning to the river from the upper of the three tunnels further downstream.

Trosnant weir, 1881	Trosnant weir, Pontypool	Trosnant weir, Pontypool	Trosnant weir, Pontypool
Trosnant weir, Pontypool	Trosnant weir, Pontypool	Trosnant weir, Pontypool	Trosnant weir, Pontypool

Pontymoile reservoir - SO 2882 0055

This reservoir was just above Pontymoile Tinplate Works and an overflow tunnel led back to the river, controlled by a sluice gate.

Pontymoile reservoir, 1881	Reservoir overflow tunnel	Reservoir overflow tunnel
Reservoir overflow tunnel	Reservoir sluice gate	Reservoir sluice gate

Pontypool Park Furnace

Pontypool Park Furnace dates from the 1750s and was roughly where the leisure centre stands now. It was dismantled in 1831 and only the watercourse is shown on the 1843 Tithe Map. The watercourse comes from the weir upstream from the leisure centre. A loop on the Pontypool Tramway served the furnace and there may have been a tramroad link to the forge at Pont-y-Felin which could have used the central tunnel of the Eastern aqueduct under the canal.

Riverbank tunnels - SO 2860 0070

Three tunnels emerge from the Eastern riverbank in quick succession. The first is quite small and the water from it crossed the river on an aqueduct and appears to have fed the leat from the weir to the Lower Mill. The second may have been the outlet from the waterwheel at Park Forge and the third is for the stream.

Tithe map of Pontypool Park	Pontypool Park, 1881	Pontypool Park, 1881	The three park tunnels
Pontypool Park upper tunnel	Pontypool Park upper tunnel	Pontypool Park upper tunnel
Park aqueduct abutments	Pontypool Park middle tunnel
Pontypool Park lower tunnel	Pontypool Park lower tunnel	Pontypool Park lower tunnel	Pontypool Park lower tunnel

Twmpath Colliery - SO 2777 0043

Twmpath Colliery is shown as 'disused' on the 1881 map. Even though it is marked as a coal mine it may well have started as an ironstone mine possibly linked with the Wainfelin iron mine.

Wern Hill Colliery - SO 2758 0080

Wern Hill Colliery operated from the 1890s to the 1930s, latterly owned by the Mynydd Maen Colliery Co and connected to both Mynydd Maen and the Elled Colliery underground.

Twmpath Colliery, Pontypool, 1881

Wern Hill Colliery, Pontypool, 1920

Wern Hill Colliery, Pontypool, 1909

Wern Hill Colliery, Pontypool, 2005

Pontypool's other tunnels

There was a network of tunnels under the main shopping streets of Pontypool, Crane Street, Market Street and towards George Street. From 'Old Pontypool', "They were like delivery tunnels to the shops with an access hatch and steps to each individual shop. There seemed to be what could be described as Loading Bays down there as well, They went as far as the end of Market St." and " Go down the steps (below Crane St.) and right on the Bottom there is a steel Manhole cover, when I worked on the building of Fine Fare we had to remove this cover there is a lovely stone tunnel going up Crane St. and also turns right to George St."

The Tramroads and canal of Pontypool and Pontnewynydd

The Monmouthshire Canal from Pontymoile to Pontnewyndd

The Monmouthshire Canal from Newport to Pontnewynydd was opened in 1796 along with the Blaenavon, Blaendare and Trosnant Tramroads. The stretch of canal between Pontymoile and Pontnewynydd was difficult to keep full of water so by 1829 the tramroads had been extended to Pontymoile. In 1849 the section above Pontypool town was closed and four years later everything above Pontymoile had shut. In 1854 the Canal route was turned into the extended Blaenavon Tramroad as the 'Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Co', bypassing Pontymoile basin altogether.

The Monmouthshire Canal to Pontnewynydd	The Monmouthshire Canal at Pontnewynydd	The Tramroads of Pontypool and Pontnewyndd
Pontnewynydd, Railway Parade	Pontnewynydd, Railway Parade today	Pontnewynydd, Railway Parade today
Remains of the canal, 1981	Remains of the canal, 1981	Remains of the canal, 1981
Canal-bank houses near Pontymoile	Pontymoile basin tramroad sleepers	Pontymoile basin tramroad sleepers

Pontnewynydd

Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine - SO 2751 0171

The origins of Wainfelin iron mine go back to before 1765. It was originally worked from the Glyn Valley end for the 'Old Furnace' open from 1576 to its closure in 1830. The Pontnewynydd entrance appears to have been a new use for the tunnel as the original arch here had a keystone inscribed 'CHL 1831'. Gordon Rattenbury says that it then connected Glyn Pits with Osbourne Forge. Coal raised at the Glyn Pits was sent to the nearby Balance Pit by tramroad. There it was lowered down the Balance Pit shaft to be taken underground to Osbourne Forge. The 1880 OS map shows a coal level near Osborne Forge, SO 2769 0164, which may have been part of the same complex.

Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine, 1880	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine
Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine
Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine	Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine

Merchants Hill - SO 2752 0163

Tramplates at Merchant's Hill	Tramplates at Merchant's Hill	Tramplates at Merchant's Hill	Tramplates at Merchant's Hill
Tramplates at Merchant's Hill	Merchants Hill low level bridge	Merchants Hill low level bridge	Merchants Hill high level bridge

Pontnewynydd Tinplate Works powerhouse - SO 2696 0171

This building is believed to be the powerhouse for Pontnewynydd Tinplate Works but has recently been demolished. I was surprised to find that I had only taken two photos of it so Miles Gladson has kindly provided some more.

Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse
Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse
Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse
Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse	Tinplate works powerhouse

Tranch and Elled Collieries

Elled Colliery levels	Elled Colliery levels	Tranch Colliery from the North
Tranch Colliery from the South	Tranch Colliery from the South	GWR low-level bridge

Cwm Ffrwd Oer Village and Plas-y-coed

Oak brickworks - SO 2654 0172
Gwenallt Colliery, or Jack Pit - SO 2635 0160
Viaduct Colliery - SO 2637 0191

Oak brickworks first appears on the 1899 OS map and produced bricks and pipes until the late 1960s or early 1970s. In the 1920s, John Maybury was chairman of the Oak Brick Co, Pontypool, so it is possible Maybury bricks were produced with a Maybury die at the Oak works. Across the railway line Gwenallt Colliery, or Jack Pit, was open before 1880 and was used for pumping Tirpentwys from 1929 to 1949. The site is now the local football pitch. Viaduct Colliery was primarily a GKN fireclay mine for GKN from 1900 to 1953, currently the primary school.

Oak brickworks, 1899	Oak brickworks, 1938	Oak brickworks and collieries	Oak Brickworks
'Oak' type 1	'Oak' type 2	'Oak' type 3	'Oak Pontypool'
'Oak Brick Co Pontypool', type 1	'Oak Brick Co Pontypool' type 2	'Oak Brick Co Pontypool' type 3	'Oak Brick Co Pontypool' type 4
'Oak Brick Co Pontypool' type 5	'Maybury & Co Newport Mon'	A runaway train at Oak Brickworks	Site of Gwenallt Colliery

Eastern Valleys Blackvein Colliery, Plas-y-Coed - SO 2621 0138

Up to 1899 the site was Plas-y-coed Brickworks but, by 1917, had become the Eastern Valleys Blackvein Colliery, closing in 1939.

Plasycoed drainage level

Plasycoed drainage level

Eastern Valleys Colliery

Around Plas-y-Coed and Pentrepiod

Re-inforced bridge at Cwmffrwdoer	Cwmffrwdoer Halt from the South	Cwmffrwdoer Viaduct	GWR Cwmffrwdoer branch
GWR Cwmffrwdoer branch	GWR branch bridge foundations	Cwm Ddu from Plas-y-coed	Cwm Ddu from Plas-y-coed
Pentrepiod platelayers hut	Pentrepiod underbridge	Pentrepiod underbridge	Pentrepiod underbridge

Acknowledgments, sources and further reading.

Thanks for the use of their photographs to :-
Clive Davies, Bill Gascoigne, Miles Gladson, Dennis Hopkins, Mike Kilner, Alan Murray-Rust, Gordon Rattenbury, Lawrence Skuse, Steve Wells and 'Coflein'
'The Wainfelin and Tranch Iron Mine' by Bill Gascoigne, November 1993. A description and history with photos and a plan of the workings.