Pontypool's Canals and Tramroads

Pontypool's Canals and Tramroads

Pontypool was served by two canals and 9 or more connecting tramroads. The two canals were :-
Monmouthshire Canal, opened in 1796
Brecon and Abergavenny Canal, opened in 1813.

The Parliamentary Acts authorising these canals included a clause allowing tramroads to be built from the canal for up to 8 miles. This clause was extensively used by local industries which accounts for the great number of tramroads in Monmouthshire. The tramroads were :-
Cwmyniscoy Tramroad
Blaendare Tramroad
Upper Blaendare Tramroad
Trosnant Tramroad
Blaen-y-cwm Tramroad
Pontypool Tramway
Cwm-nant-ddu Tramroad
Blaenavon Tramroad
Canalbank Tramroad (see the Trosnant Tramroad)

The Canals through Pontypool

The Monmouthshire Canal

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

The Brecon and Abergavenny Canal - SO 293002

There are three aqueducts at Pontymoile, the Western aqueduct was the route of the Pontypool Tramway, the centre one is the course of the Afon Llwyd and the Eastern one is certainly a footpath now but was it part of a ride from Pontypool House? The outside tubes are probably flood tunnels but the shape of the middle 'tube' is a horseshoe shape. Old maps don't help us much. The Western aqueduct has two tunnels, one probably a watercouse and the other carried the tramway from the Lower Mills tinplate works to the Osborne Forge. All three aqueducts are in excellent condition.

Canal tollhouse	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

Pontymoile Basin - SO 2918 0018

Pontymoile became the hub of the canal and tramroad network when the Brecon and Abergavenny Canal joined the Monmouthshire Canal from Pontnewynydd here in 1812. The present-day basin is the rump of the Monmouthshire Canal's route 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, Lower section	Pontymoile Basin, Upper section	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad
Pontymoile basin tramroad sleepers	Pontymoile basin tramroad sleepers

Cwmynyscoy tramroad

Cwmynyscoy Tramroad

The 3' 4" Cwmynyscoy Tramroad operated from c1796 to c1900 and possibly to the 1930s as the quarry tramway. It connected the quarries to the canal and then exchange sidings on the Taff Vale Extension Railway and under it to the Pontymoile Tinplate Works. Most of it can be followed as footpaths or lanes. The Cwmynyscoy line certainly appears to have reached Blaendare at some time but possibly only to the brickworks through the tunnel rather than the ironworks. This may be the tunnel described by a visitor from America in 1828 as being on a tramroad to Pontymoile. Baxter calls this the 'Blaendare' tramroad' but it is usually accepted that the 'Blaendare Tramroad' was another line running up the Glyn Valley from the Trosnant Tramroad canal wharves.

Tramroads around Pontypool	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	TVER Tramroad bridge
Tramroad Cottage	Tramroad Cottage	Tramroad at Rock Hill Road	Tramroad at Victoria Road
Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad
Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad
Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad
Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad
Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad	Cwmynyscoy Tramroad

Tunnel to Long Row - ST 2772 9956

This may be the tunnel described by a visitor from America in 1828 as being on a tramroad to Pontymoile. It doesn't seem to be very deep so maybe a covered route under slagheaps as at Garndyrys Ironworks, Blaenavon. We visited this tunnel in 2017 but in 2021 it appears to have been covered over. However, as consolation, we found a tramplate sticking out of the bank in the same area.

Tunnel at Upper Race	Tunnel at Upper Race	Tunnel at Upper Race
Tunnel at Upper Race	Tunnel at Upper Race	Tunnel at Upper Race
Tunnel at Upper Race	Tunnel at Upper Race	Tramplate at Upper Race

Blaendare and Trosnant Tramroads

Blaendare Tramroad - SO 2712 0219

The Blaendare and Trosnant Tramroads appear to have shared a wharf or adjacent wharves on the canal but then went their separate ways. The Blaendare Tramroad appears to have kept to the South bank of the Glyn Valley through Coed Alice to Lower Race before heading up to Blaendare Ironworks. Rattenbury say that this route has been 'verified on the ground' but doesn't say how or where. It was probably 3' 4" gauge as was the original Trosnant Tramroad. Baxter does not mention this line.

Blaendare Tramroad route up to Lower Race

The possible route of the Blaendare Tramroad

The upper tramroad at Blaendare

Trosnant Tramroad - SO 2712 0219

The Blaendare and Trosnant Tramroads appear to have shared a wharf on the canal. Then the Trosnant Tramroad took a route to the North of the Trosnant Brook (Glyn Valley). It probably followed what became the 'Taff Vale Extension Railway' before following the road to Old Furnace. passing the foot of the incline from Blaen-y-cwm. It opened c1796 to 3' 4" gauge but Baxter says it wes re-gauged to 4' 2" c1803 and extended along the canalbank to Pontymoile, possibly connecting to the Blaenavon Tramroad at Pontnewynydd by c1829.

The probable route of the Trosnant Tramroad

Old Furnace in c1955

Blaen-y-cwm Tramroad

Blaen-y-Cwm Railroad c1800 - c1855

The 3' 4" Blaen-y-Cwm Railroad dates from c1800 to the 1850s following the Western and Southern sides of the Cwm-ffrwd-oer valley. It followed the lane to Pant-y-Gasseg village, on to Coch-y-North and down an incline to Old Furnace. The incline was one of the few using a chain for haulage but it was too much of a deadweight and was replaced with a rope. Other than its route, there is little evidence of its railroad days but I've finally found a stone sleeper near Tir-pentwys Farm - there may be more! Following its closure Wedgwood & Kendall, owners of Blaen-y-cwm Colliery, opened a new tramway on the Northern side of the valley (see the Cwm-ffrwd-oer page)

Blaen-y-cwm Railroad, 1843	Blaen-y-cwm Railroad, 1843	Blaen-y-cwm Railroad, 1843	Blaen-y-cwm Railroad, 1843
Blaen-y-cwm Railroad trust document	The start of the line at the colliery	The site of Blaen-y-Cwm Colliery	Approaching Tyr Ysgubor Ddu
Passing Black Barn Colliery	Nearly at Ty Gwyn	Ty Gwyn barn, Pant-y-Gasseg	Ty Gwyn barn, Pant-y-Gasseg
Ty Gwyn barn, Pant-y-Gasseg	Ty Gwyn barn, Pant-y-Gasseg	Ty Gwyn Cottages, Pant-y-Gasseg	Ty Gwyn Cottages, Pant-y-Gasseg
Ty Gwyn Cottages, Pant-y-Gasseg	Passing Ty Gwyn Colliery	Passing Ty Mary-Harry	Across to Tir Pentwys Farm
Tir Pentwys Farm sleeper	Nearing Pant-y-Gasseg village	Looking back at Pant-y-Gasseg	Nearing the level crossing
Looking back at The Masons Arms	On the way to Woodland Cottage	In the woods at Coedcae Newydd	In the woods at Coedcae Newydd

Incline to Old Furnace - SO 2677 0053

Coch-y-North Quarry is at the end of the original tramroad from Blaen-y-cwm Colliery and at the head of the incline down to Old Furnace and the Trosnant Tramroad. This is the incline that used chains which proved too heavy for successful operation.

Old Furnace, 1843 tithe map	Old Furnace, 1881	Old Furnace in c1955
Approaching Incline Top	Coch-y-North Incline Top	Coch-y-North incline
Coch-y-North Lane Quarry	Coch-y-North Lane Quarry	Coch-y-North Lane Quarry

Pontypool Tramway and Tramroad

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
A train near Osborne Forge		Tramway near Town Bridge	Tramway near Town Bridge
Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel interior
Tramway tunnel interior	Tramway tunnel portal	Tramway tunnel approach	Tramway tunnel approach
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		Tramway to Pontymoile	Tramway to Pontymoile

Pontypool Tramroad

A tramroad is shown on the 1836 map roughly following the canal from the terminus of the Blaenavon Tramroad. It connected with the Trosnant and Blaendare Tramroads before meeting the Cwmynyscoy Tramroad and ending at Pontymoile Basin. It may have followed the towpath but a tunnel existed near Bridge Street. It may have been an extension to the Blaenavon Tramroad from Pontnewynydd. It has been completely destroyed by later reconstructions.

Cwm-Nant-Ddu and Blaenavon Tramroads

Blaenavon Tramroad - SO 2712 0219

The terminus of the Blaenavon Tramroad (3' 4" gauge, later 4' 2" c1829) was at Railway Terrace, Pontnewynydd where it connected with the terminus of the Monmouthshire Canal at a simple wharf. The route to Blaenavon was converted to the low-level line c1850)

Pontnewynydd, Railway Parade

Pontnewynydd, Railway Parade today

Pontnewynydd, Railway Parade today

Cwmnantddu Tramroad - SO 2696 0169

The Cwmnantddu Tramroad (Probably 3' 4" gauge) ran from a wharf on the Monmouthshire Canal up to the small collieries in the Cwmnantddu Valley. The route up the valley was generally rebuilt as the GWR branchline c1850 to Blaenserchan Colliery but it was on a slightly different alignment in Pontnewynydd.

Cwmnantddu Tramroad in Pontnewynydd

Cwmnantddu Tramroad at New Row

Cwmnantddu Tramroad at the Bridgend Inn

Cwmnantddu Tramroad at the Bridgend Inn

Acknowledgments, sources and further reading.

Thanks for the use of their photographs and maps to :-
Bertram Baxter, Clive Davies, Bill Gascoigne, Miles Gladson, Dennis Hopkins, Mike Kilner, Roy Morgan, Alan Murray-Rust, Gordon Rattenbury, Lawrence Skuse, Steve Wells and 'Coflein'
'Tramroads of Pontypool in Pre-railway Days' by Gordon Rattenbury, RCHS Journal, 1972.
'Stone Blocks and Iron Rails' by Bertram Baxter, 1966.<.br> 'Down to Pontymoile' by Roy Morgan, 1998.