The Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway

The Background and the Route

The MTAR was originally an independent compay, backed by Crawshay Bailey but almost at once being leased to the LNWR. It was opened in 1862 following the courses of Baileys Govilon Tramroad and the Llanvihangel Tramroad from Brynmawr to Abergavenny. By 1864 the line was extended to Nantybwch and reached Dowlais by 1873. A joint agreement with the Brecon and Merthyr Railway in 1879 finally gave it access to Merthyr Tydvil. It was a steep and exposed line and difficult to work at the best of times. It closed in 1957, the last train being a 'Special' in 1958 but Abergavenny goods yard lingered on to 1971. The Dowlais to Beaufort section was virtually destroyed by the building of the A465 Heads of the Valley road but the route from there to Abergavenny is now a footpath for most of its route.

The MTAR at Dowlais	The MTAR at Rhynmey Bridge	The MTAR at Brynmawr	The MTAR in the Clydach Gorge
The MTAR at Abergavenny

From Abergavenny to Govilon

Abergavenny

Retaining wall, Union Street	River Usk bridge abutments	Bridge over River Usk	Bridge over River Usk
Abergavenny Tramroad, c1830	Viaduct over the River Usk

Llanfoist

Bridge abutments, Llanfoist

LNWR milepost, The Cutting

Abergavenny Tramroad, Llanfoist

B4246 bridge, Llanfoist

Govilon

Brdge over the canal	Brdge over the canal	Bridge over canal, Govilon	Govilon crossing keepers cottage
Level crossing sleeper, Govilon	Govilon Station	Govilon Station	LMS noticeboard, Govilon Station

From Govilon to Clydach

Govilon to Gilwern

Bridges near Govilon	Bridges near Govilon	Bridges near Govilon	Bridges near Govilon
4 mile post neat Wilden	Wilden lower bridge	Wilden lower bridge	Wilden Viaduct, Govilon
Permanent Way hut	Permanent Way hut	'Thunderbox' near Govilon	Twyn Allwys Lane 'Thunderbox'
Twyn Allwys Lane bridge	Twyn Allwys Lane bridge

Gilwern

Pentre bridge, Gilwern	LNWR gate and fittings at Pentre	LNWR gate and fittings at Pentre	LNWR gate and fittings at Pentre
Gradient post near Gilwern	3/4 milepost near Pentre	Ty Gwyn bridge, Gilwern	Ty Gwyn bridge, Gilwern
MTAR siding into Gilwern Quarry	Gilwern Station	Gilwern Station	Gilwern Station
Gilwern Station	Gilwern Station	Gilwern Station	Gilwern Station

From Gilwern to Clydach - the 'missing' stretch

The 'missing' stretch of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway is accessable from a footpath that crosses it about halfway along, not that there's much to see, the quarry and station are much more interesting. The railway has been built on top of Baileys Tramroad for this section.

'Missing' trackbed near Gilwern	'Missing' trackbed near Gilwern	'Missing' trackbed near Gilwern	'Missing' trackbed near Gilwern
'Missing' trackbed near Gilwern	'Missing' trackbed near Gilwern	Level Crossing cottage

Through the Clydach Gorge to Brynmawr

Clydach Station - SO 2320 1270

Clydach viaduct, Station and tunnel

Tankers Row underbridge	Tankers Row water tank	Clydach Viaduct	Clydach Viaduct culvert
Clydach Viaduct	Clydach Viaduct	Clydach Viaduct	Clydach Viaduct from Tyla
Clydach Station	Clydach Station	Clydach Station	Clydach Station
Clydach Tunnel North bore to East	Clydach Tunnel North bore to East	Clydach Tunnel South bore to East	Clydach Tunnel South bore to East
Tunnel West portal, North bore	Tunnel West portal, South bore	Clydach Tunnel gradient post

Llanelly Quarry - SO 22230 1247

Llanelly Quarry supplied the limestone to Clydach Ironworks originally using the Llammarch Tramroad of 1795. The 1811 incline actually ended in the quarry area so the MTAR had to build two arches, one for the incline and the other for the tramroad on up to Waunllapria. The MTAR put in sidings from the Eastern end and two sets of limekilns were built at either end, the eastern set have a headstone iscribed 'GP 1892'. The quarry and sidings closed in the 1930s and reopened for roadstone from 1951 to 1963 using road transport.

Sychnant Viaduct	Sychnant Viaduct	Sychnant Viaduct	Building at Sychnant Viaduct
Building at Sychnant Viaduct	Quarry junction milepost	Llanelly Quarry siding junction	GS & WR notice board, Llanelly Hill

Darenfelen - SO 2180 1230

Darenfelen drainage shaft	Trackbed at Darenfelen	Trackbed at Darenfelen	Trackbed at Darenfelen
Trackbed at Darenfelen	Trackbed retaining arch	Building foundation	Gellifelen Tunnel approach
Gellifelen portals and culvert	Trackbed at Darenfelen	Gellifelen Tunnel, Eastern portals	Gellifelen Tunnel, Eastern portals

The culverts under the embankment at Darenfelen - SO 2181 1214

Darenfelen 'dry' culvert	Darenfelen 'dry' culvert	Darenfelen 'dry' culvert	Darenfelen 'dry' culvert
Darenfelen 'dry' culvert	Darenfelen 'dry' culvert	Darenfelen 'dry' culvert	Darenfelen 'dry' culvert
Nant Llammarch culvert	Nant Llammarch culvert	Nant Llammarch culvert	Nant Llammarch culvert
Nant Llammarch culvert	Nant Llammarch culvert	Nant Llammarch culvert tramplate	Culvert tramroad sill

Gellifelen Tunnel - SO 2150 1209 to SO 2178 1213

Tunnel, West portal, South bore	Gellifelen Tunnel, West portals	Gellifelen Tunnel, West portals	Gellifelen tunnel North bore
Gellifelen tunnel North bore	Gellifelen tunnel North bore	Gellifelen tunnel North bore	Gellifelen tunnel North bore
Gellifelen tunnel North bore	Gellifelen tunnel North bore	Tunnel, East portal, North bore	Tunnel, West portal, North bore
Tunnel, West portal, North bore	Tunnel, North bore crosscut	Tunnel, North bore crosscut	Tunnel, South bore to East

Gellifelen Halt - SO 2140 1225

Looks like its still waiting for a train to come along!

Gellifelen Halt lamp post	Gellifelen Halt	Gellifelen halt
Gellifelen Halt Eastbound	Gellifelen Halt Westbound	Gellifelen Halt Westbound
Gellifelen Halt tin hut	Trackbed at Gellifelen Halt	Trackbed at Gellifelen Halt

On to Brynmawr

Baileys Tramroad and the MTAR

Bridge abutment

An unusual trackside culvert

1/2 mile marker post

Across the Heads of the Valleys

From Brynmawr to Merthyr Tydvil

Brynmawr - SO 1873 1150

Brynmawr West Junction was where the GWR branch to Nantyglo, Abertillery and Aberbeeg curved off from the MTAR. Underneath both lines ran the Disgwylfa Tramroad, which linked the limestone quarries at Disgwylfa with Nantyglo Ironworks.

The MTAR in Brynmawr	The MTAR in Brynmawr
Retaining wall under Platform 4	Western Valley Junction, MTAR	Western Valley Junction, MTAR	Western Valley Junction, MTAR
Western Valley Junction, MTAR	Western Valley Junction, MTAR	Western Valley Junction, MTAR	The MTAR towards Brynmawr

Beaufort Station - SO 1687 1171

Beaufort Station, goods yard and tunnel

Level to Parfitt's Pit

Beaufort Station road bridge

Beaufort MTAR trackbed

Beaufort tunnel portal

Blaen-y-Cwm Viaduct, Sirhowy - SO 1325 1090

The 'Nine Arches' viaduct across the Sirhowy River near Nant-y-Bwch Station

Blaen-y-Cwm Viaduct

Blaen-y-Cwm Viaduct

Blaen-y-Cwm Viaduct

Blaen-y-Cwm Viaduct

Rhymney Bridge - SO 1040 0937

The junction for the LNWR / GWR joint line connecting the MTAR to Rhymney,

Rhymney River under the MTAR

The LNWR / GWR link

The LNWR / GWR link

The LNWR / GWR link

Dowlais

From Dowlais Top through the Morlais Tunnel to the Brecon & Merthyr Railway junction

Dowlais Top and A465	Dowlais High Street Station	Dowlais High Street Station	Dowlais High Street Station
Bridge abutments, Dowlais	Bridge abutments, Dowlais	MTAR trackbed, Pen-wern
Morlais Tunnel, Merthyr Tydvil	Morlais Junction signal box
Morlais Tunnel, Merthyr Tydvil	Morlais Tunnel, Merthyr Tydvil	Morlais Tunnel, Merthyr Tydvil	Morlais Tunnel, Merthyr Tydvil