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Railways Around Bridgnorth – Part 1

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The Billingsley Plateway

Highley, and the area immediately around, it has a long industrial history and the remains of numerous railways and tramways can be seen today. At the end of the 18th century coal mines and a blast furnace were opened in Billingsley. The story is recounted by Poyner and Evans in their history of the Wyre Coalfield: [13: Chapter 5]

“By the late 1770s, coal mining was well established in Billingsley with a water wheel being used to drain the mines … but unfortunately the owners of this colliery have not been recorded. There then follows a brief unrecorded period until the start of the 1790s, by which time much of Billingsley was owned by Sir William Pulteney, M.P. for Shrewsbury; a man with land-ownings over much of the country. Pulteney was an able politician and keen businessman; the patron of Thomas Telford, he would have been well aware of the potential value of the coal beneath his lands. As a national figure, he would have been able to obtain the advice of the best mining engineers in the country, and this must have led him to Newcastle to obtain the services of George Johnson.”

Johnson was one of the premier colliery viewers in the land, with international experience as a consultant. Thus by 1794, Johnson had put together a consortium of Newcastle-based landowners and professionals to go into partnership to lease the coal under Pulteney’s land. His backers included William Chapman, a noted engineer, Sir John Gray, an M.P. and most significantly Henry Gray MacNab, his brother-in-law. Trained at St. Andrews University as a physician, by the early 1790’s MacNab was established as an influential figure in the North-Eastern coal trade, with a number of pamphlets to his name. In June 1794 the draft leases were signed, and soon work began at Billingsley, initially using at least some men brought down especially from the North-East.

One of the first problems the partnership had to overcome was the lack of effective transport in the area. Billingsley was on the Bridgnorth-Cleobury Turnpike, but that was in no condition to take heavy coal traffic. A way had to be found to move the coal onto the River Severn. The first idea was for a canal, partly along the Borle Brook, possibly with an extension all the way to the limeworks at Oreton. It was at this point that a future thorn in the side of the works first became apparent, with the implacable opposition of William Lacon Childe to the mine. Childe’s property bordered Pultney’s estate on the south; more significantly he controlled the only practical route from Billingsley to the Severn at Highley. The canalisation of the Borle needed his wholesale co-operation, and this was not forthcoming. Childe’s motives for opposing the mines are not entirely obvious; he was not against collieries per se, as he had small working mines on his own estate. He claimed that the large mine at Billingsley could force these to close, ultimately forcing up the price of coal in the district. Childe was also a committed countryman. He was in the forefront of agricultural improvement, and also was a keen huntsman. He may have feared the impact of large-scale mining on all of this. Whatever his motives, he succeeded in killing off the canal. Instead the partners constructed a horse-operated plateway, following the line of the Borle Brook but as far as possible on the opposite side of the bank from Childe’s land. Even this was not entirely possible, for in Highley they did have to cross through a short section of his land. Childe drove a hard bargain, for he made the Partners lease the Birch Colliery and connect it to their plateway by means of a branch. As the Birch was a small mine working the Sulphur Coal (see above), it was of no value to Johnson & Co., but they had little choice in the matter.

The coal and iron were brought alongside the Borle Brook through Highley by a horse-worked tramway to the River Severn where they were sent downstream in boats. The “tramway worked for no more than 15 years, but its route can still largely be traced on the North side of Borle Brook, running via shallow embankments and cuttings. A little later the Stanley Colliery (1804-1823) opened close to the site of the present Highley Station and this was also served by tramways, as were the numerous sandstone quarries by the river.”

[13: Chapter 5 (of ‘The Wyre Forest Coalfield’) – quoted here with the kind permission of David Poyner]

As we have noted, Stanley Colliery was just to the South of Highley Station. It was worked for that short period at the beginning of the 19th century in the sulphur coal at a depth of about 100 yards; the Brooch seam worked by the Highley Colliery was a further 200 yards below this. Stanley Colliery “is partially overlain by the trackbed of the Severn Valley Railway and sidings built by the HMCo. [Highley Mining Company] There are also extensive remains of the stone quarries which worked in this area from perhaps the Middle Ages to the 19th Century.” [1]

Ray Shill also mentions the tramroad/plateway to Billingsley: “Billingsley Coal and Iron
works was … served by an iron railway laid with iron rails and sleepers. The Billingsley
railway, owned by iron master George Stokes, was about two miles long and included an incline to the Severn, a sale of 1818 mentioned the incline.”[8][9]

The old tramroad/plateway/tramway/railway route is shown below on a series of extracts from the 6″ Ordnance Survey revised in 1925 and published in 1929. Where possible I have also provided photographs taken on site.

The old tramroad route is now a footpath on the North side of Borle Brook. It is highlighted on this 6″ OS Map extract by the light blue line. South of Borle Brook. the later mineral railway serving Kinlet Colliery is also shown on the base maps. [3]
Brooksmouth: the cast-iron arched bridge across Borle Brook just upstream of its confluence with the River Severn. This view looks to the North alongside the Severn. The wharf for the old tramway would have been beyond the bridge. The bridge is shown at the bottom right of the OS map extract above, close to the River Severn. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]

“Brooksmouth Bridge is a small cast iron footbridge, via which the towpath on the west bank of the River Severn crosses Borle Brook downstream from Borle Viaduct. It is a Grade II Listed Building under the name ‘Footbridge over Borle Brook.’” [23]

“The bridge consists of an elliptical arch with a slightly curving path, the spandrels being filled by conjoined diminishing circles. The balustrades, half of one side of which has been renewed, have an elongated diamond pattern. The stretcher bars across the main arch are inscribed ‘Coalbrookdale Company 1828’. The cast-iron foot plates appear to remain intact. The abutments are of sandstone with string courses and parapets, one side of both of the latter replaced in brick.” [23][24]

“The bridge was built by The Coalbrookdale Company of Ironbridge in 1828, pre-dating the building of the Severn Valley Railway by more than 30 years. At that time goods traffic was transported on the River Severn in barges called Severn Trows. These were hauled upstream against the current by horses, or by men known as ‘bow hauliers’, making use of the towpath.” [23]

Facing downstream alongside the River Severn towards the confluence of Borle Brook and the Severn. this photograph shows part of the area which would have encompassed the wharf which allowed transfer of loads to and from Billingsley to barges on the Severn. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Looking North alon the West bank of the River Severn. This area will have been busy in the distant past with waggons from Billinsley unloading at the wharf onto Severn trows. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Standing on the West bank of the River Severn looking along the line of the old plateway/tramroad which curved to the right beyond the field gate. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
The old tramroad curved round to follow the North bank of Borle Brook, passing under the viaduct as shown by the red line. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]

The old tramroad predated the Severn Valley Railway by many years. “Like other bridges on the Severn Valley Railway, it was built with the capacity for dual tracks but only ever installed for single line running. The viaduct is 42 yards in length, with four arches of 25ft span. Fishermen’s Crossing lies a few yards to the north, with the site of the former Kinlet and Billingsley Sidings a similar distance to the south. … The viaduct has suffered from mining subsidence over the years. Regular re-ballasting to overcome this … resulted in the line being above the original parapet walls.” [25] No edge protection on the viaduct was provided prior to preservation but post and rail fencing were added in the years after the viaduct was taken over by the preservation society. Significant maintenance was undertaken in preservation, first in 1977 and then in 2019.

Looking back towards the viaduct along the line of the old tramroad. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Lookinf West along the line of the tramroad from the same position as the picture immediately above. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Leaving the field close to the Severn Valley Railway, we were glad that we were walkign the line in the winter months with vegetation much less dense than in warmer times. We had to clamber over an old wooden gate which was held shut by barbed wire and not in good condition. The route of the old tramroad was difficult to determine in places. This picture looks West and shows a very shallow embankment along the line of must have been the route of the tramroad. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Looking West again, some sections of the old tramroad route through the first length of woodland were easier to walk. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Again looking West, the field gate provides access to a riverside meadow. The gate is approximately on the line of the old tramroad. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Looking East along the line of the tramroad from the field gate in the picture above. The lightly used footpath follows the line. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
The route continues to the West running very close to the North bank of Borle Brook. This 1925 Survey show the location of Kinlet Colliery at the lefthand (West) side of the extract.  [3]
Just a little further West, this photo shows the field gate which appears in the pictures immediately above and shows the woodland that we had just traversed. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Much easier going following the line to the West, at least while we were in the meadow. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
At the end of the meado, the kissing gate gave access to an area of significantly disturbed ground which may have suffered some movement towards Borle Brook in the past. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Looking back East from within what would be dense vegetation in the Summer. The ground was soft and significantly broken up. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Looking West again. The tramroad route heads to the right of the compound visible ahead and at that point joins New Road. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
This OpenStreetMap extract, provided by the NLS shows New Road which over the area of this extract follows the line of the old tramroad as far as the footpath (shown grey on the map extract) which itself follows the line of the old tramroad. [22]
Looking Southeast along New Road with the aforementioned compound on the right. The old tramroad route is followed by New Road from this point for a few hundred metres. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Looking Northwest along New Road. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
Just as New Road swings sharply to the left to cross first Borle Book and then the line of the later Billinsgley Railway, the tramroad diverged to the right into what is now heavy undergrowth. The red line shows its approximate route. At the centre of this image, to the right of the road, the footpath sign can be seen leaning against a tree. [My photograph, 10th February 2023]
The old tramroad followed the North bank of Borle Brook as the course of the brook heads northwards. [3]

The images below show the route of the tramroad approaching Borle Mill from the Southeast.

The tramroad passed to the East of Borle Mill near Borlemill Bridge. [4]
This first photograph was taken a little to the North of the point where New Road crosses the line of the old tramroad. It looks North towards Borle Mill. New Road does not appear on the Ordnance Survey of 1925. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
This photo looks North along the old tramroad from a point much closer to Borle Mill. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
The old tramroad crossed Borle Mill Bank directly ahead of the camera and ran along the valley side. The footpath turns away from the line of the tramroad from this point for a few hundred metres so as to avoid private land. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
The tramroad continued in a northerly direction to the East the Mill Race. The footpath has been diverted to run closer to Borle Brook as far as the weir shown on this map extract. It returns to the tramroad alignment at that point. [5]
Facing to the South along the route of the old tramroad at the point where the footpath leaves the old tramroad. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Looking North along the line of the tramroad from the same point. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Facing South towards the field boundary which crosses the line of the old tramroad to the North of the weir. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
We were walking South along the tramroad rather than Northwards. Just after the photograph above was taken, we were joined by two gentle friends. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Looking South into the field in which the sheep live, from the North side of the field boundary at the bottom-right of the next map extract. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Looking Northwest from the same point. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
The tramroad continued alongside Borle Brook in a Northwesterly direction. [6]
Looking in a Northwesterly direction along an embankment which carried the tramroad to a bridge over a small tributary of Borle Brook. All that is left of the bridge is a gap in the embankment. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Another Northwesterly facing photo looking along the line of the tramroad. For much of the length between Borle Mill and New England the footpath is wide enough to occupy the full width of the formation of the old tramroad. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Looking Northwest and approaching New England the old tramroad passed through a narrow but relatively shallow cutting. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
Looking Southeast along the line of the tramroad from close to New England. This is the Northwestern end of the cutting in the last photograph. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
The line of the old tramroad can relatively easily be followed as far as New England, where for a very short diatance the tramroad followed the verge of the road before turning away to the West as the lane dropped down to ford Borle Brook. There is archaeological evidence, close to the Ford shown on this map extract, of a tramroad bridge over Borle Brook which indicates that the tramroad continued along the line of the footpath shown on this extract from the 1882 Ordnance Survey, published in 1883, to the West of Borle Brook. [7]
The old bridge abutment is in the undergrowth to the left side of this image. Borle Brook is further to the left. Close to the level of the tramroad and roughly at road level today is an information board. It can be seen here towards the top-right of the image [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
The information board mentioned above. At the centre top of the board is a photograph of the historic abutment taken when heritage work was undertaken at the site. To the right of that picture is a schematic map of the tramroad/plateway. Below that is an illustration of the traffic which would have used the tramroad. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]
A closer view of the illustration of tramroad traffic. This picture raises a few questions in my mind. The wagon shown has flanged wheels and the rails seem to be continuous edge- rails. A plateway would usually be made up of short sections of rail and would most often have had L-shaped rails with wagons having flangeless wheels. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]

The wagon illustrated on the information board at the site of the bridge abutment has flanged wheels and the rails seem to be continuous edge- rails. A plateway would have usually been made up of short sections of rail and would in many cases in Shropshire have had L-shaped rails with wagons having flangeless wheels. during the period that the plateway/tramroad was active (circa. 1796 – 1812). This is supported by David Poyner’s discoveries along the line of the old tramroad which he reported in the journal of the Shropshire Caving and Mining Club in 2010. He first describes the plateway:

“In the Wyre Forest Coalfield, a plateway was constructed from a wharf on the River Severn in Highley to a colliery at Billingsley in 1796; about this time or shortly afterwards a spur was constructed to more mines at Birch Farm in Kinlet. … The mines had all closed by 1812 and it is unlikely that the plateway saw much use after this. It was amongst the materials of Billingsley Colliery and associated blast furnace that was offered for sale. In 1814 “about 30 tons of straight and turned iron rails, and sleepers in proportion” with 43 railway wagons were put up for auction. This sale may have been a failure as the complex was offered again in 1817; lot VII included “about 50 tons of cast iron rails, sleepers etc now upon a rail road”. This suggests that the plateway had not yet been taken up. It appears that this sale was more successful as no more is heard about the mine, furnace or plateway after this date.” [10]

Poyner continues to describe his finds in the vicinity of the plateway – some years prior to his article, he found “a broken section of plate rail from this system whilst putting some steps into an embankment along the former track. Subsequently more pieces of rails and a chair were found by Simon Cowan and Hugh McQuade who were tracing its route.” [10] More recently, he came across a chair “from the system on the Kinlet bank of the Borle Brook at Logwood Mill. SO 740820 (Figure 1). It is cast iron, and approximately 6½” x 5″. At the one end there is 1″ high flange: at the other is a curled lip about ½” high which extends for only half the length of the plate; however, it is extended as a slight ridge in the casting which terminates in an inverted L-shape. There is a ½” diameter hole in the centre of the chair and two in projecting lugs at either end. There are also 4 lugs which extend beneath the chair.” [10]

The rail he found “from the plateway is 3½” x 24″; the casting is ½” thick. It has clearly been broken at the one end and may also have been fractured at the other.” [10]

The schematic map of the tramroad route included on the information board is enlarged here and in an image below. This first enlargement shows the route of the tramroad/plateway closer to the River Severn and shows a branch tramroad/plateway to Birch. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]

The Birch Branch

The thematic or sketch map on the information board at New England shows a branch extending to Birch Farm, South of Borle Brook. For this line to form a junction with Borle Brook it would have needed to bridge the ‘river’. It then followed a tributary to Borle Brook before striking off to the South towards Birch Farm. The line was unnecessary in purely engineering and mining terms. It was constructed as part of a ‘quid-pro-quo’ arrangement between the Colliery Company and William Lacon Childe who owned all the land on the South side of Borle Brook and a parcel of land to the North of the Brook which the Colliery Company needed for wharves alongside the River Severn. Ultimately he granted access to the River Severn, conditional upon the Colliery Company building a plateway link to one of his small collieries, that at Birch Farm. [13: Chapter 5]

This image shows the location of Logmill Cottages, close to the confluence of the tributary and Borle Brook, on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1882, published in 1884. It shows no bridge existing over Borle Brook at this point towards the end of the 19th century. It does however show a bridge crossing the tributary. [11]
A little to the Southeast of Logmill Cottages and on the next Ordnance Survey Sheet to the South, a footbridge is marked. Might this have been the location where the plateway crossed Borle Brook? Perhaps it served the mill, close to Logmill Cottages, which by the time of this Ordnance Survey had disappeared? [12]
The tributary, once again. The 1882 mapping, published in 1884, shows some earthworks at various points on the South side of Borle Brook. One location where these are apparent is the possible location of a future bridge across the tributary. Might this be relevant to the seacrh of the route of the plateway branch to Birch Farm? Looking more widely at the 1882 mapping South of Borle Brook, there appears to be no residual evidence of a plateway immediately at this location. [12]

We have noted in the above map extracts that it is difficult to be specific about the route of the tramroad/plateway close to Borle Brook. The mapped details in the vicinity of Logmill Cottages show no real evidence of the tramroad.

A wider view of the 1882 Ordnance Survey showing the possible route of the plateway/tramroad between Borle Brook and Birch Farm. There is a track marked on the map, extending from the bottom-left corner of the extract to the second minor stream met along the route, travelling to the Northeast. The presence of the track is an indicator of the probable alignment of the tramroad. Across the rest of the map the blue line indicating the tramroad route is shown dotted over this length as there is nothing to confirm its actual route on the Ordnance Survey. [12]
The 1882 Ordnance Survey once again. The plateway/tramroad branch continued to travel in a southerly direction. [12]
The terminus of the tramroad/plateway was close to Birch Farm where William Lacon Childe had a small colliery. [12]

The line to Birch Farm is entirely on private land and access to its route is not possible. The best that I can offer is extracts from satellite images. These are those from the National Library of Scotland (NLS). …

Borle Brook is at the top of this extract from satellite imagery. Its tributary flows to the North of the dotted blue line which indicates the possible route of the tramroad/plateway to Birch Farm. [14]
The line curved away from the stream and headed South towards Birch Farm. [15]
Birch Farm and the location of the Colliery. [16]
This second enlarged view shows the upper reaches of the tramroad which clearly continued some distance beyond New England. [My photograph, 3rd February 2023]

The Billingsley Area

Access to the length of tramroad/plateway beyond New England is just as difficult as access to the branch to Birch Farm, although is does come close to the public highway at one location and crosses it at another. Immediately to the West of Borle Brook there was an incline which brought the tramroad/plateway out of the valley and into the open fields above its scope. All of this, through to ‘Scot’s’ (the spelling on the OS Mapping) is on private land.

The blue line on these side-by-side images show the approximate line of the tramroad/plateway through New England and on to the West. Immediately on the West side of Borle Brook there was a rope-worked incline. [17]
It is possible that the tramroad followed the route of Bind Lane which would have taken the tramroad closer to Billingsley Colliery and the Cape of Good Hope Inn, but the presence of the curved track at the West edge of this extract from the 1882 Ordnance Survey suggests that at least at that point the line was fixed a little to the South of Bind Lane. The dotted blue line follows approximately the line shown on the information board at the New England bridge abutment. [18]
The junction of the B4363 and Bind Lane as shown on Google Maps Satellite Imagery in early 2023. The blue line represents the approximate line of the tramroad. The route of the line to the West of the B4363 becomes a matter of conjecture. [19]
The approximate line of the tramraod has been imposed on this Google Streetview image looking North-northwest on the B4363. Bind Lane meets the B4363 at the junction ahead and runs in front of the new-build property to the right middle of the image. [Google Streetview, November 2021]

From the tentative line of the tramroad shown on the information board near the bridge abutment at New England (above) it appears that the old tramroad ran in a roughly Southwesterly direction as far as Southhallbank Farmhouse as suggested on the 1882 6″ Ordnance Survey map extract below.

Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk lists the Farmhouse. as a Grade II listed building predominantly constructed in the 17th century, perhaps with earlier origins, and with some 19th century rebuilding. It is “Timber-framed with red-brick infill and red brick. Plain-tile roofs.” [20]

If the tramroad ran as close to the farmhouse as is suggested in the map extract below, It is very likely that the owner of the building at the turn of the 19th century had a strong interest in the tramroad.

The continuing tramroad route shown on the 1882 Ordnance Survey. The tight bend at the Northwest corner of the farmyard of Southallbank Farm is shown on the information board close to the bridge abutment near New England. [18]
Southwest of Southallbank Farm buildings I can only guess at the route of the tramroad and its length. My guess is shown on this extract from the 1882 6″ Ordnance Survey. It reflects the line drawn on the information board at the bridge abutment near New England and the fact that close to Scot’s Cottages there is a packhorse bridge which has been retained as a footbridge. [21]

Looking Forward

The tramroad was the first transport venture alongside the Borle Brook. It was some time before industrial development at Billingsley warranted the construction of another railway. The later history of railways in and around Borle Brook can be found in an article about the railway connections to the Severn Valley Railway in the area South of Bridgnorth. … To view this article please follow this link. …

Railways Around Bridgnorth – Part 2

References

  1. https://www.shropshirecmc.org.uk/below/2004_1w.pdf, accessed on 26th January 2023.
  2. http://www.highley.org.uk/railhist.html, accessed on 26th January 2023.
  3. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101585827, accessed on 28th January 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.44044&lon=-2.39178&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th January 2023.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.44495&lon=-2.39508&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th January 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.44910&lon=-2.40330&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th January 2023.
  7. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101595139, accessed on 29th January 2023.
  8. Aris’s Gazette April 18th, 1814 and Aris’s Gazette 20/04/1818.
  9. Ray Shill; The Long Road to the Permanent Way [part 9]; RCHS Occasional Paper 23 from the Railway History Research Group, the Railway & Canal Historical Society, Newsletter No. 33, December 2021.
  10. David Poyner; An Early Chair from the Billingsley Colliery Plateway; in ‘Below’, the Quarterly Journal of the Shropshire Caving and Mining Club, Volume 2010.2, Summer 2010, p8-9.
  11. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121153529, accessed on 6th February 2023.
  12. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121153547, accessed on 6th February 2023.
  13. David Poyner & Dr. Robert Evans; The Wyre Forest Coalfield; The History Press Ltd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 2000.
  14. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.43311&lon=-2.37885&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 6th February 2023.
  15. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.43112&lon=-2.38544&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 6th February 2023
  16. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.42708&lon=-2.38963&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 6th February 2023.
  17. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.45254&lon=-2.40705&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 6th February 2023.
  18. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101595139, accessed on 7th February 2023.
  19. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Billingsley,+Bridgnorth+WV16+6PF/@52.4543135,-2.4233002,338m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4870624ff705e501:0x8cfda65ba0240fb1!8m2!3d52.454348!4d-2.422812!16s%2Fg%2F1q67q74s0, accessed on 7th February 2023.
  20. https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101367585-southallbank-farmhouse-billingsley#.Y-I3d3bP2Uk, accessed on 7th February 2023.
  21. https://www.shropshirecmc.org.uk/below/2019_1w.pdf, accessed on 7th February 2023.
  22. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.43788&lon=-2.39153&layers=168&b=8, accessed on 31st January 2023.
  23. https://www.svrwiki.com/Brooksmouth_Bridge, accessed on 11th February 2023.
  24. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1254137, accessed on 11th February 2023.
  25. https://www.svrwiki.com/Borle_Viaduct, accessed on 11th February 2023.

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 8 – Malinslee Part 4 – the East side of Malinslee in the vicinity of the later Coalport (LNWR) and Stirchley (GWR) Branches

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The area covered by this article is the area on the East side of Savage & Smith’s tracing [1: p164] and is as shown in the adjacent extract.

They included the line of the Coalport Branch on their plan (the continuous thin black line with circular dots). The Stirchley Branch was a little to the East of the Coalport Branch. It ran down past the Randlay Brickworks towards Old Park Ironworks which were South of the bottom end of Randlay Pool. Savage & Smith grouped the two ironworks in the vicinity under one title of ‘Stirchley Furnaces’.

It should be noted that the Shropshire Canal pre-dated the Coalport Branch but was on very much the same line as the railway. Small deviations in the alignment remain visible in the 21st century, particularly the length close to Hinkshay Pools and that close to Wharf and Lodge Collieries.

Tramroads on the remainder of the tracing [1:p164] are covered in previous articles, particularly those noted below.

This is the full page referred to. [1: p164]

Earlier articles about the tramways covered on this map can be found at:

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 4 – Malinslee Part 1

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 6 – Malinslee Part 2 – Jerry Rails …

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 7 – Malinslee Part 3

The tramways alongside first the old Shropshire Canal and the later LNWR Coalport Branch were not all operational at the same time. However, Savage and Smith were highly confident of the routes of most of these tramways. Only a few lengths are shown as dotted on these plans. The solid red lines are those which they could locate relatively precisely.

As can be seen on these drawings, the lines associated with the Shropshire Canal Coalport Branch and the later LNWR Coalport Branch railway are shown as solid red. The lines shown with the longer red dashes are translated from the 1836 Shropshire Railway Map. The scale of that map is relatively small – just ½” to a mile. The shorter red dashes denote lines as drawn on the 1833 1” Ordnance Survey. Enlarging from both of these maps leaves room for discrepancies to be introduced.

Savage and Smith highlight many of these lines on a 1″ to the mile map representing tramway additions between 1851 – 1860. During that decade their 1″ plan shows the Shropshire Canal as active to the North of Stirchley but without a northern outlet to the wider canal network. At the southern end of the active canal, the Lightmoor branch to the South of Dawley Magna suggests that much of the movement of goods on the canal was related to the Lightmoor Ironworks and the Lightmoor Brick and Tile Works. Unless there was only local movements during this period, perhaps associated with the Priorslee Furnaces and any other works in that immediate area.

Tramway/Tramroad changes in the 1850s. [1: p95]
An enlarged extract from Savage & Smith’s 1″ to a mile plan of the Malinslee area (1851-1860), showing some of the tramroad routes alongside the Shropshire Canal. [1: p95]
The Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882 published in 1888. The lettered locations match those on the Savage & Smith extract above. Further details are provided below. [2]

Savage & Smith provide notes about the Tramways/Tramroads close to the line of the LNWR Coalport Branch (and the Shropshire Canal Coalport Branch). They comment: “By 1856, there is a considerable amount of industry along the canal from Hinkshay to Shedshill. The upper reservoir at Hinkshay had appeared before 1833, but the site of the lower reservoir was in 1856 just a small canal basin with a line running to it probably from Langleyfield Colliery. A line from Jerry Furnaces to the ironworks at the rear of New Row crosses it at right angles and a common type and gauge of rail cannot be assumed. This second railway from Jerry Furnaces reverses and continues in to Stirchley Furnaces. … To the north of Stirchley Furnaces the line runs on the west side of the canal on the towpath. There is a branch near Stone Row, perhaps to pits; to Randley Brickworks and perhaps to pits to the north of the brick- works; to Wharf Colliery and Lodge Colliery; past Dark Lane Foundry; to old Darklane Colliery and Lawn Colliery with a branch to old Darklane Brickworks. After a reverse the line carries on to Dudleyhill Colliery and Hollinswood Ironworks ” [6: p166]

The tramroads marked are:

  • A: Tramroads in the immediate area of Stirchley Ironworks.
  • B: A line to the North of Stirchley Ironworks on the West side of the Canal, on or alongside the towpath.
  • C: a branch near Stone Row which probably extended further than shown by Savage & Smith to Wood Colliery to the Northwest of Stone Row.
  • D: a looped branch probably serving Wharf Colliery, Darklane Foundry, Lodge Colliery, Little Darklane Colliery and Lawn Colliery.
  • E: a short branch to pit heads to the Southwest of Randlay Brickworks, perhaps also serving the Brickworks.
  • F: Tramways around Old Darklane Colliery.
  • G: a short branch serving the Brickworks at Hollinswood.
Another enlarged extract from Savage & Smith’s 1″ to a mile plan of the Malinslee area (1851-1860), showing their remaining tramroad routes close to the Shropshire Canal. The red letters match those on the 6″ Ordnance Survey plan immediately below [1: p95]
An extract from the 1881/1882 Ordnance Survey published in 1888. The redlines drawn on the extract match those drawn by Savage & Smith on their plan above. In the period from 1855 through to 1880 the profile of theland in this vicinity was markedly altered by the construction of the railways shown on the map. Lines to A, B, C and D have all gone by 1881. The line to E connects with the line running East-southeast from Priorslee Furnaces and shown on plans below. [2]

By the 1860s, Savage & Smith show that the Shropshire Canal was no longer in use. Between the 1870s and the turn of the 20th century, some further minor additions to the network in the immediate are of Stirchley and just to the South of Oakengates associated with the Priorslee furnaces can be seen on their 1″ to the mile

Tramway/Tramroad changes between 1876 and 1900. [1: p99]

The later changes to the tramroad/tramway network relate partly to the coming, in 1861, of the Standard-Gauge LNWR railway branch to Coalport. Stirchley and Jerry Furnaces – on the 1876-1900 map, have tramroad links to the railway.

The tramroad/tramway network changes to permit access to the LNWR line close to Stirchley. The locations marked with red letters match those on the OS map extract below. [1: p99]
The Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882 published in 1888. The lettered locations match those on the Savage & Smith extract above. [2]
  • A: Langley Fields Brickworks, at on e time this line extended Northwest towards St. Leonard’s, Malinslee to serve Little Eyton Colliery.
  • B: Langleyfield Colliery.
  • C: Jerry Ironworks – serve by two different lengths of tramroad, one at high level and one at low level.
  • D: A connection which crossed the old Shropshire Canal to a wharf running alongside the LNWR Branch.
  • E: a line connecting Stirchley and Oldpark Ironworks to the network and so providing access to the wharf at D.
  • F: access to an ironworks to the Northwest of Hinkshay Row.
  • G: A line which curved round the West side of Hinkshay Pools to provide access to another length of wharf alongside the LNWR branch close to Dawley & Stirchley Railway Station. This is not shown on the plan drawn by Savage & Smith.

The lines noted above were all walked when I was looking at the immediate area for an earlier article (https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/15/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-4-malinslee-part-1).

The other changes between 1876 and 1900 relate to Priorslee, where tramroads are shown to the Southeast of Priorslee Furnaces. The 6” Ordnance Survey of 1903 shows the bottom arm at this location linking Darklane Colliery to the Furnaces. The upper arm is shown on the 6” Ordnance Survey of 1885 as serving a colliery adjacent to the Lion Inn. The tramroad link to the colliery is not shown on the later survey.

The tramroad/tramway network changes associated with Priorslee Furnaces. The locations marked with red letters match those on the Ordnance Survey extract below. [1: p99]
The 1880/1882 Ordnance Survey published in 1885 showing the Oakengates/Priorslee area. The locations marked by red letters match those highlighted on the Savage & Smith extract above. [3]
  • A: Priorslee Furnaces.
  • B: Darklane Colliery.
  • C & D: tramroads serving a colliery adjacent to the Lion Inn..
  • E: the tramroad access from Priorslee Furnaces.

Telford in the 21st century

The area covered by these maps has been dramatically altered by the construction of Telford Town Centre. The centre of Telford sits directly over the area covered by this article. This is demonstrated by the side-by-side image provided below. 21st century satellite imagery is set alongside the 1901 Ordnance Survey.

The National Library of Scotland provides a version of its mapping software that allows two different images to be placed side by side and geographically related to each other. The image on the right covers the same area as that on the left. [4]

There is nothing to be gained by attempting to walk most of the routes covered in this article. However, some limited areas can still be seen (topographically) roughly as they were. That is true of the Priorslee area, Northeast of the town centre and the area North from Stirchley to the North end of Randlay Pool. Most of the second of these two areas is the subject of earlier articles (https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/15/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-4-malinslee-part-1, https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/24/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-6-malinslee-part-2-jerry-rails, and https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/08/11/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-7-malinslee-part-3). The remainder of this article focusses on the area around Priorslee Furnaces. (NB: these tramroads really fall into another series but we will pick them up again when we look at the area around Oakengates and Priorslee)

The area around Priorslee Furnaces in 1901 and in the 21st century. By 1901 the Furnaces made use of the Mineral railway to their Southside rather than access to the tramroad along Holyhead Road. On the 1901 mapping the tramroad link into the works ahs been cut. This suggests that the line along Holyhead Road was probably no longer active by 1901. [5]
Facing Northwest along Holyhead Road in June 2022. The access road from the A442 Queensway is ahead on the left. The old tramroad would have run roughly where the footpath is on the left. [Google Streetview]
Turning through 180 degrees and now looking Southeast, the tramroad was on the south side of the road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
A little further to the Southeast and the tramroad was still alongside Holyhead Road (B5061). [Google Streetview, June 2022]
we are now running alongside the site of what were Priorslee Furnaces. There was a tramroad access from the site to the tramroad running alongside Holyhead Road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further Southeast the tramroad continued to follow the verge of Holyhead Road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
East of Priorslee Furnaces the tramroad ran on the South side of Holyhead Road. A branch headed South towards Darklane Colliery. The ‘mainline’ only contiued a short distance further East. [6]
Further Southeast and now approaching the modern roundabout shown on the side-by-side image from the NLS above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking Southeast across the roundabout towards Shiffnal Road. The tramroad alignment remains on the south side of the road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
On the other side of the roundabout and now on Shiffnal Road. The tramroad ‘mainline continues Southeast toward Stafford Colliery, the branch heads towards Darklane Colliery and, as it is under modern buildings cannot be followed on the North side of theM54. Photos of the area it travelled on the South side of the M% can be found further below [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Both the Darklane branch and the ‘Mainline’ terminate in these images. The DarkLane route cannot easily be found on site, apart from the approximate location of what would have been its at-level crossing of what was once a road and is now a footpath. That to the Stafford Colliery near the Red Lion Pub can still be followed! [7]
For a short distance further the tramroad remained alongside the old road before turning sharply to the South along what is now a footpath and cycleway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from Shiffnal Road along the footpath/cycleway which follows the route of the old tramroad to Stafford Colliery. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from a point 100 metres or so along the footpath/cycleway which follows the route of the old tramroad to Stafford Colliery. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
The approximate limit of the tramroad heading South. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
This view from the Eastbound carriageway of the M54 shows the footbridge which carries the path that followed the line of tramroad. The Stafford Colliery was on the North side of what is now the motorway. Somewhere close to the top of the motorway cutting is the location of two tramroad arms which ran approximately East-West serving the Stafford Colliery site. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Looking North along the line of the footbridge which crosses the M54. Shiffnal Road is ahead beyond the site of the old Stafford Colliery. The redlines are indicative of the tramroads serving the colliery. [Google Streetview, March 2021]

The tramway/tramroad route which led to Darklane Colliery crossed the line of the M54 a short distance to the West of the modern footbridge.

Looking North across the M54, on the approximate line of the old tramroad/tramway. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
Looking approximately in a northerly direction. The old tramway ran approximately as shown by the red line. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
Turning through around135 degrees to the East this is the view along the line of the tramway/tramroad. The alignment is roughly as shown by the red line. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
The tramroad ran on a line which now runs from the rear of Syer House towards the Volkswagen dealership on Stafford Park 1. It would have passed the spoil heaps from Darklane Colliery as it did so. Darklane Colliery straddled the line of Stafford Park 1.
Sketch of the old tramroad route on the modern ‘Street Map’ of the immediate area. [8]
The footbridge over Stafford Park 1 sits over the site of Darklane Colliery. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
Looking East along Stafford Park 1 which is spanned by a modern footbridge. The photograph is taken from within the site of Darklane Colliery. [My photo, 2nd February 2023]
Two views looking South over the site of Darklane Colliery from the footbridge spanning Stafford Park 1. [My photo, 2nd February 2023]
This final photograph looks North along the footpath/cycleway and shows the approximate route of the tramway/tramroad which terminated a short distance to the East of the modern footpath. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]

References

  1. R.F. Savage & L.D.W. Smith; The Waggon-ways and Plateways of East Shropshire; Birmingham School of Architecture, 1965. Original document is held by the Archive Office of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
  2. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594470, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  3. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594308, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15.0&lat=52.67809&lon=-2.44688&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.68634&lon=-2.44238&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.68432&lon=-2.43633&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  7. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.68130&lon=-2.43190&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  8. https://streetmap.co.uk/map?x=505180&y=249173&z=0, accessed on 2nd February 2023.

The Penrhyn Quarry Railway – Part 2

4 Replies

This is the second article about the tramroad and railways which served Penrhyn Quarries. The first provided a short history of the line and then followed the tramroad which was first used to replaced pack horses carrying slate and other goods between the quarries and Porth Penrhyn. That article can be found at:

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/12/29/the-penrhyn-railway-part-1

The featured image at the top of this second article about the Penrhyn Quarry railways comes from the camera of K.H. Cribb and is included here with the kind permission of his son Russ Cribb.

The first picture is an embedded link to a photograph on Ernie’s Railway Archive on Flickr and is general view of Porth Penrhyn looking South towards the port headquarters.

Ind 1955-CA Port Penrhyn, Bangor, Penrhyn railway.
Porth Penrhyn in 1955, showing both loaded and unloaded slate wagons, and at least one workmen’s coach, © Copyright Ernie’s Railway Archive and embedded here with their kind permission. [43]

The second image shows the port headquarters in 1961, a few years before final closure of the line. The photograph appears to have been taken from the bridge over the line and looks North into the port area.

The headquarters building at Port Penrhyn, Bangor, and part of the quay photographed in August 1961. The last narrow gauge train to carry slates ran on 28th June 1964. The Penrhyn quarry route is now a public path. [41]
R0708 BLANCHE Port Penrhyn Aug1961
Hunslet 0-4-0ST ‘Blanche’ at Porth Penrhyn preparing to depart South to the Quarry in August 1961, © Copyright Ron Fisher and used by kind permission of the photographer. [44]

The Penrhyn Quarry Railway (PQR) left Porth Penrhyn running alongside a standard-gauge LNWR branch which also served the port and linked it with the national rail network.

In this picture ‘Linda’ one of the PQR steam locomotives passes under the estate road bridge at South side of the port facilities. The standard-gauge line is visible alongside the narrow-gauge lines. The PQR had parallel tracks here which required a wider arch. The arch seems to match the standard-gauge one for size. The port gates are closed on the standard-gauge line. [1]
‘Blanche’ running light engine just outside Porth Penrhyn. The bridge in the background is the same as that in the picture above, © James King and used by kind permission of the photographer. The image was shared on the Narrow Gauge Enthusiasts Facebook Group by James King in a comment made about a post by Mark Temple on 22nd July 2018. [32]

The older tramroad occupied the same formation area as the two later lines of the PQR. The standard-gauge line was built while the horse-drawn tramroad was operating.

The PQR and the standard-gauge line ran in close proximity for some distance after leaving the port. Both used the same bridges over the Afon Cegin.

Loaded slate wagons being hauled by ‘Blanche’ between Penrhyn Quarries and Porth Penrhyn in the 1920s. The train is close to the bridge at the entrance to the port. This image was shared on the History of Bangor Facebook Group by Margaret Lewis on 17th February 2018. [31]
Blanche leaves Port Penrhyn in August 1953, and will soon pass under the A5. The rail tracks were bought by Festiniog Railway in 1965, and relaid, mostly above Tan-y-Bwlch, © Copyright North Wales Live. [41]
Looking back towards Porth Penrhyn along the old tramroad viaduct with the more modern bridge to the East of it, © Daniel Richard Goodman, 2015. [2] The bridge carrying the PQR and the standard-gauge is a critical part of the Lon Las Ogwen cycle-route. It is of steel spans of 46ft 6in, 53ft and 43ft. The girders are 4ft 2in deep and they are carried on 5ft stone piers giving an average clearance above the river of 10ft. The width is 24ft 6in and the track over the bridge is essentially level. The gradient being only 1 in 580. [29: p61]
The girder bridge when in use as a railway bridge, also taken looking towards Porth Penrhyn, © Eric Foulkes. [3]

The two railways ran on different gradients after a second crossing of the Cegin. The next photograph shows the two lines passing under the old A5. As illustrated, the Shrewsbury to Holyhead road (A5) crossed the PQR and the standard-gauge line. Each line had its own bore in a tall stone embankment. “The Penrhyn bore being 36ft long and of its basic loading gauge Viz. 15ft wide and 11ft 10in. height from rail to top of arch with 7ft horizontal clearance at the foot of the walls.” [29: p60]

The A5 road passed over the top of the two lines. The level difference between the two lines is now obvious. This image was included in the Railway Magazine of October 1961, © J.M. Dunn.

The old structure shown above was later replaced by a more modern structure spanning only the PQR, as shown below. The structure now carries the A5 over the Lon Las Ogwen cycle-route.

Looking Southwest towards the modern Llandudno Road (A5) bridge spanning the cycleway which follows the route of the old Railway. At this point the old Railway alignment is also part of the Coastal Path, © Copyright Ian S and licenced for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [39]

After passing under the A5, the LNWR line rose to join the main Chester to Holyhead line west of Llandygai tunnel. The PQR ran on its own course as it travelled on from the A5 at Maesgierchen.

The Penrhyn Quarry Railway opened in 1879. Its route is shown as a red line, this map is rendered with Maperitive, text and integration: Pechristener Wales in United Kingdom.svg: TUBS United Kingdom location map.svg: NordNordWest • CC BY 3.0. [4]
The routes of three railways can be seen on this extract from the 6″ OS Maps from around the turn of the 20th century. It shows the area South of the A5 road bridge referred to above. On the right of the image, running South from the Incline Cottage at the top of the extract, field boundaries define the alignment of the old Tramroad. To the West of the A5, which runs down the centre of the extract, are two lines which were in use when the survey was undertaken. Running closest to the A5 is the be LNWR standard-gauge branch. The narrow-gauge Penrhyn Quarry Railway is to the West of the standard-gauge line and follows the East bank of the Afon Cegin. [5]
The same area as shown on the OS 6″ Map above. The alignment of the old tramroad is illustrated by the red line. The newer narrow-gauge railway is shown light-blue. Parallel and immediately adjacent to the East of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway was the standard-gauge LNWR line. The two lines began to separate to the Southwest of the A5 road. The approximate alignment of the standard-gauge line is shown in purple. The A5 runs down the centre of the image. [5]

The old tramroad is covered in the first article in this short series:

The Penrhyn Quarry Railway – Part 1

This article follows the Penrhyn Quarry Railway which was operational from the 1870s. Motive power was given some consideration in the earlier article.

In this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey from the turn of the 20th century we see the two routes diverging on their way South. [6]
Approximately the same area as appears in the 6″ Ordnance Survey above but focussing on the PQR. Shown, this time, on the RailMapOnline satellite imagery. The route of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway is shown in pink. [7]

At a gradient of 1 in 209 the PQR left the Nant Maes-y-Geirchen gorge crossed the occupation crossing to Felin-Esgob and approached the fine spectacle of the Chester & Holyhead Railway’s Cegin Viaduct.

The PQR runs roughly North to South across this extract on the East bank of the Afon Cegin. The mainline along the North coast of Wales crosses the map from West to East at high level, crossing the Afon Cegin on a viaduct. at Bethesda Junction a LNWR branch-line curved away to the South. Initially the PQR and the Bethesda Branch ran in parallel up the valley of the Cegin. [8]
This is the same area as on the 6″ Ordnance Survey above. The PQR is shown in pink and the LNWR branch and mainline are shown in purple. The Cegin Viaduct appears in the picture below. [7]
The Cegin Viaduct which carries the mainline over the Afon Cegin. The PQR formation was used for the footpath/cycle-track visible on the valley floor, © Copyright Meirion and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence – Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). [18]

The Cegin Viaduct “has seven semi-circular arches each of 35ft span – it has masonry piers but the stone arches are faced in brick (Ref: Public Record Office, M.T. 27/49.).” [29: p60]

As an aside, The Bethesda Branch which runs along a similar route to the PQR was a 4.25mile (6.8 km) line between Bangor and Bethesda in Gwynedd, North Wales. Its primary purpose was to bring quarried slate down to the main line for onward transport. It existed in competition with the private PQR. It opened in July 1884, and a local passenger service was run as well as trains for the mineral traffic.

Competition with the PQR was healthy and the two lines managed to co-exist until increasing road competition led to the cessation of ordinary passenger services on the branch in 1951; goods traffic and occasional passenger excursion journeys kept the line going until its complete closure in October 1963. [19]

Wikipedia tells us that the line climbed all the way from the main line, rising for much of the way at 1 in 40. Major features on the branch included the Ogwen Viaduct and the Tregarth Tunnel which was 279yards (255metres) long. Apart from the terminus at Bethesda, there were two intermediate stations on the route – at Felin Hen and at Tregarth. [19]

The Bethesda Branch formation now provides a cycle and walking route to Bethesda from Porth Penrhyn – known as the Ogwen Trail, part of the Sustrans 82 cycle-route.

Continuing to look at the Penrhyn Quarry Railway …. we head South from the Cegin Viaduct.

Looking South along the route of the PQR, through one of the arches of the Cegin Viaduct, © Copyright Toxteth O’Grady. [Google Streetview, 2022]
A short distance further down the PQR, © Copyright Nigel Williams and licensed for reuse under aCreative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [20]
A little further along the line of the PQR, © Copyright Eric Jones and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0). [21]

At about 70ft above sea-level, there was a halt for the Workmen’s Train adjacent to Lon Cefn Ty. The bridge here (once just a footbridge) carried the road over the PQR. To the West of the bridge, the Lon Cefn Ty crossed the Afon Cegin by means of a ford (with a footbridge for pedestrians) and then passed under the Bethesda Branch which was on a steep falling grade from its junction with the mainline just to the East of Bangor Tunnel.

The PQR and the Bethesda Branch of the LNWR continue South down the Cegin valley in these two successive extracts from the 6″ Ordnance Survey. [9 & 10]
The same area as covered by the two extracts from the 6″ Ordnance Survey above. [7]
The view South along the line of the PQR as it approaches Lon Cefn Ty. The PQR passed under the road, as does the modern cycle-route. The road is shown at the top of the satellite image above. Interestingly, to the West of this location the road crosses the Afon Cegin by means of a ford and then under a girder bridge which used to carry the Bethesda branch, © Copyright Toxteth O’Grady. [Google Streetview, 2022]
Looking back North along the PQR at the arch bridge under Lon Cefn Ty. [23]
South of Lon Cefn Ty on the line of the PQR, © Copyright Eric Jones and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0). [22]
The two lines continue to run parallel to each other passing Coed-Howel Mill. The LNWR branch then crosses the Afon Cegin and the Mill Race on a gently curving viaduct and drifts closer to the PQR. [11]

The PQR left the East side of the Afon Cegin and crossed the Glas-yn-Fryn embankment, passing Coed-Hywel-Uchaf Farm on its left then passed 15ft below the LNWR Bethesda Branch by means of an acutely-skewed bridge. Boyd tells us that the LNWR retrieved this bridge from another site and cut it down “to a 31ft span for re-use here; it formed a ‘tunnel’ almost 43 ft long for the narrow gauge and gave generous vertical clearance of 14 ft and 14 ft horizontal!” [29: p59]

‘Blanche’ leading a train of empty wagons up towards the Quarry on 5th September 1957. The exact location is not known, © Copyright Ken Cribb and used with the kind permission of his son Russ Cribb. [Supplied direct to me by Russ Cribb]
The LNWR branch is running at a higher level than the PQR and has no trouble crossing over it before running immediately alongside it to the East. [12]
Both lines are again highlighted in pink and purple on this matching extract from the satellite imagery on RailMapOnline. North of Glasinfryn, the A55 dual-carriageway disturbs the modern satellite image and cuts the old PQR line meaning that the cycle trail has to turn West and pass under the same bridge as the road South to Glasinfryn. From this point southwards the cycle-track leaves the PQR and follows the Bethesda branch formation. [7]
Looking East along the A55, the parapets of the road viaduct over the Afon Cegin, the cycle-route and an access road can picked out at the near side of each carriageway (to the left and right of the road). [Google Streetview]
The underpass by which the Glasinfryn road passes under the A55, seen from the North. [Google Streetview]
The same underpass seen from the Southwest. [Google Streetview]

As the satellite image above shows, to the South of the A55, the alignments of the PQR and the LNWR Bethesda branch converged and ran parallel to each other at different levels. Immediately South of the A55, the PQR formation ran across what is now an open field. before passing under the Bethesda branch. On the adjacent map extract, to the East of Glasinfryn. The Bethesda Branch is highlighted in purple and the PQR in pink.

If you follow the link below, you will see a superb picture, © R.K. Walton and held by Amgueddfa Cymru – the National Museum Wales. The photographer is sitting on a locaded slate wagon behind one of the PQR’s locomotives, Blanche or Linda, which was taking a loaded train down the PQR towards Porth Penrhyn in 1959, passing under the Bethesda Branch at this location. ….

https://museum.wales/collections/online/object/861fc496-8fba-3f06-b2ab-ad1a0fd3b59d

The Bethesda branch Felin-hen station was Immediately to the South of this point. It appears at the top of the 6″ Ordnance Survey map extract below. The PQR can be seen drifting away to the Southwest alongside the A4244 (Felin Hen Road).

The PQR runs in a large arc round to the East passed a Gravel Pit which had its own connection to the line. [13]
This satellite image covers the same area as the map extract above. [7]

The line curved to the right and then to the left left and crossed the Felin-Hen Road on a 17ft lattice ironwork span and the Felin-Hen stopping point before passing through a heavily wooded area in cutting.

The view along Felin Hen Road from the Northeast. The Bethesda Branch was carried over the Felin Hen Road on a girder bridge. The PQR ran alongside the road in a Southwesterly direction for a short distance before crossing the road at its junction with the B4409. [Google Streetview]
The route of the PQR crosses the Felin Hen Road at its junction with the B4409. [Google Streetview]

Continuing to curve to the left, trains passed a short siding alongside on the left which did not have a permanent connection to the PQR. This siding served “a small gravel pit and connection was made as required – and probably since 1881 – by a set of portable Spoon Points which were lifted off after use. On Mondays a wagon was manhandled down to here from Coed-y-Parc, pushed through the narrow curved cutting into the working and loaded up as required; output was small being only about 150 tons a year, with 1912-14 being the best period. An embarrassing accident occurred to the Up Workmen’s Train here one Monday morning, when, the Spoon Points having been inadvertently left in position, the train engine tried to enter the gravel pit and was derailed. The Engineer’s diary records the date, 3rd February, 1941, that the engine was CEGIN – an unusual choice – and that the train ‘Arrived Mill 10.30 a.m’.” [29: p59]

The PQR then continued to sweep round in a wide arc towards the East, gaining height as it travelled. Completing the curve to the left the PQR was then running West-northwest and to the North of Moel-y-ci Farm which is now, in the 21st century, the site of a Farm Shop (Blas Lon Las). The route of the PQR crosses the access road to the Farm Shop and gradually converges with the line of the Bethesda branch. There was an overbridge carrying the Moel-y-ci Farm lane.

Close to Tyddyn-sarn the two lines run parallel once again The PQR now being at high-level to the South of the cutting which accommodated the Bethesda Branch. [14]
‘Blanche’ with that train of empties on 5th September 1957, again, the location is uncertain, clues might be the slight curvature of the line and the housing in the top-left of the image, © Copyright Ken Cribb and used with the kind permission of his son Russ Cribb. [Supplied direct to me by Russ Cribb]
The same area as it appears on the satellite imagery from RailMapOnline. [7]

James Boyd says that along this section of the PQR there was a long (250 yard) loop together with a long siding on the North side. “trains passed each other on the right. Unusually, iron railings fenced the route here, whereas elsewhere the ubiquitous estate fence made of slabs stuck into the ground on edge and wired together near the top, was (and is) a feature of the district.“ [42][36: p58]

Clicking here will take you to an image of ‘Linda’ on a PQR main line up train a few years before closure in 1961 which includes the slate slab and wire fencing mentioned by Boyd. [40]

“Until the reduction in trade made the running of but one train (from 4th May, 1928) sufficient to move stocks, trains passed here regularly. There was a water tank used by Up trains which stopped if required. … There was no signalling. The loop, Pandy (or sometimes Tyn-y-Lon) was an original stopping point for the Workmen’s Train and boasted one of the four Waiting Huts, but a stone throwing incident during the Great strike so displeased His Lordship that the stop was removed.” [36: p58-59]

The two railways may be running very close together on the map or satellite image but the vertical separation was significant with the LNWR line in deep cutting.

A little further to the East the PQR entered Tregarth alongside Shiloh Chapel. [15]
The same area as in the 6″ Ordnance Survey extract showing the approaches to Tregarth. The PQR (in pink) enters the village to the South of the large Chapel (Shiloh Chapel) and close to Waen-Y-Pandy. [7]
Blanche again, with the train of empties that we have already seen, on 5th September 1957. In February 2023, thanks to Robin Willis, I was able to confirm the location of this photograph in Tregarth, © Copyright Ken Cribb and used with the kind permission of his son Russ Cribb. [Supplied direct to me by Russ Cribb]
These notes and this drawing were sent to me by Robin Willis on 3rd February 2023. … He comments: “The location is difficult to identify as it has changed beyond recognition as much of the foliage has been cleared and the cutting infilled, but a row of cottages to the right of the picture, and out of sight, still exist.   
Fortunately, a friend of mine is an absolute mine of information about the railway and he has identified the location. A marked-up copy of the 1889 25″ OS map is attached. The photographer was standing on the bridge over the PQR in Tregarth where the B4409 road crossed the trackbed. To the extreme left of the photo can be seen a pair of double doors in a shed. These can be seen on Google Maps as the image is from 2009 but were recently demolished to make way for a new house.” [Email on 3rd February 2023]

Boyd comments that the Workmen’s Train Halt in Tregarth was behind Shiloh Chapel, it was “linked with the nearby road by footpath and wicket gate. No trains ever seemed actually to stand there, for it was sufficient for the Workmen’s rake to run slowly past as the men jumped on or off!” [36: p58]

It appears from the annotated map extract sent to me by Robin Willis, that the Workmen’s Halt was on the East side of the main road rather than behind Shiloh Chapel. Nonetheless the quote from Boyd remains apposite.

Looking from the South along the B4409 in Tregarth: the approximate line of the PQR is shown by the pink line. It passed under the road at this point. There is a footpath/cycleway at the right side of this image running away to the East which appears to be on the line of the old PQR. This is the Lon Las Ogwen and is shown on the next Streetview image below.  [Google Streetview]
The Lon Las Ogwen again at the point where the PQR crossed under the main street in Tregarth. At the rear of the gardens of the adjoining properties, the Lon Las Ogwen bears left, heading back to the old Bethesda Branch, while the line of the PQR continues in an East-northeast direction. The land level dropped down to the level of the PQR and then the line was on embankment for a short distance as the map extract below shows. [Google Streetview]
Tregarth Station on the Bethesda Branch of the LNWR is shown on this extract from the 6″Ordnance Survey. The PQR can be seen crossing the map extract to the South of the LNWR line. [16]
The next length of the PQR crosses open ground in a East-northeast direction. the satellite image is once again provided by RailMapOnline. [7]

The PQR passed under the main road in Tregarth through what James Boyd describes as “the ‘standard’ form of road overbridge, stone with brick facings.” [36: p58]

After crossing over the Bethesda Branch the route of the PQR is shown on the 6″ Ordnance Survey looping tightly round following the contours to run due South. It is high enough to cross the metalled lane to the East of Tregarth. The Bethesda line is shown in tunnel on this map extract with the PQR crossing it’s line once again above the southeastern end of the tunnel. [17]
This small extract from satellite imagery shows an area one-third down the left side of the extract above from the 6″ Ordnance Survey. The lane to the East of Tregarth was crossed by the PQR after the PQR ( pink line) crossed the LNWR branch at high-level. [Google Maps]
The bridge that carried the Penrhyn railway track over the standard gauge line on the Bethesda side of the short tunnel
The bridge by which the PQR crossed the Bethesda Branch is still in place in the 21st century. This image is embedded here from Flickr, © Copyright Martin Pritchard [37]
The bridge by which the PQR crossed the Bethesda Branch is still in place in the 21st century, © Copyright Mike Hardisty [37]

The bridge was a skew single arch structure in brick and was funded by the LNWR.. the Bethesda Branch was 31ft below the PQR at this point. [36: p58] Details of the bridge over the lane can be found below. Immediately below are two pictures taken from road level of the 21st century remains of the bridge over the lane.

Facing Southeast along the lane referred to above. The abutments of the girder bridge which used to carry the PQR are clearly visible. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Facing Northwest along the same lane. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
The satellite imagery provided by RailMapOnline covering the same area as the 6″Ordnance Survey above shows the significant loop in the line of the PQR and its relation to both the older tramroad route (red line) and the LNWR branch (purple line). The Tramroad alignment meets the newer PQR at the top of the Ddinas Incline and then follows the same route South. [7]

After crossing the LNWR, which was in deep cutting, the PQR ran along a very short embankment before bridging the Tal-y-Cae to Hen-Durnpike road which climbed steeply beneath it. The bridge was originally a 25ft timber span (which was replaced in steel) on stone abutments. Just beyond the bridge was the Corrig-Llwydion Workmen’s Train halt, then a shallow cutting followed by an equally shallow causeway. The line was now climbing at 1 in 93 and at approximately 400ft above sea level.

As both the 6″ OS map extract and the satellite image above show, the line turned very sharply to the right round the flanks of Pen-Dinas. Apparently, the tightest radius on the line was at this location (85ft) and the Baldwin locomotives purchased by the PQR were known to derail here on occasions. The line here was supported on low walls. Boyd tells us that the right of way of the PQR widens out at the head of the old Incline. There used to be stabling loops for the Incline at this point. [36: p58]

Between the old tramroad incline and Hen-Durnpike in Bron-Ogwen the newer PQR followed the line of the old Tramroad. Boyd describes this section: “the line was carried on a stone shelf. … Parallel and below, the old road to the Quarry kept company.” [36: p57]

This excellent Google Streetview image, facing South, comes from their survey in January 2022. It shows the Bethesda Branch at low level, visible because it is now a surface cycle-route (Lon Los Ogwen), the highway (Lon Ddinas) at the level of the camera and, on the right, the retaining wall which supported the PQR on a stone shelf above the road. [Google Streetview]
This enlarged extract from the 6″Ordnance Survey from around the turn of the 20th century shows the Bethesda Branch tunnel portal on the East side of Lon Ddinas which runs parallel to but below the PQR. On leaving the tunnel the Bethesda Branch immediately crossed the Afon Ogwen on a viaduct which now carries the Lon Las Ogwen. [24]
A view, looking West from the deck of the viaduct during the work to create the Lon Las Ogwen and showing the tunnel portal and parapet (which ran alongside Lon Ddinas). [25]
A similar view after completion of the work, © Daily Post Wales. [26]
Continuing South the 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the PQR following the line of the older Tramroad. Just off the bottom of this extract, the two routes diverge for a short distance. [27]
A similar area on the modern satellite imagery from RailMapOnline. [7]
The line of the PQR as it crossed what is now the B4409 at Hen Durnpike. [Google Maps]

Boyd describes this road crossing as: “a close-walled road and rail intersection with protective tall semaphore signal (its signal hut perched on the walling, the enceinte of successive Mrs. Parry – gatekeepers) and twin road gates, made all the more risky as several roads met hereabouts. The hut, wooden walled and slate roofed, survived the closure. Here the line was 420 ft above sea level, and there were ‘Whistle’ boards on each side of the gates; this was a most dangerous and narrow place, more especially for the road-user! The position of the approaching train could be determined quite exactly by long forewarning of its steam hooter, each main line engine having an individual tone.” [36: p57]

R0716. BLANCHE, PQR Level Crossing. Aug, 1961.
This photograph looks North along what is now the B4409. Blanche is heading down past Hen Durnpike towards Port Penrhyn in August, 1961. © Copyright Ron Fisher. The image is embedded here from Flickr with his kind permission. [38]
The view South along what was the line of the PQR. [Google Streetview]
The route of the PQR to the South of the point it crossed the B4409. [Google Streetview]

Behind the road crossing and running along the backs of the properties in Bron-Ogwen on the B4409, initially on a shallow grade, then climbing at a gradient of 1 in 36 the PQR reached open land. Here, at first, it ran on a causeway spanning a footpath, and then it passed through a series of rock cuttings, one being only 8ft wide at formation level. [36: p57]

As we noted above the route of the PQR and the earlier Tramroad diverge close to the top of this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey. The PQR was still in use at the turn of the 20th century and it appears as an active line. The route of the old tramroad passed through the bottom of the garden of the properties to the East of the PQR and then followed the route first delineated by the dotted lines. The route is shown on the following satellite image. [28]
The same area shown on satellite imagery which includes the two routes as plotted on RailMapOnline. [7]

Over open land to the West of the modern B4409 the PQR ran on a high embankment/causeway, 18ft high and 10ft wide. The outer walls of which were formed of stone slabs which were then back filled with earth/arisings from the Quarry.

The two separate routes continue onto this next map extract and cross to the bottom right of the image. The later PQR was carried through this area on a slate-slab embankment crossing the footpath at high level by means of a 5ft span bridge. [36: p56] [29]
The same area as above as it appears on the satellite imagery from RailMapOnline with the two routes plotted. [7]
For a short distance the old tramway route runs to the West of the PQR, as the lines drawn on the satellite image below demonstrate. [30]
This satellite image brings the PQR to the industrial complex at the North end of the Quarry site. [7]
The view West from the B4409 along St. Ann’s Hl. The pink line shows tha approximate alignment of the PQR which crossed St Ann’s Hl on a bridge. The red line marks the route of the old tramway. Both the lines were at high level over the road which was in a deep cutting, as over the years the spoil heaps either side of the road had built gradually built up to levels that required high retaining walls. Once the rails had gone the bridges could be removed and road levels raised on St. Ann’s Hl and the main road. Boyd tell us that the bridge carrying the PQR “was formed in the ‘standard’ method used elsewhere viz. a square-section timber beam supported on slab piers, 4-hole chairs being used thereon to carry each rail. And this was not all, as an adjacent tip line also had its own bridge over the road until the site was full and the tip abandoned. Here too a junction in the tipping system had once thrown off a spur line which passed off the top of the ‘fortress walling’ and crossed the old turnpike road by a wooden span; it led on to further spoil banks on the east side of this road, which at a later date were linked by an incline which dropped a tramway into the Ogwen Tile Works.” [36: p56] On the North and South sides of St. Ann’s Hl the PQR was carried on a slate-slab embankment which held it above the growing spoil heaps. [Google Streetview]
Looking North, back along the line of the old tramroad towards Porth Penrhyn. [Google Streetview]
Looking South along the line of the old tramroad towards Penrhyn Quarry. [Google Streetview]

After crossing St. Ann’s Hl the old Tramroad continued on to the South towards the Felin-Fawr Slate Works and the Quarry. The later PQR route and the Tramroad route meet once again just before a footbridge. Felin-Fawr House was just beyond the footbridge to the left and Mill Cottage was on the right. James Boyd notes that the footbridge was constructed by John Foulkes in 1823 and framed wooden gates to close off access along the line to the Slate Works.[36: p55]

A short distance beyond the footbridge the trains reach the summit of the line. At that point they had climbed 550ft from Porth Penrhyn. [36: p56]

The summit was close to a point where a standpipe was on the retaining wall which ran down the West side of the Slate Works site, to the right of the line. It was along this length of the line that loaded slate trains were prepared for their journey down to the port.

The mainline stayed close to the wall which can still be seen on site in 21st century. The photograph below shows a port-bound slate train being prepared to for the journey North with ‘Linda’ in charge.

Hunslet ‘Linda’ with a train of loaded slate wagons just about to leave Felin Fawr on the Penrhyn main line. Photo taken on 15th April 1952.
Photo (B12) © K H Cribb and included here by kind permission of his son Russ who shared the photograph on the Narrow Gauge Enthusiasts Facebook Group on 9th November 2023. [45]
R0647 Departing Penrhyn June 1961
Linda’s brass dome glints in the afternoon sunlight as she starts the journey down to Port Penrhyn in June 1961. The locos in the scrap line wait patiently for rescue. Notice the footbridge ahead which formed the northern limit of the Felin-Fawr site, © Ron Fisher and included here with his kind permission. [35]
Looking South towards Penrhyn Quarry from within the Felin-Fawr site. A train is being assembled which ‘Blanche’ will take down to Porth Penrhyn. The road bridge ahead was built in 1900 and marks the southern limit of the Felin-Fawr site. Before 1900 the road crossed the PQR lines at level and must have been frequently obstructed by shunting movements © Ron Fisher and included here with his kind permission. [54]

To the East of the mainline there were three sidings between it and the original slate-slab mill. One of these sidings was increasingly used for locomotives which had been taken out of service. The mainline continued South beyond the slab mill and then, once it has been built in 1900, under an overbridge which, like the footbridge’ was gated to control access to the site of the Quarry. Beyond the overbridge were the main sidings where slate wagons were marshalled either for their journey to the coast (if they were full).

We finish this portion of our journey with a look at some of the locomotives which were stored at Felin-Fawr and some of the rolling stock in the immediate area.

Penrhyn Quarry on 2nd August 1955 showing ‘Eigiau’, ‘Stanhope’ and ‘Kathleen’ on the scrap line, © Copyright K H Cribb and used by the kind permission of his son Russ who shared the photo on the Narrow Gauge Enthusiasts Facebook Group on 10th November 2021. [46]
A colour image of the same location taken on 10th June 1962, © Copyright Terry Dorrity and included here with his kind permission. Terry shared this image on the Narrow Gauge Enthusiasts Facebook Group on 1st March 2020. [47]

Terry Dorrity writes of the photograph above: “This was the bitter-sweet sight that met visitors to the Coed y Parc Penrhyn Works at Bethesda in Snowdonia. The sad line of withdrawn locomotives resting and rusting, apparently beyond saving, in a sort of mini Barry scrapyard must have encouraged many a daydream but fortunately every one of them, except SKINNER, has been preserved.” [47]

The Locomotives are: “EIGIAU; STANHOPE; the de Winton, KATHLEEN; JUBILEE 1847; frames wheels and part of the cab of SKINNER; LILLA, and SGT MURPHY await their fate with LILLIAN, which was next in line but out of sight.” [47]

Terry Dorrity continues: “EIGIAU is an Orenstein and Koppel 0-4-0 well tank built in 1912 (works number 5668) which was originally supplied to C L Warren contractors in Cheshire and named SUNLIGHT. In 1916 it was sold to the Aluminium Corporation of Dolgarrog for use in building Cowlyd reservoir and renamed EIGIAU after a lake in Snowdonia. It became a Penrhyn locomotive in 1928. It was taken out of service in 1949 and was bought for preservation by Mr G J Mullis and removed in pieces to Droitwich in January and February 1963 and restored to working order. It ran at Bressingham Gardens for some time but it is now part of the Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway collection.” [47]

A number of photos taken by Barry Fitzpatrick, Ron Fisher and Ken Cribb, included here follow, all of locos on the line at Felin-Fawr. All pictures used by permission of the photographers or, in Ken’s case, with permission from his son Russ.

‘Eigau’, ‘Stanhope’ and ‘Kathleen’ in 1955,© Copyright Ken Cribb and used with the kind permission of his son Russ Cribb. [Supplied direct to me by Russ Cribb]
‘Lilla’ and other locos stored at Felin-Fawr on 5th September 1957,© Copyright Ken Cribb and used with the kind permission of his son Russ Cribb. [Supplied direct to me by Russ Cribb]
This image and the next three make up a set of four monochrome photographs of locomotives on the “Scrap Line” at the Quarry in 1962, © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [48]
Lilian © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [48]
Lilian © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [48]
Sgt. Murphy © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [48]
Lilian at Felin Fawr in colour in 1961. Built in 1883, Lilian was saved for preservation and is now at the Launceston Steam Railway in Cornwall, © Copyright Ron Fisher and used by kind permission. [49]
Eigiau in 1962 © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [50]
Stanhope in 1962, © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [50]
The ‘de Winton’ vertical boiler locomotive, ‘Kathleen’ in 1962 © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [50]
Jubilee 1847l in 1962 © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [50]
Lilla in 1962 © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [50]
Penrhyn No. 24, a Ruston & Hornsby 4wheel drive Diesel Mechanical locomotive in 1962, in the 21st century, this loco resides at the Great Bush Railway, © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [51][53]

These next two pictures were taken inside the workshops.

Blanche in the workshops in 1962 © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [48]
Ogwen, under repair in 1962 © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [48]

A few further pictures of items of rolling stock at Felin-Fawr. These photographs were taken in 1962, 1963 and 1967.

This photograph shows the brakevan built on the frames of the former Bagnall ‘Sandford’ The small building behind with the blocked up arched entrance was formerly the de Winton shed and the building to the right is the foundry, © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [51]
The same brake van stands adjacent to one of the Felin-Fawr buildings, © Copyright Michael Bishop. Michael Bishop visited Penrhyn Quarry at Bethesda on the 17th of June 1967. By that date the quarry had finished using rail transport and the remaining locomotives and wagons were being scrapped. Tracklifting of the remaining lines was underway. This image is included here by kind permission of the photographer. [52]
In this photograph, the building behind the brakevan was being used as the diesel loco shed with the foundry to the top left, © Copyright Barry Fitzpatrick and used by kind permission. [51]

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  51. https://m.facebook.com/groups/narrowgauge/permalink/5180454721966514, accessed on 6th January 2023.
  52. http://www.penmorfa.com/Slate/Penrhyn-1967.htm, accessed on 8th January 2023.
  53. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Bush_Railway, accessed on 23rd January 2023.
  54. https://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/5559877382, accessed on 22nd January 2023.

Early Tramroads Near Telford – Part 10 – An overview of the East Shropshire Area’s Historic Tramroad Network

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I have recently undertaken a detailed review of a book by R.F. Savage and L.D.W. Smith entitled, The Waggon-ways and Plate-ways of East Shropshire. [1] This was a research paper produced in 1965. The original document is held in the Archive Office of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. It was a timely document. Large parts of the area surveyed by the authors were changed almost beyond recognition as the Development Corporation got to work on creating what became the new town of Telford, where (in 2023) I now live. Their work included a detailed series of drawing produced by hand, tracing as best they could the lines of tramroads from smaller scaled plans onto 6″ to the mile and 1″ to the mile drawings. There are two examples of their 6″ to the mile plans below.

Savage & Smith’s 6″ to the mile plan of the Madeley Wood and Bedlam Furnace Area on the North side of the River Severn Gorge. [1]
Savage & Smith’s 6″ to the mile plan of the Madeley Court Area to the North of the River Severn Gorge. [1]

Savage & Smith were diligent in their research and careful in their documenting of the historic sources and information gleaned on site. The resulting document is wonderful and I have enjoyed engaging with it. This document alone would justify a research visit to the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust Archive. My thanks to the Archive for the welcome offered to me and their generous agreement to my using the material from this resource.

As a result of undertaking this and other research at the Archive, I was asked to give a talk at one of the meetings of the Friends of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. The detailed notes associated with the talk and a PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded using the links below.

Tramroads Talk – October 2023Download

These detailed notes are the background information for a talk given on 18th October 2023.

Tramroads Talk – October 2023Download

The PowerPoint presentation used on 18th October 2023.

I hope that these notes and slides are of interest to some. It is possible that you may read them and find things in the notes that are incorrect. If so, please do let me know. I will be using this material for future talks. I would really appreciate any comments that you might have.

References

  1. R.F. Savage & L.D.W. Smith; The Waggon-ways and Plate-ways of East Shropshire, Birmingham School of Architecture, 1965. An original document is held by the Archive Office of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

Horse-Drawn Tramways of the Wye Valley

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A great Christmas purchase from Rossiter Books in Leominster! (£12.99, ISBN 978-1-910839-60-7, Paperback, 176 pages, 242 x 171mm). NB: The images in this article are sourced from the internet.

Horse-Drawn Tramways of the Wye Valley [1] by Heather Hurley, published by the Logaston Press in Novber 2022, is an excellent introduction to the early tramways in the Wye Valley. A short-lived transport system of horse-drawn waggons on rails, operating from the late eighteenth century to the introduction of steam locomotives in the middle of the nineteenth century, primarily used for transporting goods such as coal and wood.

Heather Hurley explores all of the tramways known to have existed in and around the Wye Valley from Kington, through Brecon and Hay to Abergavenny, Monmouth, the Forest of Dean and Hereford; the routes taken, the companies that built and ran them, and the people who used them. She draws on extensive research of Tramway Company archives, Acts and ledgers, maps and plans, newspapers and journals, archaeological reports, books and illustrations, as well as detailed fieldwork.

As the back cover states, Hurley’s book is richly illustrated and offers captivating insights into early nineteenth-century transport history, trade routes and the beginnings of the steam railways on the Welsh border.

Heather Hurley has a keen interest in local history. She has written several books, including ‘The Scudamores of Kentchurch and Holme Lacy’, ‘The Story of Ross’ and ‘Landscape Origins of the Wye Valley’. She is planning to produce a parallel volume about the railways of the Wye Valley in due course.

Horse-Drawn Tramways of the Wye Valley is an easy to read but well-researched introduction to tramways in the Southern Marches. Evidence of Hurley’s detailed research can be found in the extensive notes which support each chapter. Solid research does not, however, mean that this is primarily a dry academic book. It is accessibly produced with appropriate illustrations and a confident narrative.

The first chapter gives an overview of transport systems which predated the introduction of tramways. A chapter is devoted to the development of the horse-drawn tramways which includes an important section focussing on the horses used, before the more usual engineering matters of waggons, rails and stone ‘sleepers’ are covered.

The Monmouth Tramroad (or Railway),
© Afterbrunel and licenced for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [2]

Individual chapters are devoted to the major networks which developed along the Wye Valley:

  • The Monmouth Tramroad
  • The Severn and Wye Tramroad
  • The Bishopswood, Scott and Teague Tramways
  • The Hay Railway
  • The Kingston Railway
  • The Abergavenny and Hereford Rail Road.
Brecon – the longest railway in the world: … This ‘diorama’ was installed by British Waterways in the ‘noughties’ beside the canal at Brecon. It commemorates the one-time ‘longest railway in the world’ which ran from Brecon to Kington via Hay-on-Wye. It was actually two horse-drawn tramways which met end-on at Eardisley – The Hay Railway and the Kingston Railway. The combined length exceeded 36 miles and claimed the title of the longest railway between 1820 and 1837, © Copyright Alan Bowring and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [3]
Grosmont Tramroad: Behind Werngifford are the remains of a tramroad built in the early 19th century. It formerly connected with the Llanfihangel Tramroad to form a through route between Abergavenny and Hereford until replaced by the modern railway in 1854, © Copyright Alan Bowring and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [4]

Two further chapters cover some local tramways of interest and the coming of steam-power.

The history of each of the major lines is recounted is some detail, each route is surveyed and details of goods carried are provided. For each line, some notes are provided on remains visible in the 21st century and on where documents recording its life can be found.

The extent of the coverage in a paperback book of 176 pages is to be commended. No doubt some readers will want to look at one or more of the routes portrayed in more detail than is possible in a book of this nature. The book might have benefitted from the addition of maps to support the detailed route descriptions provided towards the end of each of the major chapters. The book is, however, a wonderful introduction to its subject and has been an excellent post-Christmas read!

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the industrial history of the Welsh Marches and the Forest of Dean. Anyone interested in the history of tramways/tramroads in the UK would do well to purchase a copy, not only for the informative narrative and illustrations but also for the detailed endnotes.

The Logaston Press takes its name from the hamlet of Logaston, in the beautiful countryside of rural north-west Herefordshire. It was here that Logaston Press was set up by Andy Johnson in 1983, and later run by Andy together with his wife Karen.

In 2018 Andy and Karen handed over the reins to Richard and Su Wheeler, who now run Logaston Press from the nearby village of Eardisley.

Logaston Press publishes books on local history, landscape, archaeology, architecture, and a range of walks guides – all focussed on the ‘Logaston heartlands’ of the Southern Marches: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, Radnorshire, Breconshire and Montgomeryshire.

In almost four decades, Logaston Press has published more than 350 titles, with more than 100 books currently in print. Its books are beautifully produced, ethically printed and reasonably priced. They are are a pleasure to own.

Logaston Press is rooted in the people and places of the Southern Marches and is dedicated to publishing books that explore and illuminate this extraordinary part of the world.

References

  1. Heather Hurley; Horse-Drawn Tramways of the Wye Valley; Logaston Press, Eardisley, 2022.
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouth_Railway, accessed on 1st January 2023.
  3. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/757089, accessed on 2nd January 2023.
  4. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/635820, accessed on 2nd January 2023.

The Penrhyn Quarry Railway – Part 1

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A short history of the line is followed by some information about the locomotives used on the line. This first article then focusses primarily on the horse-powered tramroad which preceded the later Penrhyn Quarry Railway.

Penrhyn is the Welsh word for ‘promontory’.

“The history of Port Penrhyn can be traced back as early as 1713 when it was recorded that 14 shipments totalling 415,000 slates had been sent to Dublin. In 1720, another 8 shipments totalling 155,000 slates were sent to Dublin, two to Drogheda (20,000) and one to Belfast (35,000). Two years later, a shipment of 80,000 slates were sent to Dunkirk. After these few shipments only coastal traffic left from Aber-Cegin (Port Penrhyn) until Richard Pennant took over the ownership of Penrhyn Estates and appointed Benjamin Wyatt in 1786 as agent.” [23]

Porth Penrhyn in the mid- to late- 19th century. [23]

The Penrhyn Railway opened as a tramroad in 1801 which ran from quarries a few miles inland from Bangor in North Wales to the coast at Port Penrhyn. The gauge of the tramroad was 2ft 0.5in. It was constructed by Lord Penrhyn at a cost of around £175,000. [1][2] The alignment was as shown on the map immediately below.

The Penrhyn Railway 1801 to 1878: rendered with Maperitive, text and integration: Pechristener Wales in United Kingdom.svg: TUBS United Kingdom location map.svg: NordNordWest • CC BY 3.0. [1]

It was thought that there was an earlier line which ran between Port Penrhyn and Llandegai. That tramway, if it existed, was constructed in 1798. Its route paralleled that of the northern end of Lord Penrhyn’s tramroad. One theory is that this earlier tramway was operational until 1831. [1] There appear to have been two inclines on the Llandegai Tramway, one close to the port and the other directly adjacent to Llandegai Penlan Mill at Llandegai at the Southern end of that line. Both are shown on the image below.

The Llandegai Tramway: rendered with Maperitive, text and integration: Pechristener Wales in United Kingdom.svg: TUBS United Kingdom location map.svg: NordNordWest • CC BY 3.0. [1]

Research in 2021 suggests that the earlier tramway did not exist. [2]. If it did, it is likely that it was subsumed into the tramroad built by Lord Penrhyn. There is also research, undertaken in 2019, which suggests that a tramway was probably constructed in 1798 in connection with the Penrhyn Mills on the lower Ogwen. [35] My thanks to David Elis-Williams for providing a link to this research by Barrie Lill.

Lill comments that the Penrhyn Mills at Llandegai had a part in the development of the tramway/tramroad which eventually served the Penhryn Quarry: “The mill had what David Gwyn believes to be part of the first iron-railed overland edge railway of any length in the world, and the first iron edge railway built for the mass movement of stone. However, whereas James Boyd conjectures that originally the Penlan railway only extended from Port Penrhyn to the mill at Llandegai, pre-dated the Penrhyn Quarry Railway by three years, and was only later extended to the Quarry, [36] Gwyn does not agree. Instead he believes that the Penlan line merely was an off-shoot from the Quarry Railway. [37] At present there is no available evidence to confirm either theory, although there is a belief that prior to publishing his book on the Penrhyn Quarry Railways, Boyd had obtained supporting documents which no longer are publicly available. Irrespective of the above it seems unlikely that the mill would have opened without an adequate transportation system such as some simple form of tramway being in place, and in this scenario it is likely that the problems encountered with the working of this system are what prompted Wyatt to adapt the system and introduce the iron-railed edge railway to which David Gwyn refers.” [35]

Lord Penrhyn was persuaded by William Jessop to build the tramroad. “Jessop and his partner Benjamin Outram were then constructing the Little Eaton Gangway in Derbyshire. Samuel Wyatt was also involved in the construction of the gangway, and his brother Benjamin was the Penrhyn estate manager.” [1][2]

“Benjamin Wyatt was put in charge of building the tramway. Construction started on 2 September 1800, with the first slate train travelling on 25 June 1801. … The track used oval rails designed by Benjamin Wyatt, and their quoted gauge of 2 ft 1⁄2 in (622 mm) was measured between the centres of the rails. The railroad was operated by horse power along with gravity and three balanced inclines – “Port” (sometimes called “Marchogion”), “Dinas” north east of Tregarth and “Cilgeraint” a short distance north of Coed-y-Parc workshops in Bethesda. The longest was 220 yards (200 m).” [1]

Before the tramroad was constructed, slate was transported to the port by horses along mountain paths. After the tramroad was brought into service the local costs of transport fell from 4 shillings/ton to 1 shilling/ton. [1][4: p42-43]

In 1832, “Wyatt’s oval rails were replaced with more conventional … rails. The gauge of this new track was 1ft 10.3⁄4in (578 mm), measured between the inner edges of the rails – the conventional way of measuring track gauge.” [1][3]

In 1876 the tramroad was “rebuilt on a new course with steel rails laid on wooden sleepers. Steam locomotives were introduced, supplied by De Winton & Co. Engineers of Caernarvon.” [5]

Thomas Middlemass tells us that De Winton supplied ten locomotives to the line. “Seven were to be used at the quarries, three were to work the ‘main line’ to the coast, and all* were vertical-boilered 0-4-0 tanks.” [6: p16] They had two cylinders secured below the running plate with direct drive to one axle. The total weight varied between 4 and 5 tons. [7]

* … It appears that Middlemass has overlooked the fact that 3 of the 10 locomotives were fitted with horizontal boilers and were 0-4-0ST locos. They were named ‘Edward Sholto’, ‘Hilda’ and ‘Violet’, and were supplied in 1876, 1878 and 1879 respectively. [34]

Between 1882 and 1909 the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds supplied sixteen four-wheeled locomotives for use in the quarry and on the line to Port Penrhyn.” [5]

One surviving Penrhyn locomotive is 0-4-0 vertical-boiler tank engine “George Henry,” which was built in 1877 and still looks good 140 years later at the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Tywyn, Wales.

‘George Henry’: a vertical-boilered 0-4-0 locomotive now on display in the Narrow Gauge Museum at Tywyn, Wales once played it’s trade in the Penrhyn Quarries. Both pictures © rlkitterman. [7]

The new route to suit steam-power obviated the need for the inclined planes, maintaining the easiest possible gradients. “Between coast and quarry it rose 550 feet, and, allowing for a stretch of 1/4 mile at 1 in 37 and 3 miles at 1 in 40, the average gradient emerged as 1 in 91. Flat bottomed rails were laid at first, but these were replaced in 1894 by the 50 lb bullhead variety.” [6: p15-16]

The new route of the Penrhyn Railway which opened in 1879: rendered with Maperitive, text and integration: Pechristener Wales in United Kingdom.svg: TUBS United Kingdom location map.svg: NordNordWest • CC BY 3.0. [1]

“The first locomotives used on the new railway were three De Winton’s. … Although successful, these locomotives were not powerful enough for the substantial traffic that passed down the line.” [1]

In 1882 the railway ordered ‘Charles’, a large 0-4-0ST from Hunslet. Charles proved very successful and was followed by ‘Blanche’ and ‘Linda’ in 1893 to the same basic design. These locomotives were the mainstay of the railway for the rest of its life.

In 1882 Penrhyn switched to more conventional locomotion, ordering “‘Charles’, a large 0-4-0ST from Hunslet. Charles proved very successful and was followed by ‘Blanche’ and ‘Linda’ in 1893 to the same basic design. These locomotives were the mainstay of the railway for the rest of its life.” [1]

“Between then and 1909 a positive spate of tank locos flowed, new, from Hunslet Engine Co. All were 0-4-0 saddle tanks, with weight and power variations introduced to meet specific Penrhyn requirements. Three were designed to work the ‘main line’, three were employed shunting at Port Penrhyn. Four of the smallest were confined to quarry work, and these were supplemented a few years later when six larger tanks arrived. As it happened, the latter were the last new purchases by Penrhyn.” [6: p16]

Among the Hunslet locomotives were the Penrhyn Port Class of three locomotives “built for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway (PQR). These locomotives were built by the Hunslet Engine Company between 1883 and 1885 and supplied specifically to work at Port Penrhyn near Bangor, North Wales. They were a variant of the standard Dinorwic Alice Class design.” [8]

Quarry Hunslet Lilian (No. 317, 1883) at the Launceston Steam Railway (June 2010) ©FritzG This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license – CC BY-SA 3.0.

“The Penrhyn Main Line class was a class of three narrow gauge steam locomotives built for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway (PQR). These locomotives were built by the Hunslet Engine Company between 1882 and 1893 and supplied specifically to work the railway that connected the Penrhyn Quarry near Bethesda in north Wales to Port Penrhyn on the Menai Strait.” [9]

“All three locomotives were preserved after the closure of the PQR. Charles was donated to the Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum. Linda was loaned to the nearby Ffestiniog Railway in July 1962. For the 1963 season the locomotive was re-gauged to the Ffestiniog’s 1 ft 11.5 in (597 mm) and purchased, along with Blanche at the end of the year. Both have since received extensive modifications including tenders, pony trucks and superheating.” [9]

Ex-Penrhyn Ffestinog Railway 0-4-0 saddle-tank Linda at Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station (2004) ©Thryduulf This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license – CC BY-SA 4.0.

The post-First World War years brought such economic instability that second-hand locos were not hard to find. Penrhyn bought 15 such from 1922 onwards. [5]

In 1923, three ex-US Army Baldwin 2-6-2Ts were also imported for ‘main line’ use, but, as happened elsewhere in Britain, they were never popular, and their working life was short.

The railway was private, providing no public service for either goods or passengers. Quarrymen’s trains were run, paid for by the quarrymen themselves.” [5]

“Today Porth Penrhyn in Bangor still serves the Penrhyn Quarry at Bethesda. Although today slate production and exports are not at 19th century levels it continues to be a key part of the business of slate. Exports of crushed slate (aggregate) by Penrhyn Quarry, through Porth Penrhyn  currently to Rotterdam, or ports along the south coast of England, have grown to become a significant proportion of Welsh Slate sales in addition to several containers  of roofing slates being shipped every month to Australia alone (taking approximately 45 days).” [23]

“Welsh slate is now covering the roofs of buildings as prestigious as the New South Wales Supreme Court and historic as Unwin’s Stores, both in Sydney Australia, as well as the Arts Centre in earthquake-hit Christchurch, New Zealand 2012. Europe also is a prime destination for Welsh slate with shipments of slate and decorative aggregate within Europe continuing to grow and evolve in particular.” [23]

All rail connections to the quarry disappeared in the mid-20th century under competition from road transport

The Post-1879 Route of the Railway

We start at the North end of the old railway at Porth Penrhyn. Porth Penrhyn) is a harbour located just east of Bangor in north Wales at the confluence of the River Cegin with the Menai Strait.

We follow the route on the Ordnance Survey 6″ Maps from around the turn of the 20th century as supplied by the National Library of Scotland (NLS). [10]

The railway layout at Porth Penrhyn on the 6″ OS Maps from around the turn of the 20th century. [11]
Approximately the same area as shown on the OS Map above, this time on the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the NLS [11]
This photograph was taken from a point Northeast of University College (shown on the 6″OS map extract above. [21]
Linda departing with a train of empties from Porth Penrhyn in September 1961. The standard-gauge line is on the right, © Jim Fraser. [16]
A little further North, this picture shows a Standard Class 2MT (41200) on the standard-gauge and two narrow-gauge locomotives. The one almost hidden by the 2MT is a Ruston Diesel locomotive
(ex-works May 1953, no. 383820). It is a 40HP, Ruston 0-4-0 with 3VRH diesel engine. The narrow-gauge steam locomotive is ‘Blanche’, © Eric Foulkes. [17]
The view looking South from the port area at Porth Penrhyn along the line of the old railway which is now the Sustrans Cycle Route No. 82. [Google Streetview, 2015]
The view looking South from the road bridge at Porth Penrhyn along the line of the old railway which is now the Sustrans Cycle Route No. 82. [Google Streetview, 2022]
The view looking South along the line of the old railway from about 100metres South of the road bridge, © Ian S and licenced for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [12]
The railway layout Southeast of Cegin Pool on the 6″ OS Maps from around the turn of the 20th century. [15]
The same area as shown on the OS 6″ Map above. The alignment of the old tramroad is illustrated by the red line. The newer railway is shown light-blue. Parallel and immediately adjacent to the East of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway was the standard-gauge LNWR line. The two lines began to separate to the Southwest of the A5 road. [15]
The Old Railway Bridge close to Cegin Pool: Originally carried the Standard-Gauge Branch and Penrhyn Quarry lines to Port Penrhyn. Now a footpath/cycle path. In the foreground is part of the earlier bridge carrying the horse tramway from Penrhyn Quarry, © Copyright Chris Andrews and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) [13]
Cegin viaduct: A view from the cycle track of the viaduct crossing the Afon Cegin just on the Southeast side of Cegin Pool, on the original line of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway. This view is taken from the Southern end of the viaduct. The re-engineered line took a more gently inclined route that avoided the rope-hauled incline just to the south. The abutments of the more recent bridge are much wider than the modern path because it carried the parallel tracks of both narrow gauge and standard gauge lines to Port Penrhyn, © Copyright Jonathan Wilkins and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) [14]
Two further photographs at this location. The views were taken in 2015 after refurbishment work, © Daniel Richard Goodman. [22]
My sketch of the Tramroad route and its two bridges over the Afon Cegin based on a drawing in James Boyd’s book. The old main road crossed the Cegin at the same location as the tramroad. [36]
The old Tramroad Arch Bridge over the Afon Cegin to the South of the bridges above. The picture is taken from the later bridge which carried the two railways. Just to the right of this image was the bottom of the tramroad incline, © Ian S and licenced for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [20]
Looking Southwest towards the modern Llandudno Road (A5) bridge spanning the cycleway which follows the route of the old Railway. At this point the old Railway alignment is also part of the Coastal Path, © Copyright Ian S and licenced for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [16]
The same location on the A5 London to Holyhead road as it appeared prior to the construction of the modern bridge, when both the standard-gauge line and the quarry railway were still in place. The photograph comes from the Railway Magazine of October 1961, © J.M. Dunn.
This picture was taken in late 1963. The Penrhyn Quarry Railway bridge looking North, also at Maesgierchen. The standard-gauge line is out of sight to the right above the line, the Afon Cegin to the left below the line. A year later the rails had gone to the Ffestiniog Railway and the whole embankment was destroyed and rebuilt as part of a road-widening scheme, © M. Costello (courtesy of the Ffestioniog Railway Archives (where it is mislabelled as a photograph of the Welsh Highland Railway trackbed). [18]
The routes of three railways can be seen on this extract from the 6″ OS Maps from around the turn of the 20th century. It shows the area South of the A5 road bridge referred to above. On the right of the image, running South from the Incline Cottage at the top of the extract, field boundaries define the alignment of the old Tramroad.  To the West of the A5, which runs down the centre of the extract, are two lines which were in use when the survey was undertaken. Running closest to the A5 is the be LNWR standard-gauge branch. The narrow-gauge Penrhyn Quarry Railway is to the West of the standard-gauge line and follows the East bank of the Afon Cegin. [19]
The same area as shown on the OS 6″ Map above. The alignment of the old tramroad is illustrated by the red line. The newer narrow-gauge railway is shown light-blue. Parallel and immediately adjacent to the East of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway was the standard-gauge LNWR line. The two lines began to separate to the Southwest of the A5 road. The approximate alignment of the standard-gauge line is shown in purple. The A5 runs down the centre of the image. [19]
The approximate location where the old tramroad crossed the line of the modern A5.  The A5 is, here, viewed from the South looking toward Bangor. [Google Streetview, 2022]

Before the future A5 was developed as a turnpike in 1820, the tramroad ran within the width of the old highway from this point for a few hundred yards. When the turnpike was created, the road level was lifted and the tramroad crossed beneath the renewed highway and ran along the Southwestern side. The sketch below shows this.

The old tramroad which was operational until 1879 was diverted to accommodate the construction of the turnpike. We start following the route of that old Tramroad. This sketch is based on a drawing in James Boyd’s book. [36: p11] He refers to the diversion in the text of the book as well.[36:p22]
In this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey from around the turn of the 20th century, the short standard-gauge branch meets the mainline. The route of the old tramroad has now crossed the A5. The Penrhyn Quarry Railway only appears fleetingly in the top left corner if the map extract.  [24]
The same area as shown in the 6″ OS map above, as recorded on the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the NLS. The colour coding remains the same as in previous satellite images. [24]

A. The old tramroad

Beyond this point, we first follow the line of the old Tramroad to Penrhyn Quarries. …..

This next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the route of the old tramway flanked by walls and passing in front of the Grand Lodge of Penrhyn Castle at Llandegai. [25]
The same area now shown on the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the NLS. The lodge can be made out just to the Northeast of the red line which shows the approximate route of the old tramway crossing the roundabout on the A5 at Llandegai. [25]
The approximate route of the old tramway is marked on this picture, as before, with a red line. The photograph is taken from the roundabout on the A5 at the entrance to Llandegai Industrial Estate which is in the top left of the satellite image above. The line ran just a few metres to the Southwest of what is now the A5. [Google Streetview]
The approximate line of the old tramway runs across the next roundabout on the A5 before curving round to the South. [Google Streetview]
Looking along the line of the old Tramroad from the modern roundabout, with the A5 heading South on the right. [Google Streetview]
This is a repeat of the sketch shown earlier which is based on a drawing from James Boyd’s book. [36: p11] After being diverted from its original route, the tramroad ran on the Southern side of the highway before turning away to the South. The Smithy shown in the sketch appears on the 6″ map extract below. Just to the North of the Smithy there was a branch from the old tramroad which served the bottom of the Llandegai Incline which connected the Upper Penrhyn Mill to the tramroad. There were two level crossings at this location, one of which became an over ridge when the turnpike was built in 1820.
The route of the old tramway continues on this next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey. At the top of the extract it is just to the left (West) of the Smithy. It crosses the standard-gauge line which is in tunnel at this point the Llandegai Tunnel). Further the south the formation, at the time of the survey was being used as an accommodation road to access ‘Bryn’ and then even further South, it was being used as a footpath. [26]
This is an extract from ‘RailMapOnline’ which shows the route of the old railway plotted on modern satellite imagery. The purple line close to the top of the image is the line of the Llandegai Tunnel on the standard-gauge mainline. [27]
Just to the South of the underground route of the standard-gauge mainline (Llandegai Tunnel), the old tramroad alignment crosses the access road to the A5 and runs South along the accommodation road visible to the left of the road in this image. [Google Streetview]
The old tramroad route followed this lane South. [Google Streetview]
At the end of the lane, a footpath can be seen running South. The hedge ahead in this image partially blocks the route but allows pedestrian access. [Google Streetview]
The route of the old tramroad and the later footpath remain on the same alignment as far as the top corner of the woods shown in this map extract. From that point southwards the Tramroad route crossed the fields in a Southeasterly direction. [28]
The same area as shown on the 6″ Ordnance Survey extract above. The North Wales Expressway is the notable modern addition to the image [27]
The obvious features on this next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey which mark the line of the tramroad are the walls to the rear (West) of the cottages at Tyddyn-Iolyn. South of these properties the tramroad ran alongside the road for a very short distance. After which it curved away to the Southwest before curving back towards the Southeast to a point to the South of Llan-isaf Cottage. [29]
The route described in the notes to the 6″ map extract immediately above are illustrated on this satellite image. [27]
Facing South along the lane to the South of Tyddyn-Iolyn, showing the approximate line of the old tramroad in red. [Google Streetview]
Looking back to the North along the lane to Tyddyn-Iolyn showing the point at which the old tramroad crossed the line of the lane. To the East of this point the Tramroad turned to the South and then to the West. [Google Streetview]
The walled route of the Tramroad can still easily be picked out on the 6″ Ordnance Survey. After a short distance travelling in an West to East direction and before reaching the banks of the Afon Ogwen at a point to the North of Tyddyn-Dicwn it turned once again towards the South. [30]
On the modern satellite imagery from RailMapOnline, the tramroad route appears to be within the width of the modern A5. There are signs that the actual formation of the old tramroad runs through the woodland to the South of the A5. Boyd shows this diversion on his map of the route. [36: p11] Its route can be picked out some metres to the South of the A5 but then rather than following a curving hedge line to the North and the East of Tyddyn-Dicwn at the bottom right of this satellite image. It continued towards the road junction, crossing the Southbound road just to the South of the junction. [27]
The probable route of the old tramroad at the point where it crossed the road South towards Tregarth. From this point it travelled South between the road and the Afon Ogwen for a few hundred yards. [Google Streetview]
The route of the old tramroad can again be picked out easily on the West Bank of the Ogwen passing an old quarry and then running immediately adjacent to Pen-isa’r-allt and on to meet Lon Ddinas. [31]
RailMapOnline shows the tramroad crossing fields to the South of Lon Ddinas to join the route of the later Penrhyn Quarry Railway. This extract shows that route. Looking at the gradients involved and the 6″Ordnance Survey, it seems possible that this was the case only if an incline was used. There is no evidence of this on the ground. It seems more likely that Lon Ddinas runs along the line of the old Tramroad and may well, in times past have shared the same formation. The gradient along Lon Ddinas would have been much more suitable. However, records indicate that there was an incline at this location – known as the Ddinas Incline. [27]
The lane which can easily be confused with the route of the old tramway is clearer on the 6″ Ordnance Survey. However, the Ddinas Incline followed the present field boundaries from close to Ddinas Farm up the relatively steep escarpment to meet the later Penrhyn Quarry Railway route. [32]

“The Ddinas Incline was one of three gravity-worked inclines on the original line of the Penrhyn Railway, built 1800-1801 to transport slate from the Penrhyn quarries to Port Penrhyn. … About half-way up the incline was an overbridge carrying a minor road, now widened and straightened at this point. To the north a cutting can still be seen, but the lower part of the incline has been destroyed by construction of a sewage works. To the south the line is visible as a terrace in the field. A ruined wall constructed of large roughly squared stone blocks near the top of the incline may be a surviving fragment of the winding house.” [33]
W J Crompton, RCAHMW, 5 November 2009.

From this point on, the old Tramroad and Penrhyn Quarry Railway followed approximately the same route. The second article about these lines will follow the Penrhyn Quarry Railway to this point at Tregarth.

References

  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penrhyn_Quarry_Railway, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  2. Dan Quine; The development of Port Penrhyn, Part One: 1760-1879; Archive. No. 110. Lightmoor Press, June 2021.
  3. James I.C. Boyd; Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Volume 2 The Penrhyn Quarry Railways; The Oakwood Press, Usk, 1985. (The British Narrow Gauge Railway No. 5.)
  4. Susan Turner; The Padarn and Penrhyn Railways; David & Charles; Newton Abbot, 1975.
  5. https://narrowgaugerailwaymuseum.org.uk/collections/industrial-railways/penrhyn-quarries, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  6. Thomas Middlemass; Encyclopaedia of Narrow Gauge Railways of Great Britain and Ireland; Patrick Stephens Ltd., Sparkford, Yeovil, 1991.
  7. Both these photographs can be found on the DeviantArt website: https://www.deviantart.com/rlkitterman, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penrhyn_Port_Class, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penrhyn_Main_Line_class, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  10. https://maps.nls.uk/os/6inch-england-and-wales/index.html, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  11. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.8&lat=53.23498&lon=-4.11253&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  12. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4180528, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  13. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6960097, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  14. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6554213, accessed on 27th December 2022.
  15. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.22925&lon=-4.11044&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 28th December 2022
  16. https://m.facebook.com/groups/418992338717208/permalink/1139980376618397, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  17. https://m.facebook.com/groups/narrowgauge/permalink/6708832335795404, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  18. https://m.facebook.com/groups/narrowgauge/permalink/5131244703554183, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  19. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.22458&lon=-4.11050&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  20. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4180575, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  21. https://m.facebook.com/groups/417502465072892/permalink/2232508116905642, please see the comments on this thread. Accessed on 28th December 2022.
  22. https://m.facebook.com/groups/417502465072892/permalink/529969163826221, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  23. https://m.facebook.com/groups/417502465072892/permalink/1512499952239799, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  24. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.21987&lon=-4.10971&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  25. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.21884&lon=-4.10291&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 28th December 2022.
  26. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.21309&lon=-4.10235&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  27. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  28. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.20823&lon=-4.10044&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  29. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.20527&lon=-4.09580&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  30. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=53.20204&lon=-4.09043&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  31. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.4&lat=53.19818&lon=-4.08442&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  32. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.9&lat=53.19386&lon=-4.08259&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th December 2022.
  33. W J Crompton, RCAHMW, 5 November 2009, accessed via: https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/409718, accessed on 31st December 2022.
  34. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Winton, accessed on 3rd January 2023.
  35. Barrie K Lill; Richard Pennant, Samuel Worthington and the mill at Penlan: a history of the Penrhyn Mills on the Lower Ogwen; Bangor University, 2019, accessed via https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/files/22801787/2019_Lill_B_PhD.pdf, accessed on 5th January 2023.
  36. J.I.C. Boyd; Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Vol.II, The Penrhyn Quarry Railways; The Oakwood Press, Usk, 1985.
  37. Personal correspondence dated 20th November 2017 alluded to by Barrie Lill in reference [35]
  38. Permission sought to share some further photographs of Porth Penrhyn (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293353217633?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vFhrxofnRnO&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=592202447151&widget_ver=artemis&media=CO)

Railways in West Wales Part 1D – Porthgain Clifftop Tramway

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This post is a short addendum to my post about the pre-railway age and the tramways of Pembrokeshire. In that post there was a section about the Porthgain to Abereiddi Tramway. In writing about that tramway, I failed to include details of the 3ft-gauge clifftop tramway which linked the slate quarry at Pen Clegyr Point with Porthgain.

I also failed to note the detail of the tramway tunnel between St. Bride’s Quarry and Porthgain Harbour. The original post can be found here:

Railways in West Wales Part 1A – Pembrokeshire – Before the Railway Age

Much of this current post about the Clifftop Tramway is summarised from a book by R.C. Jermy – “The Railways of Porthgain and Abereiddi,” which is an excellent study of the location. [2]

The 1906 6″ OS Map shows the clifftop tramway. [1]
By the time the 1906 survey was undertaken the tramway tunnel and St. Bride’s Quarry were abandoned and the tramway rails through the tunnel had been lifted. The two short branches of the clifftop tramway can be seen to good effect on this map extract. [1]

By 1906, lines which linked St. Bride’s Quarry with the harbour via two inclines had been removed. The later tramway tunnel was also redundant and the tramway rails had been lifted. “Traces of the earthworks and inclines, including the lines to the spoil tips, are the only remains on the 1906 map. There remained on the clifftop just the lines of the horse-drawn tramway fetching stone from the quarries at Pen Clegyr Point. From loading sidings in the quarry the line entered a shallow cutting passing a small smithy on the right, after which maps indicate a short passing loop. The line then climbed upwards towards the summit close to Pentop Gate at which point it curved right, passing the weighing machine which measured the wagon weights. The line then forked into two, one track leading to each of the stone crushers located above the storage hoppers. Small passing loops were located on each of these tracks.” [2: p17]

There is, for me, an interesting connection between this area and the Forest of Dean. In 1900, the Forest of Dean Stone Firms were registered in Bristol.”This concern took over the harbour and mining interest at Porthgain but after November 1909, and until it was finally wound up in 1922, its interests were managed by United Stone Firms, another Bristol-registered Company. This firm raised a mortgage of £200,000 on the Dean Forest and Porthgain interests in 1910 and indeed this was the time when the crushed stone demand was reaching its peak. Sailing ships and powered vessels called regularly, the quarry and harbour railway systems were well developed and the Company ran its own fleet of steam coasters, each of about 350 tons.” [2: p10]

However, by 1913, despite the success of its Porthgain operations the parent company passed into the hands of the receiver. It remained so until 1926 “when it was reorganised and taken out of receivership by Walter Bryant of Coleford, Gloucestershire, who formed United Stone Forms (1926) Limited.” [2: p10]

However,by July 1931, that company became insolvent and was closed by 31st August 1931.

The 1948 revision of the 6″ Ordnance Survey was published in 1953. As far as the map extract is concerned all remnants of the clifftop railway have disappeared. This seems to be an over simplification of the situation as a number of remnants were still present even if not recorded. [5] The line of the track can still be traced as a levelled strip on the clifftop, adjacent to the path to Porthgain harbour. [4] R. C. Jermy includes a number of photographs, taken in 1951 by H. Townley, which show the engine shed (with ‘Newport’ gently rotting away on one of the roads) and the remains of two traction engines, ‘Daisy’ and ‘Dinah’. Dinah was sited at Pen Clegyr and was used as a winding engine. Daisy sat on the clifftop. [2: centre-pages]

Jermy notes that “by 1908 the demand for roadstone had increased and the Forest of Dean Stone Firms made the decision to invest in a steam locomotive for operating the clifftop system. … It was realised that with the arrival of a heavy locomotive complete relaying with heavier track would become a necessity. Accordingly 200 sleepers were ordered … and … between 20th and 22nd January, 1909 the tramway was [re-laid] with heavy rails and sleepers from Pentop Gate by the water tank to the winding engine house at the top of the incline leading from the lowest quarry levels. A new engine shed was constructed, the roof over the single road being completed just six days after the arrival of the first locomotive! An inspection pit was located between the rails in the shed. Later, in November 1909 a ten ton weighbridge was installed in a brick building close to the water tower.” [2: p18]

Later, two further locomotives arrived at Porthgain necessitating the addition of a second road to the engine shed.

Records appear to show that one of these locomotives, Singapore, was too heavy for the tramway rails in place when they arrived and as a result in some expenditure was necessary to upgrade the tramway. In fact, the prevailing weather conditions and the weight of the locomotives seem to have resulted in a significant regular maintenance programme being implemented.

Jermy shows two plans of the railway – the first shows it much as on the 1906 6″ Ordnance Survey. He dates his sketch plan to 1905. [2: p20]. The second is the result of a survey of the line by Jermy in the 1980s which seems to show the small network at its fullest extent in around 1925. [2: p21] This sketch plan shows the engine shed in its position on the Northeast side of the St. Bride’s Quarry, three roads serving the crushers and hoppers, a small Yard on the North side of St. Bride’s Quarry, a weighbridge and water tank to the Northwest of the Yard, a long straight length of line with two tracks, one known as ‘The Cutting’, the other as ‘Jerusalem Road’. These two line led to the Upper Level of Pen Clegyr Quarry and, via a cable-worked incline to the lower level of the quarry. [2: p21]

Locomotives

The first locomotive was named ‘Portgain‘. It was built in 1909 by Andrew Barclay in Kilmarnock. It was Works No. 1185. … No. 1185 was an 0-6-0T with 7″ x 13″ outside cylinders, 2ft 2½in wheels 3ft gauge. … Despatch Date: 26th July 1909. [2: p23][3] This locomotive was out of use by 1929 and was scrapped on site shortly after 1931. [4]

The second, ‘Charger‘ was built in 1891 by W.J. Bagnall in Stafford and had the Works No. 1381. It had a copper firebox, brass tubes and two 5½in x 10in outside cylinders. It passed through a number of ownerships before, in September 1912, it was moved to Porthgain. [2: p29-30] This locomotive was scrapped shortly after 1931. [4]

The third, ‘Singapore‘, was a 0-4-2 saddle tank built at the Kerr-Stuart works in Stoke-on-Trent and had Works No. 659. It had 9½in x 15in outside cylinders. It was built in 1899. It was first bought by the contractor G. Pauling and Co. It was shipped to Ireland and was used on the Burtonport Extension contract which Pauling’s were undertaking for the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway. Sold in 1903, it went to Scotland and remained there until 1912 when it was transferred to Porthgain. [2: p31-33] This locomotive was out of use by 1929 and was scrapped on site shortly after 1931. [4]

The fourth locomotive was ‘Newport‘, a 0-4-0T loco. It was built by Hudswell, Clarke and Company of Leeds. It was originally built as a 2ft 10in gauge loco with Works No. 311 in 1889. In 1900 it was owned by Kellett & Sons who worked on the Hagley to Frankley section of the Elan Valley Aqueduct. It went through a number of ownerships after this before entering service at Porthgain in May 1929 after an overhaul. [2: p33-36] This locomotive remained in the Porthgain Railway Locomotive Shed after closure until scrapped in 1953. [4]

References

  1. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.6&lat=51.94963&lon=-5.18788&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 28th October 2022.
  2. R.C. Jermy; The Railways of Porthgain and Abereiddi; The Oakwood Press, Oxford, 1986.
  3. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.industrial-loco.org.uk/Barclays_List_1100.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwigzb7drIP7AhWgR0EAHVYTBAMQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1yWPftV1gbG5KyHi_9Oszk, accessed on 28th October 2022.
  4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porthgain_Railway, accessed on 29th October 2022.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102188088, accessed on 31st October 2022.

2018-2022: Railway News from Kenya

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This post includes a selection of news items about Kenya Railways in the period from 2018 to the Autumn of 2022. The items included are by no means exhaustive but they might be of interest! ……..

The Birth of a Nation: preserving records on the Kenya-Uganda railway line (EAP1143)

In 2018 the British Library funded a small pilot project undertaken in Nairobi Railway Museum’s archive. This was a low cost 6 month pilot which identified the condition of the archived documents and photographs and improved storage and access to them.

The photographs which were digitised all seem to predate the construction of the railway and document the life and times of people who lived on its route. [1]

The Standard-Gauge Line

In 2018, NPR reported that the “Standard Gauge Railway station in Nairobi is easily the most impressive public building in Kenya.” [8] The station is “adventurous. It’s all gray and modern. Geometric shapes form an abstract locomotive, and red neon announces the “Nairobi Terminus.”” [8]

The Standard-gauge Railway Station at Nairobi. [8]

NPR continues: “The train runs 293 miles from Kenya’s capital city to the port of Mombasa and back twice a day and represents the biggest infrastructure project since Kenya’s independence 54 years ago. The Chinese financed it; a Chinese company built it; and the Chinese will operate it for many years to come. … The project, which launched in the summer of 2017, has not only come to signify Kenya’s ambitions, but also China’s ambitions on the African continent. In the past decade, China has become the biggest lender to governments in Africa. The money has helped build ports, roads, bridges, airports and trains. But critics warn the loans are full of traps that could leave African countries in the lurch. Kenya alone owes $5.3 billion to China.” [8]

On 16th October 2019, VOA News reported that Kenya opened the second phase of the Standard Gauge Railway Project: “Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened on Wednesday the second phase of his flagship infrastructure project: a Chinese-funded and built railway that will eventually link the port of Mombasa to Uganda. … The latest stretch of track cost $1.5 billion and runs from Nairobi to the Rift Valley town of Naivasha.” [9]

After the official opening, the president then joined the first ride along the line. … “The train stopped at every station, where a cheering crowd awaited the president. He promised them that the new railway will bring prosperity. … Kenyatta said that if the railway comes here, development also comes here.” [9]

The new track is 120 kilometers (75 miles) long and has 12 stations. Passengers can ride the trains, but the railway is mainly for cargo. The track will eventually lead to an inland container depot, (see below) from where containers will be distributed to Uganda and Rwanda, and to South Sudan. [9]

On 20th August 2021 the Ugandan newspaper, ‘The Independent’ reported that Kenya’s Standard-gauge railway line transported 2.31 million tons of cargo between January and the end of May that year: “an increase of about 45 percent from the similar period in 2020, according to data released on Thursday from the Kenya Railways Corporation.” [10]

“The rise in cargo volumes saw an increase in revenue generated during the months to 6.2 billion shillings (about 57 million U.S. dollars), up from 41.4 million dollars generated from January to May in 2020, it said. … The number of passengers using the train during the first five months of 2021 nearly doubled amid COVID-19 pandemic. … Some 601,201 passengers were ferried between the capital Nairobi and the coastal city of Mombasa during the period, up from 330,232 in 2020 when the country grappled with COVID-19 pandemic, the corporation said. … This generated revenue of 5.9 million dollars, up from 3.3 million dollars generated between January and May in 2020.” [10]

Refurbishment of Nairobi Central Station

Major renovations at Nairobi Central Station began on 27th July 2020. By January 2021, the work was well-advanced. Kenya Railways reported that the work would facilitate the use of the new DMUs due to arrive in the country.

Renovation work at Nairobi Central Station in January 2021. [5]

Kenya Railways stated on 13th January 2021 that, “as the rehabilitation works continue[d], stringent measures [were] put in place to safeguard daily commuters as they access[ed] the station.” [5]

Designated boarding points were set for various trains to facilitate safe movement of passengers within the Nairobi Central Station. For instance, Kikuyu and Ruiru trains, the boarding point was designated on the Western end of the Nairobi Central Station and it was to be accessed from Railways Police station. While passengers boarding Syokimau & SGR Link trains boarded the trains from the Eastern end of the station with the access point being adjacent to Guava restaurant.

Kenya Railways stated that, “The rehabilitation of Nairobi Central Station will not only give it a new face but also show KR is dedicated in making transportation better.” [5]

Plans for the full renewal of Nairobi Central Station were published in May 2022. The project has been sponsored by both the British and Kenyan Governments.

Design office view of the proposed renewed Central Station. [6]

THE British and Kenyan governments unveiled the final design of Nairobi’s new Central Railway Station and surrounding public area, which has been developed as part of the Nairobi Railway City redevelopment programme. [6]

The IRJ reported that, “The design was developed by SNC-Lavalin subsidiary Atkins and submitted to Kenya Railways and the Ministry of Transport. … The station is designed to accommodate up to 30,000 passengers per hour at peak periods, and will have 6000m2 of concourse space. The station will offer a new covered public space for the city with retail outlets and other amenities …. It features separate entrance and exit routes to avoid conflicting flows and ensure passengers can get to and from the platforms efficiently. … Three existing platforms will be joined by six additional passenger platforms, and four dedicated freight lines will be built. Two platform bridges will be built, with one for passengers entering the station and one for passengers exiting.” [6]

A few design office perspective views are shown below:

The SGR to MGR link at Naivasha

In July 2022, President Uhuru Kenyatta officially commissioned the Standard Gauge Railway – Metre Gauge Railway Passenger Rail Link at the Kenya Railways Mai Mahiu Station in Naivasha, Nakuru County. The ceremony took place on Tuesday, 26th July 2022.

The 5km link will enable passengers traveling to Western Kenya by train to switch from the standard-gauge service to that of the metre-gauge and vice versa. Kenya Railways reported that it would as a result be possible to travel exclusively by rail from Mombasa through Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Makueni, Machakos, Kijiado and Nairobi onwards to Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kitale, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Malaba and Bungoma. [2]

Naivasha Inland Container Depot

On the same day (26th July 2022) the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (ICD) was officially opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Naivasha ICD facility which incorporates both the Standard Gauge Railway and the Metre Gauge Railway line will handle mainly transit cargo to the Great Lakes Region including Uganda, South Sudan, DR Congo, Northern Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi, which account for around 30% of imports and exports through the Port of Mombasa.

The SGR/MGR Link referred to above will greatly facilitate the transshipment process. All Transit cargo can now be delivered to the facility straight from the Port of Mombasa as either Through Bill of Lading (TBL) or merchant haulage (Non-TBL), while exports and empty containers can also be consolidated at the Naivasha ICD and railed to the Port of Mombasa for onward shipping.

Kenya Railways reported that, “The depot is linked to the Mombasa Port container terminal by a rail-tainer service on the Mombasa to Suswa Standard Gauge Railway line. It will serve to bring port services closer to customers and reduce congestion at the Port of Mombasa, Nairobi Inland Container Depot and on the roads. It is convenient for East African partner states who will not have to cover an entire 572 kilometres by road between Mombasa and Naivasha. From Naivasha ICD to Malaba Railway Yard, cargo will be transported over 36 hours and it will cost $860.”

Kenya Railways also affirmed that, “The Naivasha ICD includes a one-stop centre for ease of operations and efficient service delivery. The port houses all the Government agencies involved in handling of cargo namely Kenya Railways, Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Port Health (Public Health) and Revenue Authority officers from partner states of Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.” [3]

Nakuru Railway Station

President Uhuru Kenyatta officially commissioned the revitalized 217km Nakuru-Kisumu Metre-Gauge Railway (MGR) and the 465km Longonot–Malaba segment as well as the refurbished Nakuru Railway Station.

Kenya Railways reported on 28th July 2022 that the re-commissioning had taken place: “The iconic Nakuru Railway Station is a key transit station for cargo and passenger train services to and from Western Kenya, and is the aggregation hub for farm produce from the agriculturally rich Central Rift region for onward freight to the Coast for export.” [4]

“Nakuru town started as a railway station on Kenyan-Uganda railway line at the turn of 20th century. It was built in 1900 and later expanded in 1957. It sits on the east side of the centre of Nakuru. The town is part of the famous ‘White Highlands settlement’ areas established by the British during the colonial era. The areas surrounding Nakuru town are mainly known for their vast agricultural potential especially cash-crop farming i.e wheat, barley, pyrethrum, sisal, maize and beans. Nakuru Railway Station was built in order to serve the rapidly growing economy of the town.” [4]

Refurbished Nakuru Railway Station [7]

“Later branch lines were built to link the station to farming areas. Among these was the line linking the station to the sisal producing Solai area. Just 6.9 kilometres from Nakuru town lies Nakuru Junction station. This is the point at which the lines to Malaba and Kisumu diverge.” [4]

Suburban Services in Nairobi

Nairobi Commuter Rail Services now run regularly to Ruiru, Embakasi Village, Limuru, Syokimau and Lukenya in Kitengela. There is also a Madaraka Express Commuter Service that operates between Nairobi Terminus and Ngong station and a link service between Nairobi Central Station and the Standard-gauge Station runs at 0630hrs, 1200hrs and 2010hrs each day. [11]

References

1. https://eap.bl.uk/project/EAP1143, accessed on 9th September 2022.

2. https://krc.co.ke/sgr-mgr-passenger-rail-link-officially-opened, accessed on 12th October 2022.

3. https://krc.co.ke/h-e-president-uhuru-kenyatta-commissions-the-standard-gauge-railway-metre-gauge-railway-lines-passenger-rail-link, accessed on 12th October 2022.

4. https://krc.co.ke/rehabilitated-nakuru-railway-station-officially-open, accessed on 12th October 2022.

5. https://krc.co.ke/nairobi-central-station-gets-a-face-lift, accessed on 11th October 2022.

6. https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/main-line/design-unveiled-for-new-nairobi-central-railway-station, accessed on 11th October 2022.

7. https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2021/09/kenya-railways-to-commence-mgr-passengers-operations-to-kisumu-in-december, accessed on 12th October 2022.

8. https://www.npr.org/2018/10/08/641625157/a-new-chinese-funded-railway-in-kenya-sparks-debt-trap-fears, 12th October 2022.

9. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.voanews.com/amp/africa_kenya-opens-second-phase-massive-railway-project/6177699.html, accessed on 12th October 2022.

10. https://www.independent.co.ug/kenyas-modern-railway-transports-2-31-mln-tons-of-cargo-between-january-and-may, accessed on 12th October 2022.

11. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0eJvJuK7FVebaLxcuouXFSBviZhHu5yAE5ySPC4kRDoimGvyx5BG5QtGkVLN87KjQl&id=100064281415632, 12th October 2022.

Railways in West Wales Part 1C – Pembrokeshire Industrial Railways – Section C – RNAD Trecwn

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A holiday in West Wales in the early Autumn of 2022 led to a little research on the railways in the area.

This is the sixth article about Pembrokeshire’s Railways. The first focussed on the pre-railway age, the second focussed on the mainline railways of the county. The third article focussed on the industrial railways in the vicinity of Milford Haven. The fourth and fifth on the Saundersfoot Railway in Pembrokeshire. The links to these posts are provided below. This article concentrates on the railways associated with RNAD Trecwn (the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Trecwn).

Railways in West Wales Part 1A – Pembrokeshire – Before the Railway Age

Railways in West Wales Part 1B – Pembrokeshire – the Mainline Railways

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/09/20/__trashed-3/

Railways in West Wales Part 1C – Pembrokeshire Industrial Railways – Section B – The Saundersfoot Railway (First Part)

Railways in West Wales Part 1C – Pembrokeshire Industrial Railways – Section B – The Saundersfoot Railway (Second Part)

The Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Trecwn (RNAD Trecwn)

RNAD Trecwn is, in the 21st century, a decommissioned Royal Navy Armaments Depot, south of Fishguard in the village of Trecwn, Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

It was built in 1938 to store and supply naval mines and munitions ordnance to the Royal Navy. The depot apparently came into its own during the cold war. During those times 400 permanent workers were employed at the site, housed in an MoD built small town. The site had an on-site, 2ft 6in (762mm) narrow gauge railway, built using copper to reduce sparks. Weapons were both delivered to the site and then distributed using standard gauge rail to Fishguard, Neyland for Milford Haven, and latterly Pembroke Dock. [56]

Trecwn as shown on the 1948 revision of the 6″ Ordnance Survey published in 1953. A series of three sidings are shown to the South of the main RNAD site. [57]

The Standard-gauge Branch Line and Sidings – Just south of the main entrance to RNAD Trecwm and the main security fence to the site was a single railway platform, for workers access to the depot. Within the security fence, a marshalling yard of 8 parallel loops existed, shunted by a dedicated MoD diesel hydraulic shunting locomotive. The line then extended on down the valley, through a gauge exchange shed for access to the narrow gauge network, and then provided direct access to the 58 cavern storage chambers via a series of herring-bone shaped sidings. [59]

Supply trains would run along the dedicated branch-line from the site: to Fishguard Harbour; to Neyland for Milford Haven; and Pembroke Dock. At Fishguard the line extended beyond the ferry terminal at Fishguard Harbour railway station, continuing along the breakwater to a single line spur, allowing for transfer of munitions to Royal Navy ships. [59]

These next few images show the Trecwn branch-line. The first shows its junction with what was the GWR line to Fishguard from which the branch runs Northeast towards Trecwn …

The Trecwn branch-line junction with the old GWR as shown on the 1951 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey. [60]
The ESRI satellite image from the National Library of Scotland has the route of the Trecwn Branch-line imposed on it. [80]
The view at the junction from a train window in 9th August 2007, (c) Ceridwen, authorised for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [238]
A little to the South of the junction, a lane crosses the branch. This photograph looks along the line to the accommodation crossing on 5th May 2010, (c) Ceridwen, authorised for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [239]
The view East along the line on 23rd July 2006. (c) Stephen McKay, authorised for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). Stephen comments: “Taken from an accommodation level crossing looking along what was once a meandering branch to Clunderwen. [241] That route was abandoned in the 1940s, but a stub was retained to give access to the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Trecwn.” [240]
The view from the North along the A40 of the bridge carrying the branch over the road. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
The view of the same bridge from the South [Google Streetview, March 2022]
After a short distance running Northeast, the standard-gauge line runs adjacent to the main gates of Trecwm on an East-West axis before turning South and the East again. [60]

The depot was decommissioned in 1992. All 58 cavern storage bunkers and the extensive above ground network of storage sheds and other military buildings remain in place. Ownership of the site was transferred from the Ministry of Defence to Anglo-Irish consortium Omega Pacific in 1998, and then by court order to the Manhattan Loft Corporation in 2002. The site is being redeveloped as an industrial park. [56]

Dashed-red lines show the approximate route of the old standard-gauge line which was lifted in the early 21st century. [82]
The remaining length of the Trecwm branch-line as shown on the 1951 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey. [60]

The same area as shown in the OS Map above[230]
Coflein provides this map of the main site in 2021.  Careful inspection will show that the standard-gauge branch-line has been lifted by the date of this Ordnance Survey edition. [61]
The 1906 6″ Ordnance Survey shows no sign of either the standard-gauge branch nor the infrastructure that made up RNAD Trecwn. [231]
The same area on modern satellite imagery shows much of the infrastructure of the Depot remaining after closure. The standard-gauge sidings remain at the date this image was produced. [231]
Just before reaching Trecwm, the line passed under the lane which can be seen at the left side of the satellite image above. The bridge parapets have been extended upwards for safety reasons using galvanised metal fencing. [Google Streetview, October 2021]
The concrete bridge carrying the standard-gauge branch-line over a local road just prior to its entry into the Depot. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
The same structure viewed from the North. [Google Streetview, October 2021]
Google Maps in 2022 still shows the sidings in place in RNAD Trecwn. No doubt this will get updated in due course. [Google Maps, 29th September 2022]
The site extends across the join between two OS Maps. This 1948 revision of the 6″ OS Mapping shows the West end of the Depot. The map was published in 1953. [232]
At approximately the same scale, the next OS Sheet shows only the standard-gauge line and not the internal narrow-gauge lines. It is shown terminating at the same location as the mapping further above. [233]
The fan of standard-gauge sidings just inside the Depot fencing, (c) Dave Mansell, taken in 2003. This image is used with the kind permission of the Subterranea Britannica website. [234]

Three aerial photographs are provided by the Fishguard and Goodwick Local History Society. Posted by Ian Evans, they are used here by kind permission.

The first one shows the main entrance to the depot at it’s southern end. It can be dated to the mid-1950’s. “At the bottom right of the image can be seen the main railway line into the valley, leading to the railway sidings. The buildings to both sides of the railway sidings included a number of specialist workshops and storage facilities, there were no live explosives handled in this area.” [247]

This aerial photograph looks from the West along the valley of the Afon Aer. To the right of centre, the fan of standard-gauge sidings can be made out. An enlarged image taken from this picture follows below. The picture was taken in 1955 and is used with the kind permission of Ian Evans and the Fishguard & Goodwick Local History Society. [247]
An enlarged section of the photograph above which shows the bridge which carries the line over a minor road close to the Depot gates, in the bottom-right. The fan of sidings feature prominently towards the top of this extract. The branch beyond the sidings first curves away to the South  [247]

The second “shows the workshops and stores buildings in more detail. The building at the bottom right with the tall chimneys was the southern boiler house which supplied steam to most of the buildings seen here. It was in this area that the narrow gauge railway system started, it extended right up the north end of the site.” [247]

This aerial photograph looks from the Southwest across the same fan of sidings. Enlarged images taken from this picture follow below. Again, the picture was taken in 1955 and is used with the kind permission of Ian Evans and the Fishguard & Goodwick Local History Society. [247]
There is some good detail in this extract from the aerial image above. The types of wagons used to supply the Depot can be seen but so also can part of the narrow-gauge network be discerned running between the buildings towards the top of the extract. [247]
The standard-gauge yard at Trecwn. This is an enlarged extract from the same aerial image. Note the bridge carrying the standard-gauge line across the narrow-gauge line. [247]
From beyond the sidings in the last few photos, looking back West over the Depot with the fan of standard-gauge sidings evident at the top of the image, © (Coflein) RCAHMW. [61]
Taken a little further to the East, this shows the buildings at the Western end if the Depot along with the fan of sidings and the standard-gauge buildings on the left. This image was used by RD Wales to advertise the Depot site for sale. The standard-gauge extends eastward from the sidings within the trees on the left of this image. [250]

Of interest, to me at least, is that when I load Google Earth onto my desktop I automatically get the railway tracks at Trecwn added. I am not sure how that happened, but it is useful for this article. ….

A Google Earth extract with the network of lines in the valley of the Aer shown in black. This is the first length inside the Depot. [Google Earth, 29th September 2022.
The remaining length of the Depot in the Aer Valley. [Google Earth, 29th September 2022]

The third of three aerial images from the mid-1950s appears below. It “shows the red area where live explosives were handled and stored, everything from .303 Rifle bullets to 1 Thousand pound bombs were processed here and stored in 58 Magazines built into each side of the valley, If you zoom in you can see a number of the tunnel entrances quite clearly. A lot of the smaller buildings have blast walls surrounding them. The complex extended further north from this photo to the north end Boiler House and security gates.” [247]

The remaining length of the Depot taken from the air looking North along the valley of the Aer. Again, the picture was taken in 1955 and is used with the kind permission of Ian Evans and the Fishguard & Goodwick Local History Society. These images can be found at http://www.hanesabergwaun.org.uk/ [247]
These two images are enlarged extracts from the last of the three aerial images above. It is possible to see something of the network of lines which existed in the valley. [247]

The OpenRailwayMap [235] is also of great help in establishing what railways existed inside the  Depot. It is clear that the standard-gauge line extended much further to the Northeast along the valley of the Afon Aer than the Ordnance Survey mapping records.

To complete this section on the Standard-gauge line, I have included a series of screen-dumps from the OpenRailwayMap [235][236]. Having them at this point in the article should hopefully minimise scrolling when we look at the Narrow-Gauge network at the depot. The sequence of the map extracts runs from the Depot gates in the West, closest to the hamlet of Trecwn, eastwards to the point where the valley turns to the North and then follows the valley northwards.

Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 1. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 2. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 3. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 4. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 5. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 6. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 7. [235]
Rail network inside Trecwn – Image 8. [235]

This final image is the key/legend provided by the OpenRailwayMap [235][236] editors. The Trecwn branch as far as the depot gates is shown in yellow above. The standard-gauge lines within the Depot are deemed industrial lines and are therefore shown as thin brown lines. The length of these line inside the Depot is significantly longer that that shown on the Ordnance Survey maps. Abandoned standard gauge lines are shown as thick dashed brown lines (not grey as in the key).

The narrow gauge lines are shown as thin dashed brown lines. It is possible that by the time the mapping was undertaken these had been abandoned and are hence shown dashed. There are a very few lengths of narrow-gauge track shown solid brown.

The extent of the network of these lines is, for me, the most engaging element of this mapping. RNAD Trecwn had a very significant internal narrow-gauge network. …

The Narrow Gauge (2ft 6in) Lines – A 2ft 6in (762 mm) gauge network traverses the entire site, with direct access to the 58 cavern storage chambers. All rail infrastructure was built in copper to reduce the risk of sparks. Serviced via its own on-site locomotive shed and works, the line was equipped with a series of specially provided wooden enclosed wagons, with sliding roof covers. This allowed sea mines and other munitions to be directly placed within the wagons from overhead gantries, and transported over the entire site without access via any form of side door, hence enhancing safety. The narrow gauge line therefore became the main method of on-site distribution, with standard gauge rail or road the off site access method. [56]

Storage Chamber  No. 20 © Marc Thomas, 19th August 2014. This image shows one of the storage chambers’ entrance doors. This is typical of other entrances to the storage chambers on site. A remnant of the narrow-gauge rail system can be seen in the rails which protrude beyond the chamber’s doors. [243]

The next few aerial images can be found on the Coflein website and show elements of the narrow-gauge system running along the site. In places the standard-gauge and narrow -gauge sit side-by-side.

This next aerial image comes from before the narrow-gauge tracks were lifted. The most obvious lines are standard-gauge lines but careful inspection will show the narrow-gauge network as well. This photograph was taken in 2006. [61]
Turning through 180° this next aerial image from 2009 comes from the time when large parts of the narrow-gauge system had been lifted but before the narrow-gauge tracks at locations crossing site roads or standard-gauge lines were lifted. Careful inspection will identify a number of such locations. [61]
View from the North in 2006 looking down on the upper area of the Depot with both standard-gauge and narrow-gauge lines visible. [61]
Also taken in 2006 from the North, this view shows a number of the storage bunkers on site and the rail system. [61]
Again taken in 2006, this photograph looks from the Southeast showing more of the bunkers in the northern length of the Depot. [61]

In 2003, David Mansell, writing about the site commented: “About a mile into the site the narrow gauge railway facilities commence with maintenance sheds and a covered transfer building. There are a total of 58 storage chambers, each extending into the hillside for 200 feet, arranged in a herringbone formation along both sides of the valley. Each one has alarmed steel doors with its own siding off the narrow gauge railway.” [234] … His opinion at the time, was that RNAD Trecwn was “a railway enthusiasts dream with both standard and narrow (2ft 6in) gauge lines. The depot has its own branch off the Fishguard to Carmarthen line and after a small platform area outside the depot for staff the line enters the site via lockable steel gates into the main marshalling yard where the line splits into 8 parallel loops. The standard gauge line then travels the entire length of the valley alongside the narrow-gauge line which has points for the siding to each storage chamber.” [234] …

The wooden wagons used for the transport of munitions within the Depot had sliding roofs to allow top-loading © Dave Mansell, 2003 and used by kind permission of the Subterranea Britannica. [234]

The narrow gauge rolling stock then consisted of the “well known ‘Trecwn’ wooden wagons with sliding roofs to enable mines to be lowered in and flatbed trucks for other munitions. Some of the stock can now be seen on the Welsh Highland and [Welshpool and] Llanfair light railways.” [234]

At the time Dave Mansell was writing, there was still a substantial amount on site. Locomotives included small diesel shunters and battery units; some derelict examples of which were still on the site in 2003. Points on both gauges were manually operated and still well greased. [234]

The next few photographs were all taken early in 2003 by Dave Mansell and are shared with his kind permission and that of Subterranea Britannica…..

The entrance to Storage Cavern No. 25 with the narrow-gauge rails still in place, © Dave Mansell [234]
The narrow-gauge point probably leading to Storage Cavern No. 25, © Dave Mansell [234]
The transfer shed with both standard-gauge and narrow-gauge rails still in place, © Dave Mansell [234]
Narrow-gauge locomotives and rolling-stock sitting in storage and no longer on the rails. © Dave Mansell [234]

Locomotives – a series of narrow-gauge locomotives were employed at the site. These are surviving examples:

Ruston & Hornsby 187069 – was a Class 25/30hp locomotive with a Ruston 3VSO engine and weighing 3.25 tons. It left the works on 28th October 1937. “It was one of forty of that type working on the Nuttall-Pauling Consortium contract to build the … Depot at Trecwn. … Construction was complete by 1941 but this locomotive was evidently still in the West of Wales in 1950, because a spares order was placed by Pauling on 26th May 1950 to be sent to Geo Bros Ltd., East Burrows Yard, Swansea, which may have been repairing it. In 1951 it was noted at Pauling’s Park Royal plant depot, Middlesex, numbered P250 in the Pauling list. It was later sold or scrapped at an unknown date. [229: p1-2]

Baguley-Drewry Locomotives – Baguley-Drewry of Burton-on-Trent built a number of locomotives for this narrow gauge network.

Statfold Barn Railway – RNAD Trecwn A10. This is a 4wDH locomotive built in 1984 by Baguley-Drewry of Burton-on-Trent for the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Trecwn near Fishguard. As built it was 2′ 6″ gauge but has now been re-gauged to 2′, © Chris Allen/Statfold Barn Railway – RNAD Trecwn A10 (CC BY-SA 2.0), 13th September 2014. This locomotive was transferred from the Statfold Barn Railway to the Amerton Railway in 2017. It is not in regular use on passenger trains, it requires some engine work to improve starting and emissions, and requires air brake modifications to make it compatible with the railway’s existing stock. You will however see A10 out in force at their Everything Goes Gala events, where it hauls passenger and freight trains using a braking system adapter. It is also used fairly regularly on engineering trains as it is far more powerful than any of the other diesel locomotives in the fleet. [58][248][249]
Talyllyn Railway No. 11 Trecwn on 16th June 2018, © Voice of Clam, made available as Public Domain. [
The body of former RNAD Trecwn narrow gauge Baguley-Drewry diesel hydraulic locomotive T 009 00 NZ 35 (works number 3781) at Tywyn Wharf on the Talyllyn Railway. [56]

The Talyllyn railway purchased two of Trecwn’s narrow-gauge locomotives …. Diesel No.11 “Trecwn” & No.12 “St Cadfan” were purchased by Talyllyn volunteers from RNAD Trecwn in 2008. The names were decided by ballot in 2014 by the group that originally purchased the locomotives for the Talyllyn. Both Locomotives were re-gauged from 2ft 6in to the Talyllyn’s 2ft 3in Gauge. Talyllyn members also purchased over a mile of track from RNAD Trecwn complete with rail, sleepers, spikes and fishplates in June 2008. [251]

The Talyllyn’s Facebook Page provided photographs of these locomotives. These two images were included. [251]

References

1. M.R. Connop-Price; Pembrokeshire: the Forgotten Coalfield; Landmark Publishing, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, 2004

32. D S M Barrie, revised Peter Baughan; A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: volume 12: South Wales; David St John Thomas, Nairn, 1994.

36. Wing Commander Ken McKay; A Vision of Greatness: The History of Milford 1790-1990; Brace Harvatt Associates, 1989.

56. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAD_Trecwn, accessed on 13th September 2022.

57. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102188136, accessed on 13th September 2022.

58. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statfold_Barn_Railway_-RNAD_Trecwn_A10(geograph_4220678).jpg, accessed on 13th September 2022.

59. https://alchetron.com/RNAD-Trecwn, accessed on 14th September 2022.

60. https://maps.nls.uk/view/91857083, accessed on 14th September 2022.

61. https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/96059, accessed on 14th September 2022.

229. Martin Shill; Number 250; in the Industrial Railway Record, Industrial Railway Society Volume 250 September 2022, p1-6.

230. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.0&lat=51.95523&lon=-4.93724&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th September 2022.

231. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=51.95468&lon=-4.95372&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 29th September 2022.

232. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102188136, accessed on 29th September 2022.

233. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102188163, accessed on 29th September 2022.

234. https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/trecwn-royal-naval-armaments-depot, accessed on 29th September 2022.

235. https://www.openrailwaymap.org, accessed on 29th September 2022.

236. OpenRailwayMap (previously called “Bahnkarte”) is a detailed online map of the world’s railway infrastructure, built on OpenStreetMap data. It has been available since mid-2013 at openrailwaymap.org. This project was founded in December 2011 in order to create a world-wide, open, up-to-date and detailed map of the railway network, based on OpenStreetMap. The domain was registered on April 27th, 2013 and the corresponding website was launched in mid 2013. Since then it has received constant improvement. In February 2014 the project moved to a new server. In April 2014 a dedicated map for mobile phones was launched. [237]

The OpenRailwayMap includes all rail-mounted and automotive vehicles, e.g. railways, subways, trams, miniature railways and funiculars. The map does not include aerialways, monorails, and maglevs. The name OpenRailwayMap mostly refers to the online map, but the project also aims to support railroad-related data in OpenStreetMap. By developing a consistent data model, providing a mailing list for discussions, developing editor plugins, etc. the collection of these data is boosted and the data are made usable for other applications and developers. [237]

OpenRailwayMap is Open Source software and is freely available for download under the GPL version 3. It is runs on Linux and services its contents via Apache web server, PHP and Javascript. It is furthermore based on Leaflet, KothicJS, NodeJS, node-tileserver, osmfilter, osmconvert, osmupdate, osm2pgsql, PostgreSQL and PostGIS. There is also a changelog.

237. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OpenRailwayMap, accessed on 29th September 2022.

238. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_branch_line_to_Trecwn_-geograph.org.uk-_520836.jpg, accessed on 29th September 2022.

239. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Level_crossing_on_dead_railway_-geograph.org.uk-_1855840.jpg, accessed on 29th September 2022.

240. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Branch_to_Trecwn_-geograph.org.uk-_208673.jpg, accessed on 29th September 2022.

241. This statement needs a minot clarification. The Trecwn Branch used to leave the line between Fishguard and Clynderwen just South of where that line diverged from the route from Fishguard tthrough Clarbeston Road. The North Pembrokeshire line was lost many years before the Trecwn branch closed. The tracks visible in the image above led only to Trecwn.

This plan appears at the head of the article on the Disused Stations website about the Fishguard to Clynderwen route – a.k.a the North Pembroke shire and Fishguard Railway. it shows the Trecwn branch leaving this railway just South if its junction with the line through Clarbeston Road. [242]

242. http://disused-stations.org.uk/features/north_pembrokeshire_and_fishguard_railway/index.shtml, accessed on 29th September 2022.

243. https://m.facebook.com/groups/trulypembrokeshire/permalink/755957217781489, accessed on 30th September 2022.

244. https://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketron7/albums/72157647842795154, accessed on 30th September 2022.

245. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065502640813 … Ron Weatherall 17th. August 2017, accessed on 30th September 2022.

246. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Talyllyn_Railway_No_11_Trecwn_-_2018-06-16.jpg, accessed on 2nd October 2022.

247. https://www.hanesabergwaun.org.uk/places/industry-businesses/trecwn-aerial-views-rnad-trecwn, accessed on 2nd October 2022.

248. https://amertonrailway.co.uk/locomotives/diesel/a10, accessed on 10th October 2022.

249. https://amertonrailway.co.uk/events/everything-goes-gala, accessed on 10th October 2022.

250. http://www.rdwales.co.uk/trecwn-valley.htm, accessed on 2nd October 2022.

251. https://www.facebook.com/167680895449/posts/pfbid0wU9efHT2NErDUrXJpn7cf1nf9v8aXwQZBU7WR1qCEpwcpDTgM4bKhMNxJV8N8JD3l/?app=fbl, accessed on 10th October 2022.

Railways in West Wales Part 1C – Pembrokeshire Industrial Railways – Section B – The Saundersfoot Railway (Second Part)

6 Replies

The featured image above shows the Locomotive Bulldog which was used on the length of the line between the Inclined Plane and Reynalton Colliery.

This is a follow-up to the first article about the Saundersfoot Railway. The first article covered the history of the Railway and then went on to look at the route of the line from Saundersfoot Harbour via Wiseman’s Bridge to Stepaside. That is the arm of the Railway shown on the right-hand side of the image below.

The first article can be found by following this link:

Railways in West Wales Part 1C – Pembrokeshire Industrial Railways – Section B – The Saundersfoot Railway (First Part)

These articles are part of a series looking at the railways of Pembrokeshire. Full details of that series can be found in the first article about the Saundersfoot Railway.

This map of the Saundersfoot Railway was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Mark Davies on 26th November 2015.  [148]

This article follows the line running West from Saundersfoot Harbour under Saundersfoot Railway Station to Reynalton at the left side of the map above.

Saudersfoot Harbour to Reynalton Via Saundersfoot Tunnel (Kingsmoor Tunnel)

We start this journey with some of the pictures from the first article of Saundersfoot Harbour. We begin with two very early views of the harbour and its tramroad.

1845
1860
The two images above are very similar views across the area of the harbour towards Railway Street which leaves the images on the right. The harbour wall can be seen at the bottom of the 1860 image and there is a set of tracks running off to the left just above the bottom third of that image along what will be Milford Street (there appears to be a set of trams/drams on that line). The 1845 picture appears to be a drawing or engraving whilst the 1860 one appears to be a photograph. These images were shared by Ron Powell on Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group on 9th January 2017. Tramroad tracks can be seen in both images. [158]
As we noted earlier in this enlarged extract from the 1906 6″ Ordnance Survey which was published in 1908 there were two main tramroad lines. One heading immediately West along Milford Street and off the map extract centre-left. The other heading along what was then called Railway Street and leave the map extract centre-top. There were also a series of short lines which served both the North and the South quay walls of the harbour. When we leave the harbour on this occasion we will travel along the line to the West. [131]
An early 20th century view of the harbour which shows the North harbour wall. Careful inspection reveals trams and track on the wall adjacent to the crane, © reproduced by kind permission of Pembrokeshire Archives. [182]
Coal Staithes and loaded trams on the Southside of the harbour, © Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. [181]

This picture showing coal being loaded onto a vessel at Saundersfoot Harbour was shared on the Saundersfoot & District Historical Society’s Facebook Group on 25th May 2020 by Gillian Hibberd.[141]

This picture showing Saundersfoot Harbour was shared on the Saundersfoot & District Historical Society’s Facebook Group by Gillian Hibberd on 24th May 2020. Note the railway tracks leading onto the North Harbour Wall. [225]
A 1936 image of Saundersfoot Harbour looking Southeast from the North wall with the railway in the foreground. This image was shared by Gary Davies on 15th September 2019 on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group. Gary Davies writes that there appears to only be “one coal wharf operating to fill the hold of this steamer the industrial era of the Harbour is coming to an end. As Bonvilles Court Colliery had closed in 1929 and the screens there were washing coal from Broom and Kilgetty Collieries. It wasn’t to long before the coal was sent out on the mainline branch of the GWR via the siding at Bonvilles Court Colliery. This would have been one of the last few coal steamers to come into the Harbour to load coal as by 1939/40 the export of coal from the Harbour had ceased.” [159]
This image shows Rosalind heading away from the South quay at Saundersfoot Harbour. She is heading for Railway Street (The Strand) with the Miner’s Express. If she were to be travelling on Milford Street she would be turning left just behind where we are standing. [187]
1906 6″ Ordnance Survey [199]
Modern satellite imagery of the same area with the railway alignment shown as a red line. [199]
Looking West along Milford Street, Saundersfoot in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
Looking West along Milford Street, Saundersfoot in the 21st century. The railway ran approximately on the red line, heading off Milford Street (which turns to the right) down what is now called Brookland Place. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
Looking back East along Milford Street from Brooklands Place. The railway ran approximately on the red line. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking West along Brookland Place. The road has been laid over the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The view West from the end of Brookland Place looking along what is in the 21st century known as ‘The Incline’. The footpath follows the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking back East along ‘The Incline’ towards Saudersfoot Harbour. [Google Earth, August 2021]
Looking West along ‘The Incline’. The footpath continues to follow the line of the Saundersfoot Railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The route of the old railway crosses Westfield Road. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
This enlarged view of the 6″ OS Map of 1906 shows the area around the bottom of the Inclined Plane. [199]
The key buildings on the map above are highlighted on this NLS supplied satellite image of the same area. All of the buildings have been adapted for modern living. One, Incline Villa, is identified as a holiday let in the 21st century. [199]
Incline Villa as advertised as a holiday let. The two storey element of the building has been expanded by the single storey extension. [205]
The photograph was taken at approximately the point where the railway crossed what is now Westfield Road. It was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Mark Davies on 26th November 2015. [151]
Beyond Westfield Road the footpath follows the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking back towards Saundersfoot Harbour towards the line of the old railway from the East end of Incline Way. This footpath links to the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
The east end of Incline Way almost meets the line of the old railway which is shown in red and which continues to be a footpath in 21st century. At this point the incline is carrying the railway up onto the escarpment behind Saunderfoot. [199]
Two pictures taken at different points along the Incline in November 2021 by Jonathan Kedward and shared by him on the Ancient Monuments UK’s website. [204]

This small extract from the 1906 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the same are as appears in the satellite imagery immediately above. As can be seen, very close to this location the three rails of the incline separated into four to allow wagons to pass. [199]

This extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the full length of the Incline. As can be seen there was a passing loop at half-height, referred to above, and a passing loop at the head of the incline. The building at the head of the incline shown below does not appear on the 1906 Survey, but does appear on the 1887 Map. [199]

The 1887 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the building at the head of the incline and a second loop closer to the highway which does not appear on the 1906 Survey. The existence of remains of the winding house in 2021 (see below) suggests that the building was missed off the 1906 survey. [201]

The photograph was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Mark Davies on 26th November 2015.  It shows the passing loop at the head of the Incline. The photograph was taken facing Southeast towards Saundersfoot Harbour. [151]
The remains of the winding house in November 2021. This photograph was taken by Jonathan Kedward and shared by him on the Ancient Monuments UK website. [204]
The excellent information board at the Winding House pictured above. [206]
The photograph was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Mark Davies on 26th November 2015. It shows the top of the Incline, facing Southeast, after closure and was probably taken from the location of the winding house shown in the picture above. [151]

Coflein records the Inclined Plane as follows: “The main line of the Saundersfoot Railway … opened in 1832 between Saundersfoot Harbour … and Thomas Chapel. It was built to a gauge of 4ft 0 3/8in and originally worked by horses. A self-acting incline, some 300m long and on a gradient of 1 in 5, lay about 800m west of the harbour. At the foot was a siding and hut whilst at the summit was a winding house. The track on the incline was double with a shared inner rail, widening to a loop midway allowing wagons to pass.” [203]

The incline was 363 metres long. Ancient Monuments UK’s website records the site as follows: “The monument consists of the remains of a complete tramroad incline formation from an important horse-drawn tramroad built in 1832, including a former counterbalance drum housing and marshalling areas at top and bottom. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of 18th and 19th century industrial and transportation practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques. A drumhouse may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.” [204]

Looking back Southeast towards the Incline from ‘The Fan Road’, the modern road which follows the line of the old railway. Valley Road enters from the right in this image. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
Looking Northwest, The Fan Road follows the line of the Saundersfoot Railway. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
The Saundersfoot Railway’s branch into the Bonville’s Court Colliery. [Google Streetview, August 2018]
[201]
The 1906 Ordnance Survey shows the branch-line from the Great Western Railway which was installed around the turn of the 20th century after a long campaign by Boneville’s Court Colliery’s owner. It finally superseded the Saundersfoot Railway and its access to the mainline at Saundersfoot Railway Station, see below. [202]
The modern satellite image has the key features mark in red and ochre. [202]
The Locomotive Bulldog sits taking water close to the entrance to the colliery. This image was shared by Gary Davies on the Saundersfoot and District Historical Society Facebook Group on 10th November 2018. [180]
Bonvilles Court Colliery, which was active between 1842 and 1930; it was served first by the Saundersfoot Railway (and then from 1896 by a branch from the Pembroke & Tenby Railway (GWR). Following closure, part of the site was converted into a screening plant and storage yard. This picture was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Kenneth Townsend on 12th July 2019. [156]
Two more photographs of the Colliery. [209][208]
The photograph was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Mark Davies on 26th November 2015. [151]
Looking North-northwest along The Fan Road, beyond Bonville’s Court Colliery, which follows the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
The 1906 6″ Survey shows the Saunders foot Railway snaking across the fields towards Saundersfoot Station. [200]
Modern satellite imagery confirms that The Fan Road follows the alignment of the old railway to reach the B4316. The trees on the North side of the B-road hide the alignment of the old railway as it approached Saundersfoot Station along an alignment separate from but parallel to the B4316. [200]
Saundersfoot Railway Station as shown on the 1906 6″ Ordnance Survey provided by the NLS. Both the transshipment siding and the line down to the tunnel have been added as red-lines. [210]
The same area on the modern ESRI satellite imagery provided by the NLS. The area of the siding as theaccess to the tunnel are shown heavily wooded. In around 2018 the undergrowth was cutback to reveal the man-made embankment and rail routes. Please see the photograph below. [210]
The same location on the 1887 6″ Ordnance Survey. By this time, the tunnel already appears dis-used. However, at a later date, 1915 or so, the line was opened up again and the locomotive Bulldog was purchased to supply the colliery at Reynalton. Sadly that period of operation is not picked up by the Ordnance Survey as the next revision took place in 1948 after closure of the line. [211]
from the site of Saundersfoot Railway Station in 2018, this view shows the alignment of the Saundersfoot Railway. The B4316 is on the right of the image. This photograph was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Gary Davies on 15th April 2018. He commented at the time: “Now the trees have been cut its … possible to see the route of the Saundersfoot railway. On the left side is the route to the Kingsmoor tunnel and on the right is the embankment siding for discharging coal from the Saundersfoot railway onto coal wagons of the Main Pembroke Dock to Whitland Railway via the exchange siding which came in behind Saundersfoot Station.” [164]
Saudersfoot Railway Station. This picture was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by John Stoot on 16th December 2017. [162]
Saundersfoot Railway Station in 1914. This photograph was shared on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Penny Brace on 13th February 2020. [163]
Saundersfoot Railway Station. This photograph was share by Sarah Whiddett on the Saundersfoot & District Historical Society’s Facebook Group on 3rd March 2020. [207]
Saundersfoot Station Bridge. Mark Davies shared this image on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group on 26th November 2015. [165]

The tunnel under Saundersfoot Railway Station was constricted in size and as a result dictated the size of any locomotive which could be used. Bulldog was purchased in 1915. Full details of the loco can be found on the first post about the Saundersfoot Railway. There is a picture of it above at the entrance to Bonville’s Court Colliery. [213]

Coflein records the tunnel as follows: “The main line of the Saundersfoot Railway opened in 1832 between Saundersfoot Harbour and Thomas Chapel. It was built to a gauge of 4ft 0 3/8in and originally worked by horses. King’s Moor Tunnel carried the line under rising ground below the hamlet of Hill and the site of the 1866 Saundersfoot Station on the Whitland extension of the former Pembroke & Tenby Railway. The tunnel is 450m long, 2.44m wide and approximately 2.6m high with a semi-circular arch.” [214] The route of the tunnel appears most clearly on the 1948 revision of the 6″ Ordnance Survey. …

The Kingsmoor or Saundersfoot Railway Station Tunnel alignment is most clearly seen on this 1948 revision of the 6″ Ordnance Survey. The South Portal is adjacent to Saundersfoot Station. The Northwest portal can be made out at the top of this map extract just Northwest of Little Killawen Farm. [216]
This picture of the South portal of the tunnel appears on the geograph website and was taken on 3rd October 2010 © Copyright Alistair Hare and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [184]
Kingsmoor Tunnel or Saundersfoot Station Tunnel. Mark Davies shared a series of about 30 photographs of the tunnel on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group on 26th November 2015. This is one of those photographs, the full series of photographs is excellent! [165]
The Northwest portal of the tunnel. This picture was taken on 27th April 2011 (cc-by-sa/2.0) – © Alistair Hare. [212]

28dayslater comments that the tunnel “is very wet and very muddy in places due to the years of neglect and non-use but is a very important part of Welsh industrial history.” [167]

To the North of the tunnel the line was in cutting for 200metres or so. It then traversed open country until passing on an embankment and bridge over New Road (it’s present name).

The 6″ 1906 Ordnance Survey shows the line continuing in a generally northwesterly direction [215]
A thind red line shows the route of the old railway on this ESRI satellite image. Modern roads seem to make the most impact on the landscape although there is a caravan site sitting over the line of the railway in the bottom right quadrant of the satellite image (Kingsmoor Caravan Site). [215]
Looking East along the A477 at the approximate location where the old railway route crosses the main road. It appears that it enters the caravan site (on the left) just at the Eastern edge of the entrance road. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
As we have just noted, it appears that the route of the old railway enters the caravan site just at the Eastern edge of the entrance road and then runs roughly parallel to the road through the site but perhaps 50 to 100 metres to the Northeast. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
[215]
The point at which the Saundersfoot railway crossed New Road, Begelly. Note the relatively large bungalow with its wall running parallel to the old railway. It would seem that the property boundary followed the line of the embankment![215]
The location of the old railway in relation to New Road can be fixed by the bungalow shown to the left of this image, of which part seems to straddle the route of the old railway. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
Begelly Railway Bridge over what is now New Road. This picture looks through the bridge to the West. The photograph was share on the Tenby and Saundersfoot Through Time Facebook Group by Ron Powell on 24th January 2017. [166]
North of New Road a public footpath follows the old railway line as far as the West end of Parsonage Lane. [Google Streetview, March 2022]
The route of the Miner’s Walk Path is shown here in mauve. It follows the old railway which is now a bridleway. [218]
The path as it approaches Parsonage Lane, (c0 Two Dogs and an Awning. [217]
The view West from the end of Parsonage Lane. The gated track is met by the old railway route coming in from the left and the track then follows the Saundersfoot Railway formation. [Google Streetview, March 2022]

Bulldog at the head of a train of wagons North of Kingsmoor Tunnel. This picture was shared by Gavin Thomas on the Saundersfoot & District Historical Society Facebook Group on 17th October 2018. I am not sure of the location of this photograph but it is possible that is in the length that we are currently looking at. If so, Parsonage Lane runs just to the left and the buildings visible beyond the train are at Parsonage Green. [140]
This extract from the 6″ OS Map published in 1889 is of what I consider to be the likely location of the photograph above. The rectangle shows the suggested location, with the train facing East towards the bridge at what is now called New Road. If I am right, the original building in the photograph no longer exists, it has been replaced by a bungalow. [219]

The line continued across the fields before it approached Thomas Chapel. We do know that there was a short branch to Broom Colliery. Its existence is recorded by Coflein: “An earthwork linear feature, probably a relict tramway, runs for c.400m NE-SW from SN11220814, at Broom Pit, … to SN10900788, where it effects an apparent junction with the Saundersfoot Railway . … It is not depicted as a railway on Ordnance Survey County series 25inch mapping of 1889 as it was disused by this time. … Broom Colliery was re-constructed and re-opened in 1933 and improvements included a 600-yard electrically-hauled narrow-gauge tramway to carry coal to the Saunderfoot Railway.” [228]

That statement from Coflein is supported on their website by an Ordnance Survey extract which is reproduced here and annotated with the key features. [228]

Thomas Chapel on the 62 Ordnance Survey of 1906. The Saundersfoot Railway can be seen approaching from the South. [220]
Approximately the same are as on the map extract above. The red line on the satellite image shows the route of the old railway. [220]

The lane serving Honeywood Cottage and other deellings runs across the top-half of the map and satellite image above. Just left of, and above the centre of, the image it is crossed by the old railway. The location is marked with a red arrow. It is of interest because there appears to be a remnant of the Saudersfoot Railway just at this point. I am not entirely sure that this is the case. However, if it is then is fixes the route of the line beyond here to Reynalton. I’d be interested to know whether anyone can provide details of what it ia that appears in the photograph below.

The location of the Reynalton Cooliery and the New Reynalton Colliery as indicated by Coflein. [221]

Urbex tells us that the railway “was extended for about one and a half miles beyond Thomas Chapel to serve a new colliery at Reynalton. To avoid heavy expenditure on earthworks and bridges, the line followed a somewhat circuitous course through open country. The existing railway from Thomas Chapel to Saundersfoot was relaid.” Horse traction was finally abandoned, and all traffic between Reynalton and the head of the incline was worked by 0-4-0ST Bulldog. Bulldog was slightly larger than than Rosalind which worked the line between Stepaside and the harbour. “It had 9inch by 15inch outside cylinders, 2feet 6inch wheels, and weighed 12 and a half tons in working order. To enable it to pass through the tunnel under the Great Western Railway to Saundersfoot, the maximum height and width had to be restricted to six feet nine inches respectively.” [227]

Coflein comments that the colliery site at Reynalton was a former anthracite drift mine. “Reynalton Colliery was opened by 1906. It was rebuilt in 1914 under the New Reynolton Anthracite Colliery Co., and served by an extension of the Saundersfoot Railway. … The mine closed in 1921 and the site was cleared, the only survivors being a brick-built winding house, six houses in the village and some railway embankment. There are various shafts and pits shown on the 1948 OS 6inch map. A cinder and slag heap near the church was removed during the Second World War to assist with the construction of Templeton airfield, … 2km to the north. [217]

Reynalton Bridge Abutments. This photograph was taken and shared by Dewi H. Davies on 7th October 2015 (c) People’s Collection Wales and used here under the Creative Archive Licence. [222]
View from the South
View form the North
[223]
We know that the Reynalton extension was constructed with frugality in mind, that it sought to follow the contours as much as possible and avoided building embankments, cuttings or structures as much as possible. With these factors in mind the red line shown on this satellite image is an estimation of the likely route which roughly follows the contours of the land and picks up on features that exit in the 21st century. A solid red line has been used where I have reasonable confidence over the alignment of the railway, the red-dotted line where I have a greater uncertainty but feel that showing the probable line is warranted.

We have already identified the two bridge abutments alongside the road South of Reynalton and it is possible (see below) to pick out the line of the railway either side of that for a couple of hundred yards at most. Closer to the line to Thomas Chapel there is a linear section of woodland which is in the shape of an upturned ‘U’ which closely follows the contours of the land. Between these two lengths the presumed route does approximately follow the contours and existing features, specifically, a lane to the East of the modern tarmacked road running North-South at the centre of the picture and an obvious lane running to the West of that road which does not appear on any of the revisions of the OS mapping carried by the NLS.

This leaves us with a question about the line’s approach to Reynalton colliery. The blue flag on the Coflein map above locates the colliery with reasonable accuracy. That position is shown again below and is marked on this satellite image as an ochre-coloured circle. At the moment the line approaching the colliery is shown in ochre as well and dashed because I have little certainty over its exact line. I hope to be able to clarify this further as time goes by. [223]
Coflein provides two aerial photographs looking from the North across Reynalton to the most visible remains of the Saundersfoot Railway extension to Reynalton Colliery. The remains can be picked out towards the top of this image. A tree-lined curve runs from the West to two bridge abutments and the line can then be seen as a straight line running East through the first two fields East of the highway. The photograph was taken taken on 11 January 2006 by Toby Driver. [224]
The location of Reynalton Colliery. An enlarged version of the map as shown by Coflein. [221]

This last satellite image taken from Google Earth shows that my presumptions about the line of the railway close to the colliery may be right. The field which is centre-right on this image has an area of curved land which appears to have retained water differently to the rest of the field and which is as a result greener. [Google Maps, September 2022]

Writing about the Reynalton extension to the Saundersfoot Railway, Coflein says: “The main line was extended to serve Reynalton Colliery … in 1915. The colliery closed in 1921 and the extension was abandoned, the whole Saundersfoot Railway closing finally in 1939.” [226] Some detailed reasoning for my proposed alignment for the extension is given in the comments under the satellite image above. I am hoping that at some time I may be able to find further information on the alignments that I have shown and would be very happy for someone to correct my assumptions.

Making the assumption that I have the correct alignment a few more photos on the line of the old railway can be offered. …

A telephoto image looking along the line of the railway to the East from the lane at the centre of the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
A wider view of the probable line of the old railway taken from the same lane, looking East. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
This time looking ahead along the probable line of the Saundersfoot Railway Extension. [Google Streetview]

It goes without saying that if anyone has photographs from along the routes shown, and is prepared to share them, I would be delighted to include them properly referenced in this article.

One final note: OpenRailwayMap [235] is usually an excellent source for following rail lines throughout the UK and abroad. Sadly the only length of the Saundersfoot Railway covered is a short length either side of Saundersfoot Railway Station. That length include the tunnel under that station. [235]

References

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140. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10156977603767859&set=gm.2078153078876132&cft%5B0%5D=AZWT7bn815NyzpCpBBLC2HZvBTrfrxDyTo-ZvOW9NTUxLpk3TjiNa54DbuGtyhLpS3hgQViJFmWLBpFi2Tie16dxvjB9orVLUAD2e2hghR1hQjPoDihdOY7KRozUvMoaoQ65Ej7zh5wOYf-1S__QUXk4TJYKhtTxc8aGAMBCATtpLQ&tn=EH-y-R, accessed on 23rd September 2022.

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148. https://scontent-lcy1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.18172-8/12239217_10153292740546220_1364977808131440036_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=T1j6evBs-qUAX-qTyVf&_nc_ht=scontent-lcy1-1.xx&oh=00_AT99_FCh-C8qMzKvptVV7M45ErozbSBljfm6La4_WuxP-w&oe=6354DACD, accessed on 23rd September 2022.

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158. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1300990836642576&set=pcb.2667192270086690, and https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1300991336642526&set=pcb.2667192270086690, accessed on 23rd September 2022.

159. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2929529600408275&set=gm.3279183382220906, accessed on 23rd September 2022.

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181. https://museum.wales/collections/online/object/0a0dad7c-06d6-3d40-8eb0-88b2777f3350/Coal-Staithes-at-Saundersfoot-Harbour-postcard, accessed on 25th September 2022.

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