Railways: Manchester & Milford Railway Co. (1860-1907)
The successor of several attempts to connect the industrial Midlands with the fine natural harbour of Milford Haven, the Manchester & Milford Railway was incorporated by Act of Parliament dated 23 July 1860. It was to build a standard gauge railway from the Mid Wales Railway at Llanidloes down the Wye Valley to Llangurig then tunnel through the mountains to Yspyty Ystwyth and descend the Teifi Valley through Tregaron and Lampeter to Pencader to connect with the broad gauge Carmarthen & Cardigan Railway. From there it was to lay a third rail on that railway to Abergwili Junction on the Llanelly Railway with running powers to Camarthen.
Construction began at the northern end in 1861 but because of disputes which the Llanidloes & Newtown and the Mid Wales Railways and its own precarious financial position, little real progress was made. An initial nine miles of railway to just beyond Llangurig was completed in 1863, but then work stopped while an attempt was made to obtain a deviation act to build a less costly railway through the mountains. Powers to build a branch line to Aberystwyth was first obtained in July 1861, but rival schemes of the Mid Wales Railway and board room bickering caused a delay in awarding the first contract. Pencader to Lampeter was opened on 1 January 1866, a further section to Ystrad Meurig was completed in August 1866 and the third rail on the Camarthen & Cardigan Railway was also completed in August allowing through traffic to commence. An amended act of 1865 authorised a line from Ystrad Meurig (renamed Strata Florida) to Aberystwyth; this branch line to Aberystwyth was opened on 12 August 1867. Construction thus far was only made possible by the contractor David Davies financing his own contracts, the M&MR’s precarious finances having worsened following the failure of the Quaker bankers, Overend and Gurney in 1866. Construction of the northern end of the main line ceased while the company tried to obtain a Deviation Act. This failed at its first attempt in 1864, and although second Bill the next year was successful, no more construction ever took place because of lack of funds.
As the M&MR had not paid its share of the cost of Llanidloes station and was also in arrears for Aberyswyth, the Cambrian and Mid Wales Railways obtained judgment against the M&MR for joint charges and the company was put into receivership on 23 July 1875. The early 1900s saw the M&MR engaged in negotiations with the Great Western Railway and Cambrian Railways, coming to terms with the GWR and signed an agreement with that company on 1 July 1905. [G.S]
[South Wales Branch Lines, by H. Morgan]
Construction began at the northern end in 1861 but because of disputes which the Llanidloes & Newtown and the Mid Wales Railways and its own precarious financial position, little real progress was made. An initial nine miles of railway to just beyond Llangurig was completed in 1863, but then work stopped while an attempt was made to obtain a deviation act to build a less costly railway through the mountains. Powers to build a branch line to Aberystwyth was first obtained in July 1861, but rival schemes of the Mid Wales Railway and board room bickering caused a delay in awarding the first contract. Pencader to Lampeter was opened on 1 January 1866, a further section to Ystrad Meurig was completed in August 1866 and the third rail on the Camarthen & Cardigan Railway was also completed in August allowing through traffic to commence. An amended act of 1865 authorised a line from Ystrad Meurig (renamed Strata Florida) to Aberystwyth; this branch line to Aberystwyth was opened on 12 August 1867. Construction thus far was only made possible by the contractor David Davies financing his own contracts, the M&MR’s precarious finances having worsened following the failure of the Quaker bankers, Overend and Gurney in 1866. Construction of the northern end of the main line ceased while the company tried to obtain a Deviation Act. This failed at its first attempt in 1864, and although second Bill the next year was successful, no more construction ever took place because of lack of funds.
As the M&MR had not paid its share of the cost of Llanidloes station and was also in arrears for Aberyswyth, the Cambrian and Mid Wales Railways obtained judgment against the M&MR for joint charges and the company was put into receivership on 23 July 1875. The early 1900s saw the M&MR engaged in negotiations with the Great Western Railway and Cambrian Railways, coming to terms with the GWR and signed an agreement with that company on 1 July 1905. [G.S]
[South Wales Branch Lines, by H. Morgan]
Railways: Mawddwy Railway Co. (1865-1909?)
The Mawddwy Railway was incorporated by Act of 5 July 1865, to build a standard gauge line from Dinas Mawddwy to a junction with the Cambrian Railways at Cemmaes Road, for the conveyance of slate. Financed entirely by Edmund, later Sir Edmund Buckley, lord of the manor, it was built by Richard France and opened on 1 October 1867.
Freight and passenger receipts were always poor, and when some timber bridges became unsafe passenger services ceased on 17 April 1901. The Buckley family was unable to help financially and further deterioration of the line caused freight trains to be withdrawn on 8 April 1908. The line was rescued by Lt Col. David Davies (grandson of David Davies) Chairman of the Cambrian Railways in 1909, who bought out the private interests and obtained a Light Railway Order confirmed on 2 March 1910. Reconstruction took place and the line was reopened on 29 July 1911. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. II]
Freight and passenger receipts were always poor, and when some timber bridges became unsafe passenger services ceased on 17 April 1901. The Buckley family was unable to help financially and further deterioration of the line caused freight trains to be withdrawn on 8 April 1908. The line was rescued by Lt Col. David Davies (grandson of David Davies) Chairman of the Cambrian Railways in 1909, who bought out the private interests and obtained a Light Railway Order confirmed on 2 March 1910. Reconstruction took place and the line was reopened on 29 July 1911. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. II]
Railways: Mid Wales Railway Co. (1859-1904)
The object of the Mid Wales Railway was to bring South Wales coal to the industry of the Midlands, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and to convey the imports and exports of these areas to and from Swansea and Milford Haven, which were then the two most important potential ports for American trade.
The impetus for promoting such a line came with the opening of the Vale of Towy Railway to Llandovery in 1858. Montgomeryshire promoters formed the provisional Manchester, Liverpool, Swansea & Milford Haven Railway, taking it to Parliament re-titled as The Mid Wales Railway, in two sections: from the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway through the Dulas and Marteg Valleys to Newbridge on Wye, and from Newbridge to Llandovery. The northern section received Royal Assent on 1 August 1859, but the Llandovery section was rejected in favour of the Central Wales Railway between Knighton and Llandovery, (backed by the London & North Western Railway), which was authorised as far as Llandrindod on 13 August 1859.
Both companies had Bills before Parliament in 1860 which gained Royal Assent on 3 July of that year. The Mid Wales Railway proposed going south from Newbridge on Wye via Builth, to join the authorised Hay, Hereford & Brecon Railway at Aberllyfni (Three Cocks), and continue via Talgarth to join the Hay Railway at Talyllyn Tunnel. The Central Wales Extension Railway completed the gap between Llandrindod and Llandovery.
Another competitor The Manchester & Milford Haven Railway received Royal Assent on 23 August 1860, for a line from Llanidloes to Pencader on the authorised Camarthen & Cardigan Railway. The Llanidloes & Newtown agreed to build a new station at Llanidloes for use by the MWR, M&MR and itself, and a connecting line to Penpontbren Junction where the M&MR turned towards Llangurig.
As an alternative to building its proposed line south of Three Cocks, the MWR gained access to Brecon via the Hay Railway which the Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway had purchased for conversion by Act of 6 August 1860. The Act of purchase designed to control access to Brecon by the MWR and Brecon & Merthyr Railway, had a clause inserted which required that the Three Cocks to Talyllyn section should become Mid Wales property, and Talyllyn to Brecon B&MR property, confirmed by MW and B&M Acts of 1861. By Act of 17 July 1862 the MWR was authorised to make a short junction curve to the Central Wales Extension near Builth.
The cutting of the first sod on the MWR had been performed by Mrs Pyne of Doldowlod Hall on 2 September 1859 near Rhayader. Colonel Yolland of the Railway Inspectorate sanctioned the MWR from Penypontbren to the B&MR at Talyllyn in August 1864, the formal opening taking place on 23 August. Mineral traffic started immediately, goods traffic on 1st September and passenger traffic on 21 September between Brecon and Llanidloes.
The MWR was worked by its contractors until they failed in the financial crisis of 1866, when the company took over the working, but traffic was poor owing to the depression of the 1860s. Protracted negotiations with the Cambrian Railways were entered into in 1879, which resulted in a working agreement which took effect from 2 April 1888. The immediate effect of this change was that the train service now started at Moat Lane Junction, the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway having been a constituent of the Cambrian Railways since its formation on 25 July 1864. The MWR was vested into the Cambrian by Act of 24 June 1904. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. II]
The impetus for promoting such a line came with the opening of the Vale of Towy Railway to Llandovery in 1858. Montgomeryshire promoters formed the provisional Manchester, Liverpool, Swansea & Milford Haven Railway, taking it to Parliament re-titled as The Mid Wales Railway, in two sections: from the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway through the Dulas and Marteg Valleys to Newbridge on Wye, and from Newbridge to Llandovery. The northern section received Royal Assent on 1 August 1859, but the Llandovery section was rejected in favour of the Central Wales Railway between Knighton and Llandovery, (backed by the London & North Western Railway), which was authorised as far as Llandrindod on 13 August 1859.
Both companies had Bills before Parliament in 1860 which gained Royal Assent on 3 July of that year. The Mid Wales Railway proposed going south from Newbridge on Wye via Builth, to join the authorised Hay, Hereford & Brecon Railway at Aberllyfni (Three Cocks), and continue via Talgarth to join the Hay Railway at Talyllyn Tunnel. The Central Wales Extension Railway completed the gap between Llandrindod and Llandovery.
Another competitor The Manchester & Milford Haven Railway received Royal Assent on 23 August 1860, for a line from Llanidloes to Pencader on the authorised Camarthen & Cardigan Railway. The Llanidloes & Newtown agreed to build a new station at Llanidloes for use by the MWR, M&MR and itself, and a connecting line to Penpontbren Junction where the M&MR turned towards Llangurig.
As an alternative to building its proposed line south of Three Cocks, the MWR gained access to Brecon via the Hay Railway which the Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway had purchased for conversion by Act of 6 August 1860. The Act of purchase designed to control access to Brecon by the MWR and Brecon & Merthyr Railway, had a clause inserted which required that the Three Cocks to Talyllyn section should become Mid Wales property, and Talyllyn to Brecon B&MR property, confirmed by MW and B&M Acts of 1861. By Act of 17 July 1862 the MWR was authorised to make a short junction curve to the Central Wales Extension near Builth.
The cutting of the first sod on the MWR had been performed by Mrs Pyne of Doldowlod Hall on 2 September 1859 near Rhayader. Colonel Yolland of the Railway Inspectorate sanctioned the MWR from Penypontbren to the B&MR at Talyllyn in August 1864, the formal opening taking place on 23 August. Mineral traffic started immediately, goods traffic on 1st September and passenger traffic on 21 September between Brecon and Llanidloes.
The MWR was worked by its contractors until they failed in the financial crisis of 1866, when the company took over the working, but traffic was poor owing to the depression of the 1860s. Protracted negotiations with the Cambrian Railways were entered into in 1879, which resulted in a working agreement which took effect from 2 April 1888. The immediate effect of this change was that the train service now started at Moat Lane Junction, the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway having been a constituent of the Cambrian Railways since its formation on 25 July 1864. The MWR was vested into the Cambrian by Act of 24 June 1904. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. II]
Railways: Neath & Brecon Railway Co. (1862-1921)
This railway was originally incorporated as the Dulais Valley Railway, by Act of Parliament dated 29 July 1862. A second act of 1863 changed its title to the Neath & Brecon Railway and the first section from Neath opened on 2 September 1864. It now had powers to extend northwards over the mountains to Devynock, thence along the Vale of Usk to Brecon where a junction with the Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway was to be made. A further act dated 29 July 1864, authorised a branch line from Devynock to Llangammarch Wells on the Central Wales Extension Railway of the LNWR.
The Onllwyn to Brecon section was opened to a temporary station at Mount Street Brecon on 8 June 1867. The Mid Wales Railway also used Mount Street as its terminus from 22 October 1868 until 30 April 1871, when they transferred to the new Free Street station built by the Brecon & Merthyr Railway. Difficulties with the B&MR had prevented the N&BR trains running through to the original B&MR station at the Watton, which were not resolved until 1874, when the N&BR began to use the new joint station at Free Street.
The failure of the bankers Overend and Gurney in 1866, followed by the contractor to the N&BR, John Dickson in 1868, caused the abandonment of the line to Llangammarch after the earthworks had been completed. Furthermore the extension to Brecon was expensive to work, causing financial problems which the N&BR sought to rectify through absorption of the Swansea Vale & Neath & Brecon Junction Railway on 26 July 1869. The SVR&N&BJR had been authorised by an Act dated 29 July 1864 to build a railway from a junction with the N&BR at Colbren to an end on junction with the Swansea Vale Railway at Ynysgeinon. This move gave the N&BR running powers to Swansea over the SVR, and in return the N&BR gave the SVR running powers to Brecon.
The Midland Railway having secured running powers to Hereford, leased the Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway and the Swansea Vale Railway in 1874, and announced that it intended to run through trains over the N&BR using the SVR's running powers. The N&BR reluctantly accepted the Midland Railway's offer to work all traffic between Brecon, Colbren and Ynysgeinon and pay the N&BR one third of the net receipts.
The N&BR was absorbed into the Great Western Railway under the Railways Act of 1921. [G.S.]
[H. Morgan - South Wales Branch Lines]
The Onllwyn to Brecon section was opened to a temporary station at Mount Street Brecon on 8 June 1867. The Mid Wales Railway also used Mount Street as its terminus from 22 October 1868 until 30 April 1871, when they transferred to the new Free Street station built by the Brecon & Merthyr Railway. Difficulties with the B&MR had prevented the N&BR trains running through to the original B&MR station at the Watton, which were not resolved until 1874, when the N&BR began to use the new joint station at Free Street.
The failure of the bankers Overend and Gurney in 1866, followed by the contractor to the N&BR, John Dickson in 1868, caused the abandonment of the line to Llangammarch after the earthworks had been completed. Furthermore the extension to Brecon was expensive to work, causing financial problems which the N&BR sought to rectify through absorption of the Swansea Vale & Neath & Brecon Junction Railway on 26 July 1869. The SVR&N&BJR had been authorised by an Act dated 29 July 1864 to build a railway from a junction with the N&BR at Colbren to an end on junction with the Swansea Vale Railway at Ynysgeinon. This move gave the N&BR running powers to Swansea over the SVR, and in return the N&BR gave the SVR running powers to Brecon.
The Midland Railway having secured running powers to Hereford, leased the Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway and the Swansea Vale Railway in 1874, and announced that it intended to run through trains over the N&BR using the SVR's running powers. The N&BR reluctantly accepted the Midland Railway's offer to work all traffic between Brecon, Colbren and Ynysgeinon and pay the N&BR one third of the net receipts.
The N&BR was absorbed into the Great Western Railway under the Railways Act of 1921. [G.S.]
[H. Morgan - South Wales Branch Lines]
Railways: Shrewsbury & Welshpool Railway Co. (1856-1864)
Welshpool Station
The Shrewsbury & Welshpool Railway Co. was incorporated by Act of 29 July 1856, for the main line between Coleham (Shrewsbury) and Buttington Junction, and a branch to Minsterley, with lead and granite from the Stiperstones in mind. The London & North Western Railway was to work and maintain the line, and have running powers over the Oswestry & Newtown Railway into Welshpool station contributing to the stations up keep.
The original contractor had difficulty in constructing the planned tunnel near Middletown on the main line but progress on the branch was swift, the section from Shrewsbury to Minsterley opening on 14 February 1861. The original contractor was replaced by Richard France who completed the main line, the tunnel being replaced with a deep cutting on a new alignment, and the main line opened on 27 January 1862. The section between Coleham and Cruckmeole Junction was doubled in 1866, powers to do so having been obtained by Act of 29 June 1863.
The S&WR became LNWR property by Act of 1864 and a further Act of 1865 admitted the Great Western Railway, the line becoming a joint LNWR & GWR line. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol.II]
The original contractor had difficulty in constructing the planned tunnel near Middletown on the main line but progress on the branch was swift, the section from Shrewsbury to Minsterley opening on 14 February 1861. The original contractor was replaced by Richard France who completed the main line, the tunnel being replaced with a deep cutting on a new alignment, and the main line opened on 27 January 1862. The section between Coleham and Cruckmeole Junction was doubled in 1866, powers to do so having been obtained by Act of 29 June 1863.
The S&WR became LNWR property by Act of 1864 and a further Act of 1865 admitted the Great Western Railway, the line becoming a joint LNWR & GWR line. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol.II]
Railways: Swansea Vale Railway Co. (1855-1876)
The Swansea Vale Railway was incorporated in 1855 to convert tramroads in the Tawe Valley and to build a railway to Pontadawe, plus a Swansea harbour branch. A further Act of 1856 authorised an extension to iron works at Ynyscedwyn and to join the Paleg tramroad at Ystalyfera. In July 1861 an extension to Brynamman was authorised over the Cymllynfell tramroad, this line was open to goods in January 1864 and to passengers in March 1868. The Morriston loop was authorised in 1867 and opened in 1875. Passenger services transferred to this section of line, and the original section became goods only. The SVR was leased by the Midland Railway on 1 September 1874 and purchased by them in 1876. [G.S]
[H. Morgan - South Wales Branch Lines]
[H. Morgan - South Wales Branch Lines]
Railways: Tanat Valley Light Railway Co. (1899-1921)
Following attempts to build standard gauge railways in and through the Tanat Valley which all failed, the Tanat Valley Light Railway Order was confirmed on 4 January 1899.
Its primary purpose was to revive local mineral production which had dwindled to nothing due to lack of transport. The line from Llangynog ran to a junction with the Nantmawr branch and to the Porthywaen branch, which permitted through running to Oswestry and was officially opened on 5 January 1904. Passenger traffic commenced the following day and goods traffic in July worked by the Cambrian Railways who took the TVLR Co. over in 1921. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. II]
Its primary purpose was to revive local mineral production which had dwindled to nothing due to lack of transport. The line from Llangynog ran to a junction with the Nantmawr branch and to the Porthywaen branch, which permitted through running to Oswestry and was officially opened on 5 January 1904. Passenger traffic commenced the following day and goods traffic in July worked by the Cambrian Railways who took the TVLR Co. over in 1921. [G.S.]
[P.E. Baughan - A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. II]
