Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
Encyclopedia
The Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway was a railway line connecting the Welsh
port city of Newport
via Abergavenny
, to the major English
market town of Hereford
.
Sponsored by the LNWR, it opened on 6 December 1853. For a great deal of its length it ran through joint stations, allowing various railway companies based in the South Wales Valleys
to access the industrial Midlands
and Northwest England.
On post-World War I
amalgamation, it was taken over by the Great Western Railway
, and then on nationalisation post-World War II
became part of the Western Region
of British Railways. Surviving the Beeching Axe
, it now forms the southern section of Network Rail
s Welsh Marches Line
.
westwards to the Taff Vale Railway
at Quakers Yard
. The railway company was formed by the amalgamation of the Hereford Railway, the Llanfihangel Railway and the Grosmont Railway
.
Surveyed and designed by Chief Engineer Charles Liddell
, he noted that at its northern end, the terminus at Hereford Barton was not big enough to take the five railways converging on the major market town. So it was agreed by the joint GWR/LNWR Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway
and the broad gauge
GWR sponsored Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway
, the construction of Hereford Barrs Court
. A joint opening of both stations took place on 6 December 1853.
Liddell faced the problem of bridging two key natural geographic barriers to connect with the Taff Vale Railway
at Quakers Yard
, the Ebbw Valley and the Rhymney Valley
. After agreeing a tendering process with the board, the winner was agreed to be Thomas W. Kennard. While Liddell was the key architect of both the Crumlin Viaduct
(built from wrought iron
due to its projected height), and the Hengoed Viaduct
(built from stone, on a curve), Kennard acted as designer and engineer for both projects, and supplier for the Crumlin, where his father Robert Kennard
's company Falkirk Iron Co supplied the innovative Warren truss
es.
On 2 January 1854, the line opened from Hereford to Coedygric, Pontypool on the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
line. The station at Abergavenny
was opened.
In 1860, the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway merged with the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
and Worcester and Hereford Railway to form the West Midland Railway.
On 1 October 1862, Abergavenny Junction was opened to the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway
. Abergavenny Junction closed in 1958.
On 9 June 1958, the majority of stations on the line were closed to goods traffic.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
port city of Newport
Newport railway station
Newport railway station is the 3rd busiest railway station in Wales , situated in Newport city centre. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although First Great Western and CrossCountry also provide services...
via Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
, to the major English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
market town of Hereford
Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
.
Sponsored by the LNWR, it opened on 6 December 1853. For a great deal of its length it ran through joint stations, allowing various railway companies based in the South Wales Valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
to access the industrial Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and Northwest England.
On post-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
amalgamation, it was taken over by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, and then on nationalisation post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
became part of the Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
of British Railways. Surviving the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, it now forms the southern section of Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
s Welsh Marches Line
Welsh Marches Line
The Welsh Marches Line , known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms, and thence to Crewe via Whitchurch...
.
History
Incorporated on 3 August 1846, in 1847, the Act was passed for the Taff Vale Extension, from Coedygric North Junction, PontypoolPontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
westwards to the Taff Vale Railway
Taff Vale Railway
The Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
at Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard is a village in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, situated where the Taff Bargoed Valley joins the Taff Valley. Quakers Yard is part of the community of Treharris.-History:...
. The railway company was formed by the amalgamation of the Hereford Railway, the Llanfihangel Railway and the Grosmont Railway
Grosmont Railway
The Grosmont Railway was an early horse-drawn railway line in Monmouthshire completed in 1819.-History:The Grosmont Railway was constructed as an extension of the Llanvihangel Railway from its terminus at Llanvihangel Crucorney to Monmouth Cap on the border with Herefordshire...
.
Surveyed and designed by Chief Engineer Charles Liddell
Charles Liddell
Charles Liddell , was an English railway engineer.Born in Easington, County Durham, he was the son of the Rector. A student and educated by George Stephenson, he resultantly became involved in a number of Styephenson's projects, including the Grand Junction Railway and London and Birmingham...
, he noted that at its northern end, the terminus at Hereford Barton was not big enough to take the five railways converging on the major market town. So it was agreed by the joint GWR/LNWR Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway
Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway
The Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway was an independently developed English railway, the first to run train services in Herefordshire.Built between 1850 and 1853, it crossed a number of services by both the Great Western Railway and London and North Western Railway companies, became a joint...
and the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
GWR sponsored Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway
Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway
The Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway , was a railway which ran for linking Hereford and Gloucester via Ross-on-Wye. It was opened on 1 June 1855 as a broad gauge line, it was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway in 1862. In 1869 the railway was converted to standard gauge...
, the construction of Hereford Barrs Court
Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
. A joint opening of both stations took place on 6 December 1853.
Liddell faced the problem of bridging two key natural geographic barriers to connect with the Taff Vale Railway
Taff Vale Railway
The Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
at Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard is a village in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, situated where the Taff Bargoed Valley joins the Taff Valley. Quakers Yard is part of the community of Treharris.-History:...
, the Ebbw Valley and the Rhymney Valley
Rhymney Valley
The Rhymney Valley is a valley encompassing the villages of Abertysswg, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, Tirphil, New Tredegar, Aberbargoed, Rhymney, and Ystrad Mynach, and the towns of Bargoed and Caerphilly, in south-east Wales, formerly famous for its coal mining and iron industries.-Geography:Created as a...
. After agreeing a tendering process with the board, the winner was agreed to be Thomas W. Kennard. While Liddell was the key architect of both the Crumlin Viaduct
Crumlin Viaduct
Crumlin Viaduct was a railway viaduct located above the village of Crumlin in South Wales. Originally built to carry the Taff Vale Extension of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway across the Ebbw River....
(built from wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
due to its projected height), and the Hengoed Viaduct
Hengoed Viaduct
Hengoed Viaduct is a Grade II* listed railway viaduct, located above the village of Maesycwmmer, in Caerphilly county borough, South Wales. Originally built to carry the Taff Vale Extension of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway across the Rhymney River, it is now part of National Cycle...
(built from stone, on a curve), Kennard acted as designer and engineer for both projects, and supplier for the Crumlin, where his father Robert Kennard
Robert Kennard
Robert William Kennard JP DL was a London-born merchant, financier, entrepreneur, JP and later Member of Parliament.The son of jeweller turn banker John Kennard , and Harriet Elizabeth Peirse, he trained as a merchant in London...
's company Falkirk Iron Co supplied the innovative Warren truss
Warren Truss
Warren Errol Truss , Australian politician, is the current leader of the National Party of Australia in the Parliament of Australia. He has held the House of Representatives seat of Wide Bay since the 1990 election...
es.
On 2 January 1854, the line opened from Hereford to Coedygric, Pontypool on the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company built and operated the Newport and Pontypool Railway. It was known as "The Rat and Cat's".- Overview :...
line. The station at Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
was opened.
In 1860, the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway merged with the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
The Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton railway was a company authorised on 4 August 1845 to construct a railway line from the Oxford and Rugby Railway at Wolvercot Junction to Worcester, Stourbridge, Dudley, and Wolverhampton, with a branch to the Grand Junction Railway at Bushbury...
and Worcester and Hereford Railway to form the West Midland Railway.
On 1 October 1862, Abergavenny Junction was opened to the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway
Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway
The Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway was a railway company operating between 1860 and 1958 between the towns of Merthyr Tydfil, Tredegar and Abergavenny through the counties of Glamorganshire, Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire in south east Wales....
. Abergavenny Junction closed in 1958.
On 9 June 1958, the majority of stations on the line were closed to goods traffic.
Chronology
- 1846 - Tramroads the Llanvihangel Railway, Grosmont Railway and Hereford Railway purchased.
- 1847 - Act for Taff Vale Extension passed from Coedygric North Junction to the Taff Vale RailwayTaff Vale RailwayThe Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
at Quakers YardQuakers YardQuakers Yard is a village in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, situated where the Taff Bargoed Valley joins the Taff Valley. Quakers Yard is part of the community of Treharris.-History:...
. - 1852 - Construction work commences on Crumlin Viaduct.
- 1853 - Construction on Hengoed ViaductHengoed ViaductHengoed Viaduct is a Grade II* listed railway viaduct, located above the village of Maesycwmmer, in Caerphilly county borough, South Wales. Originally built to carry the Taff Vale Extension of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway across the Rhymney River, it is now part of National Cycle...
(Maesycwmmer Viaduct) begins. - 1854 - Line to AbergavennyAbergavennyAbergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
opened. - 1854 - Section opened from Hereford (Barton) to Coedygric on the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal CompanyMonmouthshire Railway and Canal CompanyThe Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company built and operated the Newport and Pontypool Railway. It was known as "The Rat and Cat's".- Overview :...
. Line is operated by the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
. - 1854 - Railway becomes fully independent.
- 1860 - Newport Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway and Worcester and Hereford Railway merged to form the West Midland Railway.
- 1862 - Abergavenny Junction station opened.
- 1863 - West Midland Railway builds platforms north of the south facing junction with the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny RailwayMerthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny RailwayThe Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway was a railway company operating between 1860 and 1958 between the towns of Merthyr Tydfil, Tredegar and Abergavenny through the counties of Glamorganshire, Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire in south east Wales....
. - 1864 - Traffic serves the newer Abergavenny railway stationAbergavenny railway station- Today :It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line line from Newport to Hereford....
. - 1870 - Abergavenny Junction station re-built further north from original site.
- 1871 - Abergavenny Junction station re-built at London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
expense. - 1884 - Private coal and stores siding laid to Abergavenny from south junction at triangle. London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
acquire running powers. - 1928 - Double-track across Crumlin Viaduct downscaled to a single track.
- 1950 - Abergavenny renamed "Abergavenny Monmouth Road".
- 1958 - Abergavenny Junction station closes, and all stations between Pontypool Road and Hereford (excluding Abergavenny Monmouth Road) all close to goods traffic.
- 1964 - Passenger services between Pontypool Road and Neath withdrawn and the line over Crumlin viaduct closes to all traffic.
- 1965 - Pontypool Road engine shed closes.
- 1965 - Crumlin Viaduct demolished.
- 1967 - Pontypool Road engine shed is demolished. Sidings in Pontypool and at Coedygric are largely removed during Beeching AxeBeeching AxeThe Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. - 1968 - "Abergavenny Monmouth Road" station is renamed Abergavenny again.
- 1972 - With the closures of Crane Street and Pontypool Clarence Street, Pontypool Road station is renamed "Pontypool".
- 2000 - The disused Hengoed Viaduct is opened for public access.
- 2004 - The Heritage Lottery FundHeritage Lottery FundThe Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
provides refurbishment grant for Hengoed Viaduct and remains of Hengoed High Level railway station which becomes part of the Celtic cycle trail.