Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway

The house that you mention is the original Waunavon station house. The track bed is in very good condition, there is one culvert to be moved which is currently running through a short section of the track bed. Waunavon is the highest station in England and Wales so to get there would be a brilliant achievement.

Alex.

 

I presume that the P&BR would be interested in acquiring this property if it were ever to come on the market? Zoopla seems to think that the price would be quite reasonable.

 

Google maps have recently done an update in the Blaenavon area, the new aerial images are much more recent and show the station buildings at Furness Sidings, Big Pit and Blaenavon. Previously the images were something like 10 years old and quite low-res. Nice to see the large amount of progress in that time!

 

Looks like Austerity No.72 sat in the platform and Mech Navvies outside the bottom shed which would make it summer 2013.

 

Ah yes, you can also see the sleepers laid out for the extension to the loop in platform 2.

IIRC a few of the Rippingale 5 were still sat in the yard area in the old pics.

 

I read somewhere that the extension south? of High Level station is nearly complete, and then attention turns to going north of Whistle Inn? Is this correct, I thought going beyond WI required reg water course under the bridge to be diverted ?

Great Western

 

Ali Grieve's photo site is kept very up to date with developments on the PBR - he has added an album of the southwards extension progress this month here:
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...-PWAY/46745462_XLBZts#!i=3802203261&k=wH3q4Ds

IIRC The water course can be culverted (or there is room for both rail and road under the bridge as it was originally double track (Might not be 100% on that)

 

Here are 16 more photos taken in 1978, at Craig Merthyr and Mountain Ash (Sir Gomer):

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...m1978/47083004_shbsP8#!i=3836641230&k=x4nJTnW

(I have no more south Wales industrials.)

Cheers

Andrew N

 

There is room under the road bridge for the railway and culvert, but this would all need planning and agreeing with the Environment Agency first. The biggest stumbling block is the land ownership of the track bed going North. It is owned by a mining company so we will need to come to an agreement with them first. We are currently working on this and have recently met with the local councils who have given there full support, next step is to meet the land owner and see if they are willing to work with us.

The Southern extension has now reached the point of where the cycle path is on the tackbed, if we draw a blank with extending North we will then turn our attention to going South. There is enough room to accommodate moving the cycle track to one side of the original formation so the railway and cycle track can run side by side.

Alex.

 

A before shot of the extension South of Blaenavon High Level.

After shot at the same location.

End of line for now showing where track meets the cycle path.

Alex.

 

At long last this railway is getting somewhere after many years of doing nothing.

I hope it won't be a "grave" problems if you cant go further south. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Blaenavon, Pontypool, Torfaen NP4/@51.7644855,-3.0781122,580m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x4871d856b22ca2bf:0xf369ef7b31144cf5 But most of the locals will be past caring any more.

 

Is the aim to top 'n tail trains at the north and south ends of the line, or is the plan for the train to be propelled bach to Blaenavon High Level?

 

South of Blaenavon High Level will more than likely only be used on certain special events top and tail. There is still work to be done before it can be used fencing, ballast etc. So will be completed when time and money is available to do this. It is hoped that we will use it in some way on our steam gala later this year, this year's theme is Steam in the South Wales Valleys.

 

Our short extension South of Blaenavon has been completed over the summer, it will be in use for the first time for selected trains over the weekend of our Steam gala September 11, 12 & 13 2015.

 

I had the pleasure to visit last week and liked what I saw even though it is very much a rough diamond. The only thing that made more noise that Mech Navvies was my old transit climbing over the mountain to get there (dam sat nav.....) . There as even a Classic Car show on, into which I found myself entered... free tea and sandwiches and a train ticket thrown in...I'll come again next year a different weekend and pay....

 

I popped up mid week very impressive work on the extension, looks like it needs a top tamp?

What's the plan for going further south, it appeared the cycle path moves onto the track bed ?

Also any progress on going North?

Is it next weekend the transport gala with the Western locos?

Cheers

Great Western

 

To go further South towards Abersycan, the cycle track will need to be moved to one side, there is enough room to accommodate cycle track and railway.

There is no progress at the moment on going North, the issues with land ownership might see us trying to head further South next.

The Steam gala is 11 - 13 September with 6435 and 5637 visiting.

Alex G.

 

Cheers Alex,

Are there plans to work the mainliners with freight stock etc? I did see a photo charter advertised but I couldn't afford the fee....anything 'free' as in normal fares etc.

I only went to the head of steel South, are there any obstacles a part from moving the cycle way over ? Id assume the railway would want a station in a centre of population ?

It looks life from the end of the extension right up to Whistle Inn its climbing all the way!

Regards

 

There are a couple of goods trains on the Saturday and Sunday see http://www.pontypool-and-blaenavon.co.uk/pages/visitorinfo/event.aspx?id=15 for timetable with loco roster, fare information for the gala is also available.

I don't think there are any obstacles except the cycle path in the way to at least as far as Talywain, the next station from Blaenavon High Level going South would be Varteg.

Yes the line does clime all the way, ruling gradient of 1 in 37!

Alex G.