Taff Vale Railway Volume 1, The by John Hutton Soft Cover

Description: RailroadTreasures offers the following item: Taff Vale Railway Volume 1, The by John Hutton Soft Cover The Taff Vale Railway Volume 1 by John Hutton The main line from Cardiff to Merthyr, and Bute West and East Docks, Cardiff Soft cover Copyright John Hutton 2006 128 pages CONTENTS Foreword7 Introduction9 1.The main line, Cardiff to Merthyr11Cardiff Dock/Bute Road11Crockherbtown/Queen Street17 Cathays24 Maindy to Radyr32Taffs Well42 Treforest47 Pontypridd51 Abercynon65 Quakers Yard75 Merthyr80 2.Bute West and East Docks, Cardiff91 3.Railway staff99 4. Bridges117 5.Signal boxes120 Ordnance Survey References126 Acknowledgements127 Index128 Following his pictorial survey of the Rhymney Railway, also published by Silver Link, railway historian John Hutton turns his attention to another of South Wales's major coal-carrying railways, the Taff Vale. The main line of this remarkable railway ran for some 30 miles from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff Docks, and it is the history of this route, from its TVR origins through to more recent times, that forms the main part of this volume. Also included is a chapter on the Bute East and Bute West Docks in Cardiff, together with sections on TVR railway staff, notable bridges along the line, and the variety of signal boxes that were once to be seen. While the coal mines and the smoke and grime of industry have gone, the old TVR line still carries trains to Merthyr, and the more than 250 photographs, maps and items of ephemera in this volume paint a vivid picture of the valleys' rich railway heritage. The second volume explores the Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Roath and Aberdare branches, as well as illustrating TVR locomotives, railmotors, accidents and war damage, while the third volume covers many more of the company's branch lines. Foreword by Alun Powell, retired railwayman It gives me great pleasure to write the Foreword for this, the first book in a trilogy that complements John Hutton's Taff Vale Miscellany, published in 1988. Since that time Mr. Hutton has gained many additional photographs and much additional information regarding the history of the Taff Vale Railway, so much so that not one but three volumes are needed to cover the whole TVR area in a broader aspect than hitherto. This first volume deals entirely with the main line, Cardiff to Merthyr, the West and East Bute Docks, staff, bridges and signal boxes. In the early part of 1835, Arthur Hill, owner of the Plymouth Iron Works, Merthyr, asked his friend Isambard Kingdom Brunel to estimate the cost constructing a railway from Merthyr to Cardiff, and the figure was ,649. A meeting was held at the Castle Hotel, Merthyr, where it was decided to promote a company for that purpose, and, despite opposition from the Glamorgan Canal Company, the Taff Vale Railway Company's Act received Royal Assent on 21 June 1836, so incorporating the first public railway of any commercial importance in the principality. The Act protected the Glamorgan Canal from being interfered with by the construction of the railway. The main line followed the river valley for most of the way, except between Navigation House and Quakers Yard, that section being a very steep incline at 1 in 19 and 1 in 20, which forced Brunel to use stationary winding engines; this arrangement continued until 1864, when an easier route was constructed alongside, with an incline of 1 in 40. In laying the main line, Brunel decided on 4ft 8'Ain rather than his usual 7ft 'broad gauge', and the first section of 16 miles from Cardiff to Abercynon (then called Navigation House) opened to traffic in 1840. In 1841 the line was extended to Merthyr, the original stations being Cardiff Docks (later Bute Road), Llandaff, Pentyrch (later Radyr, further south), Taffs Well (first site), Newbridge (later renamed Pontypridd), Navigation House (later Abercynon), TroedyRhiw, and Merthyr. The TVR station at Merthyr was situated on the south side of the town, between the River Taff and the Cardiff Road (the suffix Plymouth Street was added when the Vale of Neath Railway opened its Merthyr High Street Station on 2 November 1853). The Cardiff terminus was near the Ship Canal that the Marquess of Bute proposed to construct in the Parish of St Mary, and the original passenger service consisted of two trains each way daily (including Sundays). The company's first coat of arms consisted of the Prince of Wales feathers and the motto `Ich Dien', circled with the words 'Taff Vale Railway Company'; this was later replaced with the motto `Cymru A Fu A Chymru A Fydd', which translates into 'Wales Hath Been and Wales Shall Be'. At Cardiff, arrangements were made with the Marquess of Bute to use a dock - he had obtained powers to build one in 1830, but they were not exercised until the railway was built. This was the `Ship Canal' in the Parish of St Mary, afterwards called the Bute West Dock. Lord Bute welcomed the traffic the TVR would bring, but the railway also put forward a scheme for a Cogan Pill branch, much to the chagrin of Lord Bute, which would lead to competition with his own dock. Negotiations resulted in the TVR abandoning the Cogan Pill line, in return for a long expensive lease of part of the Bute West Dock, where the TVR erected shipping devices, coal staithes and rail access to them. In photographs and words these books show a way of life at which the older generation will nod approvingly, as they recall scenes associated with their youth - mine included - while younger people and historians will be absorbed by these accounts. Some scenes have changed a great deal due to industrial and housing developments, while nature has taken back what once was hers, changing it beyond recognition. The modern enthusiast and railway historian owes a great debt to the photographers of years gone by, who recorded the magic of a system that changed the world. All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us. 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Price: 55 USD

Location: Talbott, Tennessee

End Time: 2024-11-09T22:25:07.000Z

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