Griffithstown Railway Museum facts for kids

The goods shed building where the museum was located.

A large machine called a forging hammer, which was displayed outside the museum.

The Griffithstown Railway Museum was a special place in Griffithstown, Torfaen, South Wales. It was a museum filled with items related to railways. The museum was set up inside an old building. This building used to be a goods shed for the Great Western Railway company. It was built way back in 1879. The museum was also very close to the old Panteg and Griffithstown railway station.

Discovering the Griffithstown Railway Museum

The museum was created and run by a local person named Martin Fay. He loved collecting things about railways. These items are often called "railwayana." Martin bought the old goods shed building. It was in very bad shape at the time. After a lot of hard work to fix it up, he opened the museum in 2002.

Why the Museum Closed

Sadly, the museum had to close its doors in January 2011. This happened because of money problems. It became too expensive to keep the museum running. After it closed, the building was changed into a preschool. So, it's still a place for learning, but for much younger children now!

About Griffithstown Village

The village of Griffithstown itself has an interesting history. It was named after Henry Griffiths. He was the very first stationmaster at Pontypool Road Station. Griffithstown is also famous for being the birthplace of ASLEF in 1880. ASLEF is a group that represents railway workers like locomotive engineers and firemen.

Improving the Area Around the Museum

The area around the museum got some special help. About £35,000 was given by a local property developer. The Welsh Assembly Government also helped. They are the government for Wales. This money was used to make the area look nicer. It also helped create better places for visitors to park their cars.

The Forging Hammer Display

Outside the museum, there was a large machine on display. A sign on it said it was a 'Steam Hammer'. But it was actually a different kind of machine. It was a MASSEY 7cwt pneumatic forging hammer. This type of machine uses air pressure, not steam, to work. It was used for shaping metal.