List of tramroads in South Wales facts for kids
Imagine a time before cars and big trains! In South Wales, during the Industrial Revolution (a time of big changes in how things were made), many special tracks called tramroads were built. These tracks were mostly used between 1790 and 1830. They helped move heavy things like iron and coal from mines and factories.
The very first tramroads had wagons with special wheels that ran on flat rails. But after 1800, many new tramroads followed ideas from a person named Benjamin Outram. His design used wagons with flat wheels that ran on L-shaped tracks. These tracks were fixed to strong stone blocks. Many older lines were even rebuilt this way! The width between the tracks (called the Track gauge) wasn't the same everywhere, but most were between about 3 feet 4 inches and 4 feet 4 inches wide.
Overall, these early railways in South Wales stretched for about 400 miles! But between the 1840s and 1860s, most of the main lines were replaced by bigger, standard-gauge steam railways, which were much more powerful.
The tramroads in South Wales can be grouped into different areas:
Contents
Tramroads of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Network
The canals that met at Newport Docks were originally two separate waterways. One was the Monmouthshire Canal, running between Newport and Pontymoile Basin. It also had a branch called the Crumlin Arm. The other was the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal, which went from Pontymoile to Brecon. Many tramroads, some built by the canal companies themselves, connected to these canals. Some even formed routes that didn't directly link to the canals.
| Name of Line | Opened | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberbeeg Tramroad | 1828 | Nantyglo and Coalbrookvale Ironworks to Aberbeeg (joined the Beaufort Tramroad) | Later rebuilt as a standard-gauge railway by the GWR |
| Abersychan Limestone Railway | 1827 | Cwm Lasgarn quarry to the British Ironworks, Abersychan (via the Blaenavon Railroad) | |
| Bailey's Tramroad | 1821 | Nantyglo Ironworks to Govilon canal wharf; later went to Beaufort Ironworks | |
| Beaufort Tramroad | 1795 | Beaufort Ironworks through Brynmawr to Gilwern canal basin, and through Ebbw Vale to Aberbeeg and Crumlin | Became part of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway and the Ebbw Valley Railway |
| Benjamin Hall's Tramroad | 1814 | Hafod Trislog, Waterloo and Cefn Coch collieries to Abercarn and North Risca (joined the Sirhowy Tramroad) | |
| Blaenavon Railroad | 1796 | Blaenavon Ironworks to Pontnewynydd canal end | Changed into a railway by the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company |
| Brinore Tramroad | 1815 | Rhymney Ironworks, Bryn-oer colliery, Trefil quarries to Talybont-on-Usk canal wharf | |
| Caerleon Tramroad | c.1794 | Cwmbran forges to Ponthir tinplate works and Caerleon quay | Parts of the line were reused by the GWR |
| Clydach Railroad | 1794 | Waun-dew colliery, Beaufort to Clydach Ironworks, Gilwern canal wharf and Glangrwney Forge | |
| Crumlin Tramroad | 1826 | Crumlin canal basin (connected to Beaufort Tramroad) to Risca (joined the Sirhowy Tramroad) | |
| Cwm Cuffin Tramroad | c.1810 | Blaencuffin Colliery to Crumlin (joined the Beaufort Tramroad) | |
| Cwm Ffrwd Rail Road | c.1819 | Varteg Hill collieries and furnaces to Blaenavon Tramroad at Abersychan | |
| Darren Disgwylfa tram road | 1818 | Darren Disgwylfa limestone quarries to Nantyglo Ironworks | |
| Grosmont Railway | 1819 | Llanvihangel Crucorney via Grosmont to Monmouth Cap (continued as Hereford Railway to Hereford) | Became part of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway |
| Harford's Tramroad | 1835 | Sirhowy Iron Works through a tunnel to Ebbw Vale furnaces and rolling mills | |
| Hay Railway | 1816 | Watton wharf, Brecon to Hay-on-Wye & Eardisley (connected to Kington Tramway) | Line later used by the Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway |
| Hill's Tramroad | 1818 | Blaenavon Ironworks to Garnddyrys forge and Llanfoist canal wharf; a branch went to Tyla Quarries | |
| Kington Tramway | 1820 | Burlingjobb limestone quarries to Kington and Eardisley (connected to Hay Railway) | Line later used by the Kington and Eardisley Railway |
| Llam-march Tramroad | 1795 | Llam-march Coal & Mine Works to Clydach Ironworks and Gilwern canal wharf | |
| Llanarth Tramroad | 1824 | Rock Colliery, Blackwood to Ynysddu (connected to Penllwyn Tramroad) | |
| Llanvihangel Railway | 1814 | Govilon wharf through Abergavenny to Llanvihangel Crucorney (connected to Grosmont Railway) | Became part of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway |
| Llangattock Tramroad | c.1816 | Darren Quarries to Llangattock Wharf; later extended to Nantyglo | |
| Penllwyn Tramroad | 1824 | Ynysddu (connected to Llanarth Tramroad) to Nine Mile Point (joined the Sirhowy Tramroad) | |
| Pontypool Tramroad | 1829 | Pontnewynydd (connected to Blaenavon Railroad) to Pontypool (joined the Trosnant Tramroad) | |
| Porthmawr Tramroad | by 1800 | Porthmawr Colliery to the canal and connected to the Caerleon Tramroad at Cwmbran | |
| Rassa Railroad | 1794 | Sirhowy Ironworks to Beaufort Ironworks | |
| Rumney Railway | 1826 | Rhymney Ironworks to Bassaleg (joined the Monmouthshire Canal Co. Tramroad) | Changed into a railway by the Brecon and Merthyr Railway |
| Sirhowy Tramroad | 1806 | Sirhowy Ironworks and Tredegar Ironworks to Nine Mile Point (joined the Monmouthshire Canal Co. Tramroad) | Became part of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway |
| Trevil Rail Road | 1797 | Trefil limestone quarries to Ebbw Vale (via junctions with Rassa Railroad) | |
| Trosnant Tramroad | 1796 | Trosnant Furnace and Blaendare ironworks to Pontymoile canal wharf | |
| Watton Plateway | 1816 | Watton Wharf to Bold's Wharf, Brecon |
Tramroads of the Taff Vale Area
This area includes the tramroads linked to the Glamorganshire Canal and Aberdare Canal. These canals eventually led to Cardiff Docks, a very important port.
| Name of Line | Opened | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor's Tramroad | 1809 | Dinas colliery to Treforest and the start of the Doctor's Canal at Glyntaff | |
| Dowlais Railroad | 1791 | Dowlais Ironworks to Merthyr canal basin, plus several smaller lines | |
| Gurnos Tramroad | 1792 | Gurnos Quarry to Cyfarthfa Ironworks and Merthyr canal wharf | |
| Hirwaun-Abernant Tramroad (also known as Tappenden's Tramroad) | 1805 | Hirwaun ponds (connected to Cefn Rhigos tramroad) to Abernant Ironworks | Closed in 1900 |
| Llanfabon Tramroad | 1810 | Gelligaer & Llancaiach Collieries to Abercynon canal basin | |
| Llwydcoed Tramroad | 1811 | Aberdare Canal end to Llwydcoed (joined the Hirwaun-Abernant Tramoad) | Closed in 1900 |
| Maes-Mawr tramroad | Maes-Mawr collieries to Glamorganshire Canal wharf, Upper Boat | ||
| Merthyr Tramroad (Penydarren Tramroad) | 1802 | Morlais quarries to Merthyr ironworks & Abercynon canal basin | Replaced by the Taff Vale Railway |
| Penderyn Tramroad (also known as Mr Glover's Tramroad) | 1794 | Penderyn limestone quarries to Hirwaun ironworks and Bryngwyn collieries | |
| Pentyrch tramroad | 1815 | Pentyrch Iron Works to Melingriffith Tin Plate Works | Changed into a light steam railway in 1871 |
| Sir William Smith's Tramroad (Llanfabon Tramroad) | 1810 | Nelson to Abercynon canal basin |
Tramroads of the Vale of Neath
This area was served by the Neath and Tennant Canal. This canal led to Neath and Port Tennant, which were important for the Swansea docks.
| Name of Line | Opened | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cefn Rhigos tramroad | 1805 | Hirwaun Ponds (connected to Hirwaun-Abernant Tramroad) to the Neath Canal, Glynneath | |
| Crown Copper Works tramway | 1809 | Dyffryn Clydach Colliery to Crown Copper Works, Skewen | |
| Dr Bevan's Railway (Dinas Tramroad) | 1807 | Dinas Limestone Quarry to Pont Walby (joined the Cefn Rhigos tramroad); a branch went to Glyn Neath Gunpowder Works | |
| Glyncorrwg Mineral Railway | 1840 | Blaen Cregan collieries to the Neath Canal basin at Aberdulais | |
| Melyn Works tramroad | c.1698 | Gnoll Colliery to Melyncrythan Pill and copper works | |
| Resolven tramroads | 1837 | Cwm-Clydach Colliery & Tyrau Colliery to canal at Resolven |
Tramroads of the Swansea Canal Area
This canal went up the Tawe valley, north-east from Swansea.
| Name of Line | Opened | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alltwen tramroad | Alltwen collieries to Pontardawe canal arm | ||
| Brecon Forest Tramroad | c.1821 | Sennybridge to Penwyllt quarries; extended to Onllwyn Ironworks and Ynysgedwyn Ironworks | |
| Clyne tramroads | Cwm Blaen Pelenna, Upper Twrch Brook & Lower Twrch Brook to Neath Canal near Clyne | ||
| Cribarth Tramroad | 1794 | Cribarth quarries to Swansea Canal at Hen Neuadd | |
| Llansamlet Old Waggonway | 1743 | Along the east side of River Tawe, Llansamlet | Replaced by Llansamlet Canal |
| Palleg Railway or Tramroad | 1797 | Cwm Twrch to Swansea Canal at Ynysgedwyn | |
| Scott's Railway | 1819 | Scott's Colliery, Llansamlet to Foxhole wharf on the River Tawe |
Tramroads West of Swansea
This area had several tramroads that were mostly separate. Some of them connected to the Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal.
| Name of Line | Opened | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmarthenshire Railway | 1803 | Gorslas to Llanelli basin | Rebuilt as the Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway |
| Carway tramroad | c.1770 | Carway coal pits to Kymer's Canal at Pwll y Llygod (connected to Kidwelly Quay) | |
| Llanelly Railway | 1833 | St David's Colliery and Gelli Gille Farm to Machynis Pool | Changed into the GWR Dafen Branch |
| Nant Mwrwg tramway | 1833 | St David's Colliery to Llangennech tin plate works | |
| New Lodge tramroad | New Lodge Colliery to Burry Port; a branch went to Cwm Capel | ||
| Oystermouth Railway (Swansea and Mumbles Railway) | 1806 | Mumbles limestone quarries & Clyne Valley collieries to Swansea | |
| Penclawdd Canal tramroads | c.1814 | Waunarlwydd coal mines and Llewitha Bridge to Penclawdd Canal basin at Ystrad Isaf | |
| Pencoed tramway | Pencoed Colliery and Genwen Quarry to Machynis | ||
| Pwll tramroad | 1826 | New Lodge Colliery (connected to New Lodge tramroad) to Pwll Colliery and Llanelly Dock | |
| Stanley Pit Tramway | 1819 | New Pit, Pembrey to Pembrey Harbour and Pembrey Canal | |
| Trimsaran tramroad | c.1815 | Trimsaran Colliery to Kidwelly and Llanelli Canal arm at Moat Farm |
Tramroads in Outlying Areas
Here are some other tramroads found in different parts of South Wales that weren't directly connected to the main networks.
| Name of Line | Opened | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blorenge Quarries Tramroad | c.1795 | Blorenge quarries to Blaenavon Ironworks | Stopped being used in 1804, and the tracks were removed by 1813. |
| Bridgend Railway | 1830 | Bridgend to Aberkenfig (joined the Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway) | Taken over by Llynvi Valley Railway |
| Bryn Tramway | c.1819 | Morfa Newydd to Cwmavon Tinplate Works and Bryn-gyrnos Colliery | |
| Cwmavon Tramway | c.1824 | Pontrhydyfen blast furnace to Cwmavon Works and Aberavon docks | Line later used by the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway |
| Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway | 1828 | Dyffryn to Porthcawl | Changed into the Llynvi Valley Railway |
| Monmouth Railway | 1812 | May Hill, Monmouth to Coleford, Gloucestershire. Rebuilt as the Coleford Railway | |
| Saundersfoot Railway | 1829 | Thomas Chapel collieries & Stepaside Ironworks to Saundersfoot Harbour | |
| Taibach waggonway | c.1758 | Mynydd Bychan coal mines to Taibach ironworks | |
| Tondu Brickworks tramroad | Llantwit Colliery to Tondu Brickworks |
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List of tramroads in South Wales Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.