Brecon and Merthyr Railway

Brecon was an important regional centre in mediaeval times, due to its location at the confluence of the River Honddu and the River Usk. Its relatively remote location meant that transport was always an important consideration.

The difficult terrain southwards would require crossing the ridge of the Brecon Beacons into the high ground at the head of the South Wales Valleys, and the first turnpike connected eastward to Abergavenny and south-westward to Swansea.

The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal, later part of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, was opened to Brecon in 1800 continuing the alignment to the east.

In 1816 the Hay Railway was opened; this was a horse-drawn plateway 24 miles long, connecting Brecon to Hay, and later Eardisley.

Industry south of the Brecon Beacons was linked in to the canal when the Brinore Tramway (or Bryn Oer Tramway) opened in 1815. It connected the industrial site of Brinore, near Trevil, north of Tredegar, to Talybont-on-Usk, on the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal.

Extending the network

While construction was in progress, the B&MTJR was busy getting Parliament to approve its plans for extension. In the 1861 session it obtained authority in the Brecon and Merthyr Railway Extensions Act 1861 (24 & 25 Vict. c. ccxxxv) to build down the Bargoed Rhymney valley, but the Rhymney Railway was given similar powers in the Rhymney Railway (Capital and Branch) Act 1861 (24 & 25 Vict. c. cxliv) and they were mutually exclusive. Eventually the powers were divided, the Rhymney Railway building up to Deri Junction, and the B&MTJR building down to that point from the north.

The B&MTJR got powers in the Brecon and Merthyr Railway Act 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. c. clxxxiv) to abandon the Dowlais Railway connection that had become superfluous, and to connect directly to the Taff Vale Railway at Merthyr.

Location list, Brecon to Dowlais

Brecon Mount Street (N&B station); opened 3 June 1867; closed 1872;

Brecon Free Street; opened 1 March 1871; closed 31 December 1962;

1878 accident

The B&MTJR was subject to a number of accidents; the extreme gradients were often a cause. On 2 December 1878 a particularly tragic accident took place. A goods and mineral train was descending the seven-mile bank, and inadequate wagon brakes had been applied. The train got out of control, and derailed near Talybont, running down the embankment slope. The train consisted of 22 wagons of coal, three of goods, 11 empties, and a brake van; it was worked by three 0-6-0 saddle tank engines; the aggregate weight of the train was 397 tons. Two drivers and two firemen were killed.