Steam in South Wales: Volume 4, Monmouthshire – Retro Review

The old county of Monmouthshire had a long association with steam traction going back to at least 1829. By the 1960s, however, steam was on its way out and the system itself was being severely cut back.

Steam in South Wales Volume 4: Monmouthshire presents images of the county’s railways during the era when private companies had been replaced by the nationalised British Railways. It was written by Michael Hale and published in 1984 by Oxford Publishing Company as part of their Steam in South Wales series. Although out of print for some time, second hand copies are readily available at reasonable prices.

Monmouthshire in the 1960s…but many images are without locomotives!

Much of the focus of the early chapters of the book is on the lines running into Newport and Pontypool, particularly the busy Pontypool Road junction.  Most of the county is covered from Machen and the Monmouthshire part of Rhymney in the west to Severn Tunnel Junction and the Wye Valley line in the east.

While there are a few images from the 1950s, the majority show scenes from the early to mid 1960s. I will caution at this point that the title is a little misleading. At least half of the collection of black and white photographs contain no locomotives at all, steam or otherwise! Nevertheless, those which do appear are shown both on shed or off shed working in a variety of environments.

Images will interest local historians as well as railway fans

The presented locations are widely varied in character. Aside from the expected main-line and branch stations we see marshalling yards, engine sheds and junctions. Infrastructure such as signal boxes and bridges also has a prominent place. The photographs are accompanied by captions providing details of interest to railway enthusiasts as well as local historians.

Although by this time the railways in Monmouthshire were part of the BR Western Region, former Great Western lines and locomotives predominate. Nevertheless the ex-LNWR/LMS routes are not forgotten in the form of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny railway and associated branches. Even here, however, ex-GWR locos are illustrated with just the odd appearance of an LMS G2a or Stanier 2-6-2T.

While the book contains no unique or especially remarkable features it does provide a window on the long departed South Wales scene in terms of late steam era vehicles and infrastructure. This is against a background where route cutbacks and closure means that little is now left.

In Summary

A largely unremarkable photograph album of railways in the 1960s during the twilight years of steam traction in Monmouthshire. But good if you just want an overview of the era or to relax with a cup of tea and an inexpensive book of entertaining images.

Outline Contents

• Pontypool Road
• To Newport
• To Blaenavon
• The Main Line
• Severn Tunnel Junction
• The Wye Valley Railway
• Monmouth
• Abergavenny
• Heads of the Valleys
• The Sirhowy Valley
• Western Valleys
• Brecon and Merthyr
• To Rhymney (B&M)
• Taff Vale Extension

Related reviews

Abergavenny to Merthyr (Including the Ebbw Vale Branch) by David Edge
Lost Lines of Wales: Monmouthshire Western Valley by Geoffrey Lloyd
Railwaymen of the Welsh Valleys: 1914-1967, Volume 1 by Phillip W.L. Williams
Railwaymen of the Welsh Valleys 1914-1967: Volume 2 by Phillip W.L. Williams
South Wales Branch Lines by H. Morgan