Authors: John Hodge and Ray Caston
Publisher: Pen and Sword Books
ISBN: 9781399041089
Price: RRP £28.00 (but available at a lower price)
Publication Date: 7th July 2023
Number of pages: 184
Format: Hardcover
How Obtained: Purchased
Running north from Pontsticill the Brecon and Merthyr Railway left the industrial valleys of South Wales and entered the picturesque and sometimes dramatic scenery of the Brecon Beacons. If anything this section of the route was even more challenging for footplate crews than the journey up from Newport!
Documenting this part of the line is Railways and Industry on the Brecon and Merthyr: Merthyr to Pontsticill Junction to Brecon. It is the final part of the Brecon and Mrthyr trilogy from John Hodge and Ray Caxton. Published by Pen and Sword Books in July 2023 this volume is part of the South Wales Valleys series.
In a similar manner to the second book which largely dealt with the route between Bargoed and Pontsticill and down to Dowlais Central, this volume contains little content other than location analyses about sites on or served by the B&M. A brief single page introduction provides an overview of the topography between Merthyr and Brecon, emphasising the challenge of the gradients. The authors give an indication of the evolution of passenger and freight services from Brecon and Merthyr ownership through absorption by the Great Western in 1922 to closure under British Railways stewardship.
Merthyr to Brecon….better to travel than to arrive!
Due to the picturesque and spectacular scenery of this section of the line it was sometimes said that it was better to travel on the Brecon and Merthyr than to arrive. This was just as well since journey times could be described as ‘pedestrian’. Despite the advances in locomotive technology there was little improvement in overall speeds from the late nineteenth century until closure in the 1960s.
Predictably, compared with the previous two volumes in the series, there is relatively little coverage of industrial activity. As you may expect, most of this is concentrated on the first sections of the book as the line leaves Merthyr and passed close to the mighty Cyfarthfa and lesser known Ynysfach Ironworks. But even these were in decline by the late nineteenth century and intermittent production at Cyfarthfa final ended in 1919.
Superb photographs; but you’ll need another book for the full background
The authors again present a superb array of photographs and some especially interesting ones from the Locomotive Club of Great Britain/National Railway Museum collection. These date to the early 1920s and feature Brecon and Merthyr saddle tank and tender engines. The downside is that these locomotives are actually detailed in Volume 1 (see our review here) of the series where there is full coverage of the motive power deployed.
Likewise, the reader will need to buy the first volume for an overall history of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway from the beginning in 1858 to the 1923 grouping and closure in 1962. Nevertheless with maps and diagrams accompanying the photographs featuring the railway the present book is capable of providing a stand-alone portrait.
In Summary
This book maintains the quality and standards of the previous two books to present a fascinating portrait of the Brecon and Merthyr. The book shows industrial dust and grime giving way to stunning scenery which, if anything, asked more serious questions of drivers and firemen.
The Good
- An excellent array of photographs from a number of image collections
- Every featured site is well illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams.
- A high quality feel to the book with hardback covers
The Not So Good
- Background historical and locomotive information is contained in Volume 1 entailing extra expense
- Like the other books there are some unexplained acronyms such as ThSO – Thursday Saturday Only! This may be confusing for the casual reader
- It lacks a subject index
Outline Contents
- Introduction
- Services To & From Brecon
- Location Analyses:
Merthyr High Street
Rhydycar Junction
Cyfarthfa Iron Works
Ynysfach Ironworks
Heolgerrig Halt
Llwyncelyn Junction
Cefn Coed
Vaynor Siding
Pontsarn
Morlais Junction
Pontsticill Junction
Dolygaer
Torpantau
Pentir Rhiw
Talybont-On-Usk
Talyllyn East Junction
Talyllyn Junction
Groesffordd Halt
Brecon Yard and Shed
Brecon Station (Free Street)
Brecon Mountain Railway
About the Authors – John Hodge and Ray Caston
John Hodge is a former railway manager in South Wales during the 1960s, who since retirement in 1992 has produced many articles and books on South Wales railways.
Ray Caston is a former chemist, working for Monsanto’s at Newport. He has lifelong association with the B&M where his father and grandfather were both employed. He has lived all his life at Bassaleg where he is a local councillor. Since 1970 he has maintained a continuous interest in the operation and history of the B&M line, Bassaleg being its southern terminus. He has a wide knowledge of the South Wales railway scene and is a valued member of local railway societies.
(From Pen and Sword Books)
Related reviews
Railways and Industry on the Brecon and Merthyr: Bassaleg to Bargoed by John Hodge and Ray Caston
Railways and Industry on the Brecon and Merthyr: Bargoed to Pontsticill Bargoed to Pontsticill: by John Hodge and Ray Caston