Newport Docks
Encyclopedia
Newport Docks is the collective name for a series of docks
in the city of Newport
, South Wales
.
, opened around 1800, was used to bring down coal
from the coal mining
operations and iron
from ironworks
in the South Wales valleys
for shipment abroad and around the UK, and soon Newport's docks were doing more business than almost any other port in the United Kingdom. .
system in South East Wales had led to the need to improve the port's berthing facilities. Particularly for large American export vessels which risked damage when beached at the wharves for unloading. If the town was to continue to prosper and compete with the growing port of Cardiff
a dock needed to be constructed.
At a public meeting held at the King's Head Inn in March 1835 the plans of the floating dock were agreed. A committee, made up of some of the leading gentlemen of Newport, was appointed to examine the provisions of the Bill that was to be put before Parliament.
The Newport Dock Act was given Royal Assent
in July 1835 allowing the Newport Dock Company to begin construction work. The estimated cost of the dock was to be £35,000 which was raised by selling 350 shares of £100 each. The first sod was cut by John Owen, Mayor of Newport
, on 1 December 1835 to the sound of the bells of St Woolos
, the firing of guns and the celebrations of the Navvies, who had been supplied with several barrels of Castle Brewery beer for the occasion.
However, the construction of the dock did not run smoothly. A number of contractors had to be used at various stages and as early as 1836 there were labour disputes. Consequently, even by the end of 1837 little work had been completed. In 1838 another £15,000 needed to be raised but progress continued to be slow. This was against a background of the burgeoning labour movement
, Chartism
- with many Chartists active in Newport - and the Newport Rising
of 1839. More funds needed to be raised in October 1840 and by then the estimated cost of the project had risen to £120,000. Work was halted in December 1840 following the failure of another contractor and was to halt again in 1841. After more funds were raised work resumed for a fifth time in April, but by then the total estimate had grown to £131,000. Financial problems and industrial unrest continued to plague the construction to the very end. In September 1842 a further £10,000 had to be borrowed and workers walked out to demand higher wages, an event which led to a body of well armed police being sent to quell the disturbance.
The official opening of the Dock on 10 October 1842 was marked by a programme of festivities that attracted tens of thousands of visitors to the town. In the morning a mile long procession proceeded along High Street through Commercial Street and Commercial Road towards the Dock. The procession contained elements of the major clubs and societies of Newport in this period such as the Freemasons, the Oddfellows
, The Hibernian Society and the Teetotallers. Near the head of the procession the Mayor and Aldermen travelled in open carriages whilst at the rear marched a large number of the inhabitants of the town, amongst whom many of the gentlemen wore white rosettes.
At 10 o'clock the lock gates were opened, as the Monmouthshire Merlin reported, to the sound of “the shouts and cheers of the spectators, the thunder of cannons, firing of musketry and pealing of bells.” The first vessel to enter the dock was the Henry.
Following the official opening the programme of events continued throughout the day. Highlights included a dinner for 300 gentlemen of the area at the National School, boat races on the dock reservoir and a firework display at Rodney Wharf. In the evening a ball was held for the gentry at the King's Head Hotel. The Clubs and Societies also held their own balls and dinners at Inns throughout Newport, a Tradesman's Ball at the Steam Packet Inn was reported to have “kept up with much spirit until morning”. The Monmouthshire Merlin newspaper does not report on how the town's population felt the next day!
However, shortly after its opening it was apparent the existing dock was not sufficient to deal with the increasing trade. In July 1854 a second act was passed giving the Newport Dock Company permission to extend the dock to the north. Work commenced in June 1856 and was completed in less than two years. The official opening on 2 March 1858 was declared a public holiday and was greeted with similar celebrations to when the dock was opened in 1842.
The dock expansion was not initially the success that the Newport Dock company hoped for and the company faced severe criticism, especially after they increased their charges. It was now obvious that the Town Dock alone was no longer sufficient to meet the volume of trade passing through Newport. In 1865 an act was passed to allow the construction of a second dock and in 1868 work began on the Alexandra Dock, which opened in 1875.
Unsurprisingly, the opening of the rival dock had a detrimental effect on the trade of the Town Dock, although it was the accident involving the Constancia and the Primus which ultimately led to the demise of the Newport Dock Company.
On 10 January 1882 the two vessels attempted to pass through the lock at the same time but the Primus became stuck on the sill of the outer gates and the ships collided. The Monmouthshire Merlin describes how the situation became critical as the tide began to recede because "the bottom of the lock being concave in form, as the water ebbed the steamers heeled over one on the other, the Primus carrying away her masts, breaking in two amidships and, of course, subsiding to the bottom, whither she was followed by her companion in misfortune." The lock was completely blocked and the vessels already in the dock trapped for nearly two weeks. The accident incurred substantial expense for the Newport Dock Company and further eroded customer confidence in the company.
A year later the Newport Dock Company was sold to the Alexandra Dock Company for £150,000. From this moment the Town Dock was used for dealing with the smaller vessels whilst larger cargoes were concentrated at the Alexandra Dock. By 1900 the Town Dock was used primarily for the general import trade, particularly in timber. However, its relatively small size and position further up the river estuary than the Alexandra Dock made the Town Dock particularly vulnerable. Unable to survive the downturn in trade in the 1920’s the Town Dock was finally closed in October 1930.
But the need for transportation capacity to the colleries in the upper Aberdare
and Rhondda
valleys was escalating, as the number of shafts sunk and coal produced quickly escalated.
During 1877 at a board meeting of the Alexandra (Newport) Docks and Railway Company (ANDR), Lord Tredegar and Sir George Elliot
of Powell Duffryn
collieries agreed that the only way to secure the future income of the Alexandra docks was the provision of a direct railway route. The MP David Davies
offered financial assistance, but withdrew his offer at a later date as he became involved with the Barry Docks and Railway Company
.
on 8 August 1878, the line was engineered by Sir James W. Szlumper
, and double tracked from Pontypridd
to Rhymney
, where it joined the metals of the Rhymney Railway
at Penrhos junction
to access Caerphilly station
.
Local passenger trains terminated at Caerphilly, but through passenger and freight services continued over the Brecon and Merthyr Railway's Caerphilly branch to Bassaleg
, where at West Mendelgief junction the PC&NR trains joined the metals of the Alexandra Docks railway; through passenger services terminated at Newport railway station
for connection to either the Great Western Railway
or the London and North Western Railway
.
The single track from Caerphilly to Bassaleg
provided both too little capacity for the freight traffic, as well as a challenging 1:39 climb out of Caerphilly station for loaded trains. The Machen Loop Act of 1887 gave the PC&NR the right to double track the route, with a diverged route from Gwaun-y-Bara junction to Machen
providing a 1:200 slope for loaded trains. The new double track came into operation on 14 September 1891, and was immediately transferred to the Brecon and Merthyr Railway; which in return paid 50% of the annual net earnings from the Caerphilly branch to the PC&NR.
In 1883, PC&NR agreed a plan to use the Nixons Private Railway and Powell Duffryn Private Railway
to run up the valley from Abercynon
to Aberdare
.
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
in the city of Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
.
Background
Newport was a small fishing port and market town until the coming of the industrial age at the beginning of the 19th century. The Monmouthshire & Brecon CanalMonmouthshire & Brecon Canal
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is a small network of canals in South Wales. For most of its length it runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park, and its present rural character and tranquillity belies its original purpose as an industrial corridor for coal and iron, which were brought to...
, opened around 1800, was used to bring down coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from the coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
operations and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
from ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
in the South Wales valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
for shipment abroad and around the UK, and soon Newport's docks were doing more business than almost any other port in the United Kingdom. .
History
The Town Dock, which opened in 1842 and continued in use until it was filled in 1930, was the first floating dock facility in Newport. The construction of the dock played an important part in the town's growth in the mid-nineteenth century. A rapid expansion of trade caused by the development of the canalCanal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
system in South East Wales had led to the need to improve the port's berthing facilities. Particularly for large American export vessels which risked damage when beached at the wharves for unloading. If the town was to continue to prosper and compete with the growing port of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
a dock needed to be constructed.
At a public meeting held at the King's Head Inn in March 1835 the plans of the floating dock were agreed. A committee, made up of some of the leading gentlemen of Newport, was appointed to examine the provisions of the Bill that was to be put before Parliament.
The Newport Dock Act was given Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
in July 1835 allowing the Newport Dock Company to begin construction work. The estimated cost of the dock was to be £35,000 which was raised by selling 350 shares of £100 each. The first sod was cut by John Owen, Mayor of Newport
Mayor of Newport
The Mayor of Newport is the civic figurehead and first citizen of the city of Newport in the United Kingdom. The position is now largely ceremonial, but it still has high-profile rôle in maintaining and promoting the interests of the city and its people...
, on 1 December 1835 to the sound of the bells of St Woolos
Newport Cathedral
Newport Cathedral in the city of Newport in South Wales is the cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth, in the Church in Wales, and seat of the Bishop of Monmouth. The full title is Newport Cathedral, Woolos, King & Confessor...
, the firing of guns and the celebrations of the Navvies, who had been supplied with several barrels of Castle Brewery beer for the occasion.
However, the construction of the dock did not run smoothly. A number of contractors had to be used at various stages and as early as 1836 there were labour disputes. Consequently, even by the end of 1837 little work had been completed. In 1838 another £15,000 needed to be raised but progress continued to be slow. This was against a background of the burgeoning labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
, Chartism
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
- with many Chartists active in Newport - and the Newport Rising
Newport Rising
The Newport Rising was the last large-scale armed rebellion against authority in mainland Britain, when on 4 November 1839, somewhere between 1,000 and 5,000 Chartist sympathisers, including many coal-miners, most with home-made arms, led by John Frost, marched on the town of Newport,...
of 1839. More funds needed to be raised in October 1840 and by then the estimated cost of the project had risen to £120,000. Work was halted in December 1840 following the failure of another contractor and was to halt again in 1841. After more funds were raised work resumed for a fifth time in April, but by then the total estimate had grown to £131,000. Financial problems and industrial unrest continued to plague the construction to the very end. In September 1842 a further £10,000 had to be borrowed and workers walked out to demand higher wages, an event which led to a body of well armed police being sent to quell the disturbance.
The official opening of the Dock on 10 October 1842 was marked by a programme of festivities that attracted tens of thousands of visitors to the town. In the morning a mile long procession proceeded along High Street through Commercial Street and Commercial Road towards the Dock. The procession contained elements of the major clubs and societies of Newport in this period such as the Freemasons, the Oddfellows
Oddfellows
The name Oddfellows refers to a number of friendly societies and fraternal organisations operating in the United Kingdom. It also refers to a number of Lodges with histories dating back to the 18th century. These various organisations were set up to protect and care for their members and...
, The Hibernian Society and the Teetotallers. Near the head of the procession the Mayor and Aldermen travelled in open carriages whilst at the rear marched a large number of the inhabitants of the town, amongst whom many of the gentlemen wore white rosettes.
At 10 o'clock the lock gates were opened, as the Monmouthshire Merlin reported, to the sound of “the shouts and cheers of the spectators, the thunder of cannons, firing of musketry and pealing of bells.” The first vessel to enter the dock was the Henry.
Following the official opening the programme of events continued throughout the day. Highlights included a dinner for 300 gentlemen of the area at the National School, boat races on the dock reservoir and a firework display at Rodney Wharf. In the evening a ball was held for the gentry at the King's Head Hotel. The Clubs and Societies also held their own balls and dinners at Inns throughout Newport, a Tradesman's Ball at the Steam Packet Inn was reported to have “kept up with much spirit until morning”. The Monmouthshire Merlin newspaper does not report on how the town's population felt the next day!
However, shortly after its opening it was apparent the existing dock was not sufficient to deal with the increasing trade. In July 1854 a second act was passed giving the Newport Dock Company permission to extend the dock to the north. Work commenced in June 1856 and was completed in less than two years. The official opening on 2 March 1858 was declared a public holiday and was greeted with similar celebrations to when the dock was opened in 1842.
The dock expansion was not initially the success that the Newport Dock company hoped for and the company faced severe criticism, especially after they increased their charges. It was now obvious that the Town Dock alone was no longer sufficient to meet the volume of trade passing through Newport. In 1865 an act was passed to allow the construction of a second dock and in 1868 work began on the Alexandra Dock, which opened in 1875.
Unsurprisingly, the opening of the rival dock had a detrimental effect on the trade of the Town Dock, although it was the accident involving the Constancia and the Primus which ultimately led to the demise of the Newport Dock Company.
On 10 January 1882 the two vessels attempted to pass through the lock at the same time but the Primus became stuck on the sill of the outer gates and the ships collided. The Monmouthshire Merlin describes how the situation became critical as the tide began to recede because "the bottom of the lock being concave in form, as the water ebbed the steamers heeled over one on the other, the Primus carrying away her masts, breaking in two amidships and, of course, subsiding to the bottom, whither she was followed by her companion in misfortune." The lock was completely blocked and the vessels already in the dock trapped for nearly two weeks. The accident incurred substantial expense for the Newport Dock Company and further eroded customer confidence in the company.
A year later the Newport Dock Company was sold to the Alexandra Dock Company for £150,000. From this moment the Town Dock was used for dealing with the smaller vessels whilst larger cargoes were concentrated at the Alexandra Dock. By 1900 the Town Dock was used primarily for the general import trade, particularly in timber. However, its relatively small size and position further up the river estuary than the Alexandra Dock made the Town Dock particularly vulnerable. Unable to survive the downturn in trade in the 1920’s the Town Dock was finally closed in October 1930.
- The Newport Dock Bill received assent in 1835 to develop an inland port. The Newport Dock Company was the forerunner of the Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway Company. By 1864, the docks were becoming congested with the increase in water and inland traffic. In 1865, the first Lord Tredegar, Sir Charles Morgan Robinson Morgan, Baronet (1792-1873), formed the Alexander Dock Company. The North Dock and Lock was opened in 1875. Following an Act of Parliament of 1882, the two dock companies, the Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company and the Newport Dock Company, were amalgamated to become the Alexandra (Newport & South Wales) Docks and Railway Company (ANDR). The new company took over the Old Town Docks in 1884. The company decided to construct a railway line connecting the docks to PontypriddPontypriddPontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
. The Pontypridd, Caerphilly & Newport Railway Company (PC&N) was incorporated in 1878, but not completed for many years. In 1922, the ANDR was amalgamated into the Great Western RailwayGreat Western RailwayThe Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
Docks department, then became part of British Railways following Nationalisation in 1948
- Merlin. 20 June, 1887: Fifty Years a Queen - There is no town in the Kingdom, whose progress has been more marked, than that of Newport during the period of fifty years, which today marks the Jubilee of Her Majesty's reign. On 20 June 1837, docks were unknown at Newport, the slight railway accommodation to the Borough would in these days be regarded as quite worthless; from the river to High Street a narrow pill slowly wended its way, whilst the width of the roadway did not exceed ten or eleven feet. In 1837 nearly the whole of the traffic with Newport, was conveyed by the Monmouthshire Canal, whilst passengers had to content themselves with the old stage coaches, carriers vans, and omnibuses. Compared with today Newport was simply a rural village. Its population did not exceed 9000, the inhabited houses being about 1500. Today, the population of the town exceeds 40,000, the number of inhabited houses is fully 7000. The Alexandra and Newport Docks have been constructed, a perfect network of railways runs into the town, and we are exporting over three million tons of coal per annum. These particulars, brief though they are, will serve to show the wonderful development of Newport from that day, precisely fifty years ago, when Victoria was informed that she had succeeded to the throne
Rail connections
The docks already had connection to- Brecon and Merthyr RailwayBrecon and Merthyr RailwayThe Brecon and Merthyr Junction Railway was one of several railways that served the industrial areas of South Wales and Monmouthshire. It ranked fifth amongst them in size, although hemmed in by the Taff Vale Railway and Great Western Railway...
- and hence the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway... - Rhymney RailwayRhymney RailwayThe Rhymney Railway was virtually a single stretch of main line, some fifty miles in length, by which the Rhymney Valley was connected to the docks at Cardiff in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales.-History:...
- and hence the Midland RailwayMidland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.... - South Wales RailwaySouth Wales RailwayThe South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
- and hence the Great Western RailwayGreat Western RailwayThe Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... - Taff Vale RailwayTaff Vale RailwayThe Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
- also a GWR operation
But the need for transportation capacity to the colleries in the upper Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
and Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
valleys was escalating, as the number of shafts sunk and coal produced quickly escalated.
During 1877 at a board meeting of the Alexandra (Newport) Docks and Railway Company (ANDR), Lord Tredegar and Sir George Elliot
George Elliot
George Elliot may refer to: *George Eliot, pen name of Mary Ann Evans , English novelist*George Elliot , British naval officer and Member of Parliament for Roxburghshire 1832–1835...
of Powell Duffryn
Powell Duffryn
PD Ports is a Middlesbrough-headquartered British ports operator.Formerly known as Powell Duffryn, it dug its first coal mine in South Wales in 1840, and later expanded into various sorts of manufacturing...
collieries agreed that the only way to secure the future income of the Alexandra docks was the provision of a direct railway route. The MP David Davies
David Davies
-Politics:*David Davies , also known as David Davies Llandinam, MP for Cardigan, 1874–1885, and Cardiganshire, 1885–1886*David Sanders Davies , Liberal politician, MP for Denbigh 1918–1922...
offered financial assistance, but withdrew his offer at a later date as he became involved with the Barry Docks and Railway Company
Barry Railway Company
The Barry Railway Company was a coal pit owner developed and owned railway company, formed to provide an alternate route for the sea export of coal mined in the South Wales valleys to the existing monopoly of the Taff Vale Railway and Cardiff Docks...
.
Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway
Although formed by the same directors of the Alexandra Docks & Railway Company, the Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway was formed as a separate company to the Alexandra Docks & Railway Company for various investment, tax, political and operational reasons. Incorporated by an Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
on 8 August 1878, the line was engineered by Sir James W. Szlumper
James Szlumper
Sir James Weeks Szlumper JP DL PJGD , was an English civil engineer, who was Chief Engineer on a number of key railway engineering projects in the Victorian era.-Biography:...
, and double tracked from Pontypridd
Pontypridd railway station
Pontypridd railway station serves the town of Pontypridd in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Merthyr and Rhondda lines and is the main line station for the town.Until the 1930s, Pontypridd had another two stations...
to Rhymney
Rhymney
Rhymney is a town and a community located in the county borough of Caerphilly in south-east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Along with the villages of Pontlottyn, Fochriw, Abertysswg, Deri and New Tredegar, Rhymney is designated as the 'Upper Rhymney Valley' by the local...
, where it joined the metals of the Rhymney Railway
Rhymney Railway
The Rhymney Railway was virtually a single stretch of main line, some fifty miles in length, by which the Rhymney Valley was connected to the docks at Cardiff in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales.-History:...
at Penrhos junction
Penrhos
Penrhos may refer to:*Penrhos, Anglesey, Wales** home of Penrhos Country Park*Penrhos, Gwynedd, Wales**RAF Penrhos, Gwynedd, Wales*Penrhos, Herefordshire, England*Penrhos, Monmouthshire, Wales*Penrhos, Powys, Wales...
to access Caerphilly station
Caerphilly railway station
Caerphilly railway station is a railway station serving the town of Caerphilly, south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line of the Valley Lines network. The station is located at Station Road in the South of the town. Facilities include a small shop and a Ticket Kiosk. A self-service Ticket...
.
Local passenger trains terminated at Caerphilly, but through passenger and freight services continued over the Brecon and Merthyr Railway's Caerphilly branch to Bassaleg
Bassaleg
Bassaleg is a small semi-urban suburb on the west side of the city of Newport, in south Wales. It lies in the Graig electoral ward and community.- Location, communications & amenities:Bassaleg is located two miles north west of Newport city centre...
, where at West Mendelgief junction the PC&NR trains joined the metals of the Alexandra Docks railway; through passenger services terminated at Newport railway station
Newport railway station
Newport railway station is the 3rd busiest railway station in Wales , situated in Newport city centre. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although First Great Western and CrossCountry also provide services...
for connection to either the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
or the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
.
The single track from Caerphilly to Bassaleg
Bassaleg
Bassaleg is a small semi-urban suburb on the west side of the city of Newport, in south Wales. It lies in the Graig electoral ward and community.- Location, communications & amenities:Bassaleg is located two miles north west of Newport city centre...
provided both too little capacity for the freight traffic, as well as a challenging 1:39 climb out of Caerphilly station for loaded trains. The Machen Loop Act of 1887 gave the PC&NR the right to double track the route, with a diverged route from Gwaun-y-Bara junction to Machen
Machen
Machen is a large village 3 miles east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly borough within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities. It lies on the Rhymney River.-Mynydd...
providing a 1:200 slope for loaded trains. The new double track came into operation on 14 September 1891, and was immediately transferred to the Brecon and Merthyr Railway; which in return paid 50% of the annual net earnings from the Caerphilly branch to the PC&NR.
In 1883, PC&NR agreed a plan to use the Nixons Private Railway and Powell Duffryn Private Railway
Powell Duffryn
PD Ports is a Middlesbrough-headquartered British ports operator.Formerly known as Powell Duffryn, it dug its first coal mine in South Wales in 1840, and later expanded into various sorts of manufacturing...
to run up the valley from Abercynon
Abercynon
Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering...
to Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
.
Chronology
The chronology for the line is as follows:| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1865 | Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company incorporated. Subscribed to by Lord Tredegar, Crawshay Bailey Crawshay Bailey Crawshay Bailey was an English industrialist who became one of the great iron-masters of Wales.-Early life:Bailey was born in 1789 in Great Wenham, Suffolk, the son of John Bailey, of Wakefield and his wife Susannah... and other ironmasters from Cwmbran Cwmbran Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow... , Nantyglo Nantyglo Nantyglo is a village in the ancient parish of Aberystruth and county of Monmouth situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Blaina and Brynmawr in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent.- Places of interest in Nantyglo :... , Tredegar Tredegar Tredegar is a town situated on the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in south-east Wales. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial Revolution in South Wales... and Rhymney Rhymney Rhymney is a town and a community located in the county borough of Caerphilly in south-east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Along with the villages of Pontlottyn, Fochriw, Abertysswg, Deri and New Tredegar, Rhymney is designated as the 'Upper Rhymney Valley' by the local... . Act also allows construction of railways |
| 1875 | Alexandra North Dock opened |
| 8 August 1878 | Pontypridd Caerphilly and Newport Railway Act Act of Parliament An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow... passed. Promoted by J.C. Parkinson of the Alexandra Docks and Railway and Sir George Elliot George Elliot George Elliot may refer to: *George Eliot, pen name of Mary Ann Evans , English novelist*George Elliot , British naval officer and Member of Parliament for Roxburghshire 1832–1835... of Powell Duffryn collieries Powell Duffryn PD Ports is a Middlesbrough-headquartered British ports operator.Formerly known as Powell Duffryn, it dug its first coal mine in South Wales in 1840, and later expanded into various sorts of manufacturing... . Engineer is Sir James W. Szlumper |
| 1882 | Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company is re-named the Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway (ANDR) |
| 1883 | Act to take over Newport Town Dock passed |
| 1883 | PC&NR agrees plans to use the Nixons Private Railway and Powell Duffryn Private Railway Powell Duffryn PD Ports is a Middlesbrough-headquartered British ports operator.Formerly known as Powell Duffryn, it dug its first coal mine in South Wales in 1840, and later expanded into various sorts of manufacturing... to run up the valley from Abercynon Abercynon Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering... to Aberdare Aberdare Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705... |
| 1884 | Taff Vale Railway Taff Vale Railway The Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway... works PC&NR line from Pontypridd to Alexandra Docks. |
| 1884 | ANDR takes over Newport Town Dock |
| 6 June 1897 | PC&NR taken over by the Alexandra Docks and Railway |
| 2 November 1903 | The Roath Dock Branch is opened in conjunction with the Great Western Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... and the Cardiff Railway Cardiff Railway The Cardiff Railway came into being from the need to service Bute Docks, so as to provide facilities for the traffic to and from the Docks. The railway was only 11 miles in length, a fact which belied its importance, since it provided both the Taff Vale Railway and the Rhymney Railway, inter alia,... . Joint line connects Pengam Junction Pengam Pengam is a former coal community in the Rhymney Valley, Caerphilly county borough, in Wales. As of 2001, it has a population of 3,842.-Location and population:... to Queen Alexandra Dock, Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
| 1 September 1904 | Local services taken over by ANDR. New service from Pontypridd (Tram Road) Halt to Caerphilly started. Uses two steam railmotors built by the Glasgow Railway and Engineering Company of Govan Govan Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick.... . Seven halts opened on route |
| 1 January 1906 | ANDR starts bus service from Docks Office to the Corporation Tram Terminus |
| 30 April 1906 | Taff Vale Railway stops operating trains from Pontypridd to Alexandra Docks when Alexandra Docks company takes over with ten engines bought from the Mersey Railway Mersey Railway The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. Opened in 1886, it was the second oldest urban underground railway network in the world. The railway contained the first tunnel built under the River Mersey. It was constructed by... |
| July 1907 | Queen Alexandra Dock, Cardiff opened. Cardiff now had 165 acre (0.6677319 km²) of docks and 38000 feet (11,582.4 m) of quayside |
| 2 July 1909 | Newport Docks disaster - 39 workmen killed when a retaining wall collapses during excavations to build the extension to the Alexandra docks. |
| 1920 | Newport Town Dock closed and filled in |
| 1922 | As a result of the Railways Act 1921 Railways Act 1921 The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which... , the ANDR and the PC&NR are merged into the Great Western Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... |
| 1933 | Bus service within Docks withdrawn |
| 17 September 1956 | Passenger services withdrawn on Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Machen, Newport route |
| 1963 | Freight services withdrawn on Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Machen, Newport route |
| 3 September 1979 | Maesglas Junction to East Mendalgief Junction closed |
| 29 October 1979 | Dock Street Depot to Town Dock Sidings closed. |
Further reading
- Leonard, T. Newport Town Dock 1835 - 1842. (qM160 627.3 LEO)
- Spanswick, B J. A Study of the Origins and Early Development of Newport Docks. (qM160 627.3 SPA)
- Spanswick, B J. A Study of the Alexandra (Newport & South Wales) Docks & Railway Company. (M160 627.3 ALE)
- Smith, T. G. A Customs History of the Port of Newport Local History No. 46 (Spring 1979) (M000 900 GWE)
- THE NEWPORT DOCKS AND RAILWAY COMPANY, By John Hutton, ISBN 1 85794 163 2