Taff Vale Railway
Encyclopedia
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
. Much of the TVR is still used for freight and passenger services.
and iron
smelting
had been carried out on a small scale in South Wales
for some centuries before the arrival of railways. Both industries grew significantly during the industrial revolution, particularly as coal-derived coke
could replace charcoal
in the smelting process. The availability of coal, iron ore and limestone
at the heads of the South Wales valleys led to a number of ironworks being founded there between 1750 and 1800, including the Cyfarthfa, Plymouth and Dowlais works in the Merthyr Tydfil area.
Canals were built along several of the valleys, to bring the iron down to the coast for shipping elsewhere. The Glamorganshire Canal
, authorised in 1790, ran from Merthyr Tydfil
to Cardiff
, a distance of 25 miles. The canal company were authorised to build tramroads from the canal to connect with nearby industries, and various foundries and quarries operated their own tramroads.
On February 10, 1804, a young engineer, Richard Trevithick
, drove the world's first ever steam locomotive along a track at the Penydarren ironworks, near Merthyr Tydfil
. Ten tons of iron and 70 persons were transported nine miles. The track, built to carry horse-drawn carriages from Penydarren and Dowlais
to the canal basin at Abercynon
, proved too weak to carry his heavy locomotive, and it was converted to a stationary engine instead.
Disputes between the Glamorganshire Canal Company and ironmasters led to proposals for a 'dram road' to Cardiff as early as 1798. Congestion on the canal increased as traffic boomed, and the appeal of a quicker railway route remained. In 1835 Anthony Hill
, owner of the Plymouth Iron Works, asked his friend Isambard Kingdom Brunel
, to estimate the cost of building a railway from Merthyr to Cardiff
and to Bute Docks. Brunel's estimate was £190,649. Local industrialists held a meeting, chaired by John Josiah Guest
, at the Castle Inn in Merthyr, to discuss the issue, and decided to request Parliamentary permission to form a company to build the railway.
was given to The Taff Vale Railway Company's Act, allowing for the creation of the Taff Vale Railway Company. The founding capital
of the Company was fixed at £300,000, in £100 share units. The directors
were Josiah Guest (who became its first chairman), Walter Coffin
, Edward Lee, Thomas Guest
, Thomas Guppy, Thomas Powell, Christopher James, Thomas Carlisle, Henry Rudhall, William Wait, William Watson, and Peter Maze.
The act authorised a railway from Merthyr to the Bute West Dock at Cardiff, with a branch to Cogan
Pill, as well as connections to the tramroads of Penydarren, Dowlais, and Plymouth. Company profits
were capped at 7% originally, increasable to 9% subject to a reduction in the rates and tolls
charged for use of the line. The Act also capped the speed of the trains on the line to 12 mph (19 km/h), with stiff penalties for any speeding. These two clauses were later repealed. The branch to Cogan Pill, however, was abandoned in exchange for a long lease on Bute West Dock in Cardiff.
for its entire length, with passing only possible at or near the stations. It was not until 1857 that it became a double line
throughout. Brunel, the chief engineer, had chosen a narrower gauge rather than the gauge he would later choose for his Great Western Railway
in order to fit the railway into the narrow, curvy space allowed to him by the River Taff
valley.
Construction of the main line was relatively straightforward. The line mostly followed the course of the valley, and therefore needed few bridges and no tunnels. Brunel designed an impressive skew stone arch viaduct
at Pontypridd
, which spanned 110 feet (33.5 m) over the River Rhondda; the viaduct is still in use today, although it has been supplemented by a second, parallel viaduct. A similar viaduct exists at Quakers Yard
.
The main line of the TVR was 24 miles (38.6 km) long. However, no fewer than 23 branch lines took the full length of track to 124 miles (199.55816 km). Many of those branch lines were smaller lines taken over by the TVR. (see below)
In 1841, two branch lines were opened. The TVR entered the Rhondda
with a 4 miles (6.43736 km) route from Pontypridd to Dinas
, and the 3 miles (4.82802 km) Llancaiach Branch
was opened from Stormstown Junction (north of Pontypridd) to Llancaiach Colliery
.
In 1849, the Rhondda branch was extended into Rhondda Fach, with a short line from Porth to Ynyshir. This was extended to Ferndale in 1856, and finally to Maerdy
. The Rhondda Fawr line was extended from Dinas to Treherbert
, also in 1856.
The TVR proved its worth immediately. At its peak, two trains a minute passed through the busiest station, Pontypridd
. By 1850, the TVR was carrying 600000 LT (609,630 t; 672,002 ST) of coal per annum, and was paying a 6% dividend
.
As the first steam railway in the area, the TVR was the obvious main target for nearly all of the companies that followed. For example, a monopoly on traffic from the Rhondda meant the TVR was able to charge more than in valleys where it faced competition. This led to Rhondda mine owners creating the Barry Railway.
s for first class
, 4s for second class, and 3s for third, and were each reduced by a shilling in 1845.
Passenger services to Treherbert began on 7 January 1863; to Ferndale in 1863; and to Maerdy in 1889.
January 1 1895
July 1 1902
TVR leased two railways:
It also had "running powers" over several other companies' lines, including the Barry Railway, Great Western Railway
and the Rhymney Railway
.
Information in this section from The Railway Year Book for 1912 (Railway Publishing Co Ltd).
Tom Hurry Riches was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
from 1907–1908 and was the father of C. T. Hurry Riches who was Locomotive Superintendent of the Rhymney Railway
from January 1906.
In 1901 the Taff Vale Railway Company successfully sued the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
, a trades union, for damages due to losses accrued during a strike
by their members (who were seeking to compel the company to recognise the union). The Company was awarded £23,000 in a landmark decision, shattering the belief that unions were immune to damages due to the actions of their members. It led, following the election of the Liberal Party
in the general election of 1906
, to the Trade Disputes Act 1906
, guaranteeing union immunity from damages.
, the TVR became a part of Great Western Railway
on 1 January 1922, and part of British Railways following the nationalisation of the UK railways in 1948.
The sections still in use for passenger traffic - to Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff Bay - are currently run by Arriva Trains Wales
, formerly (under a previous franchise) Valley Lines
.
A selection of original Taff vale coaches have survived into the present day and are preserved at the Gwili Steam railway in west Wales and are in the care of the Gwili Vintage Carriage grouphttp://www.gvcg.co.uk.
Two locomotives still exist this day into preservation. One is TVR 'O2' class 0-6-2T No.85, built in 1899 currently operational on Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
. The other engine is TVR 'O1' class No.28, built in 1897 at West Yard Works, Cardiff, making it the last sole-surviving Welsh standard-gauge locomotive. It is owned by the National Railway Museum
, under the custodianship of the National Museum of Wales.
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, South Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, 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
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...
. Much of the TVR is still used for freight and passenger services.
History
Coal miningCoal 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,...
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...
smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
had been carried out on a small scale in 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...
for some centuries before the arrival of railways. Both industries grew significantly during the industrial revolution, particularly as coal-derived coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
could replace charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
in the smelting process. The availability of coal, iron ore and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
at the heads of the South Wales valleys led to a number of ironworks being founded there between 1750 and 1800, including the Cyfarthfa, Plymouth and Dowlais works in the Merthyr Tydfil area.
Canals were built along several of the valleys, to bring the iron down to the coast for shipping elsewhere. The Glamorganshire Canal
Glamorganshire Canal
The Glamorganshire Canal was a canal in south Wales, UK, running from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff. Construction started in 1790, and the 25 miles of canal was fully opened by 1794. Its primary purpose was to enable the Merthyr iron industries to transport their goods, and it later served the coal...
, authorised in 1790, ran from Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
to 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 distance of 25 miles. The canal company were authorised to build tramroads from the canal to connect with nearby industries, and various foundries and quarries operated their own tramroads.
On February 10, 1804, a young engineer, Richard Trevithick
Richard Trevithick
Richard Trevithick was a British inventor and mining engineer from Cornwall. His most significant success was the high pressure steam engine and he also built the first full-scale working railway steam locomotive...
, drove the world's first ever steam locomotive along a track at the Penydarren ironworks, near Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
. Ten tons of iron and 70 persons were transported nine miles. The track, built to carry horse-drawn carriages from Penydarren and Dowlais
Dowlais
Dowlais is a village and community of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. As of 2001, it has a population of 6646.Dowlais is notable within Wales and Britain for its historic association with ironworking; once employing, through the Dowlais Iron Company, roughly 5,000 people, the works...
to the canal basin at 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...
, proved too weak to carry his heavy locomotive, and it was converted to a stationary engine instead.
Disputes between the Glamorganshire Canal Company and ironmasters led to proposals for a 'dram road' to Cardiff as early as 1798. Congestion on the canal increased as traffic boomed, and the appeal of a quicker railway route remained. In 1835 Anthony Hill
Anthony Hill
Anthony Hill is an English artist, painter and relief-maker, originally a member of the post-World War II British art movement termed the Constructionist Group whose work was essentially in the international constructivist tradition. His fellow members in this group were Victor Pasmore, Adrian...
, owner of the Plymouth Iron Works, asked his friend Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
, to estimate the cost of building a railway from Merthyr to 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...
and to Bute Docks. Brunel's estimate was £190,649. Local industrialists held a meeting, chaired by John Josiah Guest
John Josiah Guest
Sir Josiah John Guest, 1st Baronet, known as John Josiah Guest, was a Welsh engineer and entrepreneur.-Life:Born in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, as the son of Thomas Guest, a partner in the Dowlais Iron Company...
, at the Castle Inn in Merthyr, to discuss the issue, and decided to request Parliamentary permission to form a company to build the railway.
Act of Parliament
On 21 June 1836, Royal AssentRoyal 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...
was given to The Taff Vale Railway Company's Act, allowing for the creation of the Taff Vale Railway Company. The founding capital
Capital (economics)
In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process...
of the Company was fixed at £300,000, in £100 share units. The directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
were Josiah Guest (who became its first chairman), Walter Coffin
Walter Coffin
Walter Coffin was a Welsh coalowner and Member of Parliament. Coffin is recognised as the first person to exploit the rich coal fields of the Rhondda Valley on an industrial scale, pioneering the growth of one of the most wealthy coal mining areas in the world.-Early life:Born in 1784 he was the...
, Edward Lee, Thomas Guest
Guest family
The Guest family are a British family of the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries who, among other things built a huge industrial business in the Dowlais Iron Company and later in Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds.-John Guest:...
, Thomas Guppy, Thomas Powell, Christopher James, Thomas Carlisle, Henry Rudhall, William Wait, William Watson, and Peter Maze.
The act authorised a railway from Merthyr to the Bute West Dock at Cardiff, with a branch to Cogan
Cogan
Cogan is a suburb of Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales south west from the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. Cogan contains one of the vale's four major leisure centres.-History:...
Pill, as well as connections to the tramroads of Penydarren, Dowlais, and Plymouth. Company profits
Profit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...
were capped at 7% originally, increasable to 9% subject to a reduction in the rates and tolls
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
charged for use of the line. The Act also capped the speed of the trains on the line to 12 mph (19 km/h), with stiff penalties for any speeding. These two clauses were later repealed. The branch to Cogan Pill, however, was abandoned in exchange for a long lease on Bute West Dock in Cardiff.
Construction
Construction of the railway was started in 1836, and the stretch from Cardiff to Navigation House (later named Abercynon) was opened in a formal ceremony on 9 October 1840, with public services starting the next day. The stretch from Abercynon to Merthyr was opened on 12 April 1841. The railway was single-lineSingle track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
for its entire length, with passing only possible at or near the stations. It was not until 1857 that it became a double line
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
throughout. Brunel, the chief engineer, had chosen a narrower gauge rather than the gauge he would later choose for his 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...
in order to fit the railway into the narrow, curvy space allowed to him by the River Taff
River Taff
The River Taff is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil...
valley.
Construction of the main line was relatively straightforward. The line mostly followed the course of the valley, and therefore needed few bridges and no tunnels. Brunel designed an impressive skew stone arch viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
at Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd 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...
, which spanned 110 feet (33.5 m) over the River Rhondda; the viaduct is still in use today, although it has been supplemented by a second, parallel viaduct. A similar viaduct exists at Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard is a village in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, situated where the Taff Bargoed Valley joins the Taff Valley. Quakers Yard is part of the community of Treharris.-History:...
.
The main line of the TVR was 24 miles (38.6 km) long. However, no fewer than 23 branch lines took the full length of track to 124 miles (199.55816 km). Many of those branch lines were smaller lines taken over by the TVR. (see below)
In 1841, two branch lines were opened. The TVR entered the 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...
with a 4 miles (6.43736 km) route from Pontypridd to Dinas
Dinas Rhondda railway station
Dinas Rhondda railway station is a railway station serving the Dinas, Penygraig and Trealaw districts of Tonypandy, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line. The station has one platform with one small station shelter and is accessible by a small connector road...
, and the 3 miles (4.82802 km) Llancaiach Branch
Llancaiach Branch
The Llancaiach Branch was a railway branch line in South Wales. Financed and operated by the Taff Vale Railway, on amalgamation became part of the Great Western Railway in 1923...
was opened from Stormstown Junction (north of Pontypridd) to Llancaiach Colliery
Llancaiach Colliery
Llancaiach Colliery was a coal mine in the South Wales Valleys, located just to the north of the village of Nelson and just to the south of Llancaiach Fawr Manor....
.
In 1849, the Rhondda branch was extended into Rhondda Fach, with a short line from Porth to Ynyshir. This was extended to Ferndale in 1856, and finally to Maerdy
Maerdy
Maerdy is a village and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying at the head of the Rhondda Fach Valley.- History :...
. The Rhondda Fawr line was extended from Dinas to Treherbert
Treherbert
Treherbert is a village and community situated at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Treherbert is a former industrial coal mining village which was at its economic peak between 1850 and 1920...
, also in 1856.
The TVR proved its worth immediately. At its peak, two trains a minute passed through the busiest station, Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd 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...
. By 1850, the TVR was carrying 600000 LT (609,630 t; 672,002 ST) of coal per annum, and was paying a 6% dividend
Dividend
Dividends are payments made by a corporation to its shareholder members. It is the portion of corporate profits paid out to stockholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, that money can be put to two uses: it can either be re-invested in the business , or it can be distributed to...
.
As the first steam railway in the area, the TVR was the obvious main target for nearly all of the companies that followed. For example, a monopoly on traffic from the Rhondda meant the TVR was able to charge more than in valleys where it faced competition. This led to Rhondda mine owners creating the Barry Railway.
Passenger services
The line was conceived as a goods line, carrying iron and coal. However, it also ran passenger services from the beginning. There were two passenger trains each way daily, including Sundays. This was extended to three weekday services in 1844. Single fares from Cardiff to Merthyr were 5 shillingShilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s for first class
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
, 4s for second class, and 3s for third, and were each reduced by a shilling in 1845.
Passenger services to Treherbert began on 7 January 1863; to Ferndale in 1863; and to Maerdy in 1889.
Accidents
- 1893 - Llantrisant rail accidentLlantrisant rail accidentOn 12 August 1893 a T-link broke beneath a locomotive running down the bank from Merthyr to Cardiff hauling a passenger train. This allowed an underhung spring to break away from the engine and foul the wheels of the leading van, derailing the entire train. The first six carriages ran down an...
; killed 13 and injured 12. - 1911 - Pontypridd railway accidentPontypridd railway accidentOn Monday 23 January 1911, a collision between a passenger train and coal train on the Taff Vale Railway line at Hopkinstown, outside Pontypridd in Wales, resulted in the loss of eleven lives...
; killed 11 and injured 5.
Main line
The main stations on the TVR main line were:- Cardiff Dock (later Bute Road), opened 8 October 1840, opened 8 October 1840, opened 8 October 1840
- PentyrchPentyrchPentyrch is a suburban community located on the western outskirts of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The village gives its name to a Cardiff local authority electoral ward, which covers the village and surrounding area.-Geography:...
(now ), opened 1847, opened 8 October 1840. At a third of mile (500 m) long, Pontypridd had at one time the longest platform of any railway station in the country. It was known as Newbridge Station from 1840 to 1891. - Navigation House (later AbercynonAbercynonAbercynon 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...
), opened 1 December 1896 (opened 1858) (opened June 1, 1883) (opened August 1, 1886) - Merthyr Tydfil Plymouth Street Station
Branch lines
Some branch lines include:- The RhonddaRhonddaRhondda , 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...
branch line from Pontypridd to Pandy was opened in June 1841. The line was extended to TreherbertTreherbertTreherbert is a village and community situated at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Treherbert is a former industrial coal mining village which was at its economic peak between 1850 and 1920...
in 1856 - The Rhondda Fach line from PorthPorthPorth is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth...
to YnyshirYnyshirYnyshir , meaning "Long Island" in English, is a village and a community located in the Rhondda Valley, within Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The village takes its name from a farm in the area, falling within the historic parishes of Ystradyfodwg and Llanwynno . The community of Ynyshir also...
was opened in 1849. It was extended to Ferndale in 1856, closed 1964 passengers, 1986 coal. - The RoathRoathRoath is a district in the east/north-east of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales.It lies just east/north east of the city centre, stretching from Adamsdown in the south to Roath Park in the north. Roath contains the Plasnewydd electoral ward. The name is believed to originate from Irish ráth,...
line to Cardiff Docks was opened in 1887, only to freight. Closed 1968
Railways amalgamated with TVR
August 26 1889- Cowbridge Railway, (AberthawAberthawAberthaw is a village of the Vale of Glamorgan west of Barry on the coast of South Wales.The village is split into two halves - East Aberthaw and West Aberthaw, separated by the River Thaw. It is home to Aberthaw Cement Works and Aberthaw Power Station a coal power station plant that was linked to...
- LlantrisantLlantrisantLlantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
) opened 1865 - Dare Valley Railway opened 1866
- Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction RailwayLlantrisant and Taff Vale Junction RailwayThe Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway was a railway located in south Wales which broadly ran between Pontypridd and Llantrisant. It opened to freight traffic in 1863 and to passenger traffic in 1875...
, opened 1863. - Rhondda Valley and Hirwain Junction Railway opened 1878
- Treferig Valley Railway opened 1883
- Cardiff, Penarth and Barry Junction Railway opened 1887
January 1 1895
- Cowbridge and Aberthaw Railway opened 1892
July 1 1902
- Aberdare Railway opened 1846
TVR leased two railways:
- Penarth Harbour, Dock and Railway opened 1865
- Penarth Extension Railway opened 1878
It also had "running powers" over several other companies' lines, including the Barry Railway, 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 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:...
.
Information in this section from The Railway Year Book for 1912 (Railway Publishing Co Ltd).
Locomotives
Prior to 1873, Taff Vale’s locomotives were designed and built by outside contractors. The TVR’s Locomotive Superintendents were:- B. S. Fisher (1869–1873)
- Tom Hurry RichesTom Hurry RichesTom Hurry Riches was a British engineer who became the Locomotive Superintendent of the Taff Vale Railway in October 1873, and held the post until his death. At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest locomotive superintendent in Britain....
(1873–1910) - John Cameron (1910–1922)
Tom Hurry Riches was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
from 1907–1908 and was the father of C. T. Hurry Riches who was Locomotive Superintendent 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:...
from January 1906.
- Taff Vale Railway A classTaff Vale Railway A classThe Taff Vale Railway A class was a class of 0-6-2T steam tank locomotives designed by J. Cameron and introduced to the Taff Vale Railway in 1914. The A class was an enlarged version of the Taff Vale Railway O4 class designed by Tom Hurry Riches in 1907....
- Taff Vale Railway O4 classTaff Vale Railway O4 classThe Taff Vale Railway O4 class was a class of 0-6-2T steam tank locomotives designed by Tom Hurry Riches and introduced to the Taff Vale Railway in 1907. They were rebuilt with taper boilers and superheaters by the Great Western Railway from 1924....
- Taff Vale Railway U1 classTaff Vale Railway U1 classThe Taff Vale Railway U and U1 classes were 0-6-2T steam tank locomotive operated by Taff Vale Railway, Wales, from 1895. All were still in use when the Taff Vale Railway was acquired by the Great Western Railway in 1922, but were withdrawn from traffic between 1927 and 1931.-Overview:Tom Hurry...
Strike
- See: Taff Vale CaseTaff Vale CaseTaff Vale Railway Co v Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants [1901] , commonly known as the Taff Vale case is a formative case in UK labour law...
In 1901 the Taff Vale Railway Company successfully sued the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants was a trade union of railway workers in the United Kingdom from 1872 until 1913.The ASRS was an industrial union founded in 1871 with the support of the Liberal MP Michael Bass. Its early years were difficult...
, a trades union, for damages due to losses accrued during a strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
by their members (who were seeking to compel the company to recognise the union). The Company was awarded £23,000 in a landmark decision, shattering the belief that unions were immune to damages due to the actions of their members. It led, following the election of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
in the general election of 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, to the Trade Disputes Act 1906
Trade Disputes Act 1906
The Trade Disputes Act 1906 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed under the Liberal government of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman...
, guaranteeing union immunity from damages.
Later history
Following the Railways Act 1921Railways 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 TVR became a part of 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...
on 1 January 1922, and part of British Railways following the nationalisation of the UK railways in 1948.
The sections still in use for passenger traffic - to Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff Bay - are currently run by Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
, formerly (under a previous franchise) Valley Lines
Valley Lines
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....
.
A selection of original Taff vale coaches have survived into the present day and are preserved at the Gwili Steam railway in west Wales and are in the care of the Gwili Vintage Carriage grouphttp://www.gvcg.co.uk.
Two locomotives still exist this day into preservation. One is TVR 'O2' class 0-6-2T No.85, built in 1899 currently operational on Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a long branch line that served mills and villages in the Worth Valley and is now a heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England. It runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station...
. The other engine is TVR 'O1' class No.28, built in 1897 at West Yard Works, Cardiff, making it the last sole-surviving Welsh standard-gauge locomotive. It is owned by the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
, under the custodianship of the National Museum of Wales.