Maesycwmmer railway station
Maesycwmmer | |
---|---|
![]() September 1962 | |
General information | |
Location | Maesycwmmer, Caerphilly Wales |
Grid reference | ST 155948 |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | Brecon and Merthyr Railway |
Post-grouping | Great Western Railway Western Region of British Railways |
Key dates | |
14 June 1865 (1865-06-14) | Opened |
31 December 1962 (1962-12-31) | Closed |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Maesycwmmer_3_9_62576_1.jpg/220px-Maesycwmmer_3_9_62576_1.jpg)
Maesycwmmer railway station was situated on the Bassaleg and Bargoed line, serving the adjoining village of Maesycwmmer, which lies on the east bank of the Rhymney River in the historic county of Monmouth. It was located at 12 miles 44 chains (20.2 km) from Newport. The line was built by the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, and passed to the Great Western Railway in 1923 and to British Railways (Western Region) in 1948. The line was double track and the station had simple up and down platforms.
The station opened on 14 June 1865 and all services were withdrawn from 31 December 1962, when this section of line closed completely. The passenger service consisted in the 1960s of about ten trains a day in each direction, of which about half ran to and from Newport. Between 1906 and 1924 the station was named Maesycwmmer & Hengoed as it also served the nearby town of Hengoed on the opposite bank of the Rhymney. The district is still served by Hengoed railway station (formerly ‘Hengoed Low Level’) on the Cardiff – Rhymney branch.[1][2]
The station was overshadowed by the spectacular 299-yard-long (273 m) Hengoed Viaduct which lies a short distance to the north. This carried the Neath and Pontypool Road section of the Great Western Railway, which closed to passengers in 1964. The viaduct is now part of a pedestrian trail.
Accident
On 10 June 1869, a northbound goods train left Machen at about 11:45 am bound for Pengam. It comprised the 0-6-0 tender locomotive Antelope (built by Slaughter, Gruning & Co. in 1857), hauling about forty wagons including a brake van; proving to be too great a load for the locomotive, most of the wagons were detached at Bedwas. The train left Bedwas at about 12:35 pm with Antelope now hauling five loaded iron ore wagons, three empty wagons and the brake van. Although a goods train, it was carrying some passengers: together with the driver on the locomotive or tender were J. T. Simpson, the B&MR locomotive superintendent; John Kendall, the Rhymney Railway locomotive superintendent; the B&MR inspector of traffic; and a B&MR fitter; whilst in the brake van was a carpenter together with the guard and fireman of the train. The train passed Maesycwmmer at 1:05 pm, and shortly after, whilst passing under the Hengoed Viaduct, it became derailed on a very tight reverse curve. The derailed locomotive ran on for about 60 yards (55 m) then struck a girder supporting an underbridge, causing the girder, locomotive, tender and three ore wagons to fall 14 feet (4.3 m) into the road beneath. Of the five men on the locomotive and tender, Kendall and the driver were both killed, the others seriously injured – Simpson later died of his injuries. The locomotive was also damaged, but was later repaired and returned to traffic, eventually being given the number 7 and withdrawn from service in 1881.[3][4]
Routes
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Fleur-de-Lis Platform Line and station closed | Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway Rumney Railway | Bedwas Line and station closed |
References
- ^ Barrie, D.S.M. (1980). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, volume 12, South Wales. Newton Abbot: David & Charles Ltd.
- ^ Clinker, J.M. (1971). Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots, 1830 – 1970. Padstow.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Yolland, W. (13 July 1869). Accident Returns: Extract for the Accident at Maesycwmmwr on 10th June 1869 (Report). Board of Trade. pp. 41–42. Retrieved 27 November 2022 – via The Railways Archive.
- ^ Davies, F.K.; Firth, J.M.; Lucking, J.H.; Thomas, R.E.; Allcock, N.J.; Sterndale, A.C.; Barrie, D.S.M.; Reed, P.J.T.; Mountford, E.R. (April 1966). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part ten: Absorbed Engines, 1922–1947. RCTS. pp. K196–8. ISBN 0-901115-20-7.
- v
- t
- e
- Philadelphia (Jul 1815)
- Parkside (Sep 1830)
- Wetheral (Dec 1836)
- Harrow (Aug 1838)
- Howden (Aug 1840)
- Sonning Cutting (Dec 1841)
- Penistone (Oct 1845)
- Dee Bridge (May 1847)
- Sutton Tunnel (Apr 1851)
- Burnley (Jun 1852)
- Straffan (Oct 1853)
- Reading Southern (Sep 1855)
- Lewisham (Jun 1857)
- Round Oak (Aug 1858)
- Helmshore (Sep 1860)
- Atherstone (Nov 1860)
- Wootton (Jun 1861)
- Clayton Tunnel (Aug 1861) ‡
- Kentish Town (Sep 1861)
- Winchburgh (Oct 1862)
- Rednal (Jun 1865)
- Staplehurst (Jun 1865)
- Welwyn Tunnel (Jun 1866)
- Yanwath (Feb 1867)
- Warrington (Jun 1867)
- Abergele (Aug 1868) ‡
- Maesycwmmer (Jun 1869)
- Dalton Junction (Dec 1869)
- Newark (Jun 1870)
- Tamworth (Sep 1870)
- Stairfoot (Dec 1870)
- Hatfield (Dec 1870)
- Kirtlebridge (Oct 1872)
- Wigan (Aug 1873)
- Menheniot (Dec 1873)
- Bo'ness Junction (Jan 1874)
- Thorpe (Sep 1874) ‡
- Shipton-on-Cherwell (Dec 1874) ‡
- Kildwick & Crosshills (Aug 1875)
- Abbots Ripton (Jan 1876)
- Radstock (Aug 1876)
- Heeley (Nov 1876)
- Morpeth (Mar 1877)
- Tay Bridge (Dec 1879) ‡
- Burscough Junction (Jan 1880)
- Wennington Junction (Aug 1880)
- Inverythan (Nov 1882)
- Penistone (Jul 1884) ‡
- Penistone (Jan 1885)
- Hexthorpe (Sep 1887) ‡
- Penistone (Mar 1889)
- Armagh (Jun 1889) ‡
- Norton Fitzwarren (Nov 1890)
- Norwood Junction (May 1891)
- Esholt Junction (Jun 1892)
- Thirsk (Nov 1892)
- Llantrisant (Aug 1893)
- Chelford (Dec 1894)
- St Neots (Nov 1895)
- Snowdon (Apr 1896)
- Menheniot (Feb 1897)
- Welshampton (Jun 1897)
- Penistone (Oct 1897)
- Menheniot (Nov 1897)
- Potters Bar (Mar 1898)
- St Johns (Mar 1898)
- Wellingborough (Sep 1898)
- Wrawby Junction (Oct 1898)
- Potters Bar (May 1899)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Arrow_Blue_Right_001.svg/12px-Arrow_Blue_Right_001.svg.png)
51°38′44″N 3°13′21″W / 51.6455°N 3.2226°W / 51.6455; -3.2226