TRANSPORT
There used to be a signal box at the Pant-y-Waun end of the cutting near the water tower and house. Was this at Pant-y-Waun Junction???
The GWR Board meeting of 3 October 1941 minutes a decision to provide a halt between Dowlais Top and Fochriw, presumably at Pantywaun. This was opened on 22 December 1941.
Prior to the introduction of bus services the only mode of transport was the railway or walking. All goods were carried by rail and every railway station had its own parcels office and station yard where goods wagons could be loaded and unloaded. Perishable goods travelled by passenger train and were delivered by hand truck by the railway porter. Goods were either collected by the customer or by the local haulage contractor which, in Pontlottyn was the local farmer.
The GWR Board meeting of 3 October 1941 minutes a decision to provide a halt between Dowlais Top and Fochriw, presumably at Pantywaun. This was opened on 22 December 1941.
Prior to the introduction of bus services the only mode of transport was the railway or walking. All goods were carried by rail and every railway station had its own parcels office and station yard where goods wagons could be loaded and unloaded. Perishable goods travelled by passenger train and were delivered by hand truck by the railway porter. Goods were either collected by the customer or by the local haulage contractor which, in Pontlottyn was the local farmer.
Dowlais Iron Company had a steam engine which was No 29 (Works No.3585/90) and called Fochriw. This was a 0-6-0 saddle tank manufactured by Sharp Stewart & Co in 1890.
The colliery workers were transported by means of CWB wagons which used to be attached to the end of passenger carriages on normal services, made into special “colliers trains” or as part of goods trains. These wagons were the property of the mine owners. A photograph of one such Dowlais Iron Company, latteraly Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds, wagon is shown opposite.
Closure for passenger services was on 31 December 1962 and for freight traffic took place between Deri Junction and Pant junction on 5 August 1963. Line taken out of use 28.8.1963
The Rhymney Limestone Railway was connected to the Brecon and Merthyr Railway at a junction to the north of Pantywaun (operational on OS 1884 and OS 1901 2nd Edition).
The Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway had purchased the line, and almost immediately after they had done so they made an agreement with the Rhymney Railway and extended the line to make an end on connection with them. Once the connection was complete the Brecon and Merthyr started to shift products down the western side of the Rhymney Valley to Cardiff, with the consequent loss of trade to the Monmouthshire Railway and Newport Docks.
The following are abstracts from the Brecon & Merthyr Directors meetings of 26 November 1874 and 24 February 1875 respectively.
