Bryn Oer Tramway
Overview | |
---|---|
Headquarters | Talybont-on-Usk |
Locale | Wales |
Dates of operation | 1815–1865 |
Successor | Abandoned |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
Length | 8 mi (13 km) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Stone_sign_marking_Bryn_Oer_Tramroad_-_geograph.org.uk_-_83603.jpg/220px-Stone_sign_marking_Bryn_Oer_Tramroad_-_geograph.org.uk_-_83603.jpg)
The Bryn Oer Tramway (also known as the Brinore Tramroad) was a horse-worked narrow-gauge railway built in South Wales in 1814.
History
The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal was built under an act of Parliament[which?] of 1793. The act allowed the canal company to build feeder railways up to 8 miles (13 km) in length to transport freight to the canal for transshipment. The Bryn Oer Tramway was built under this act in 1814, opening in 1815. It was a horse-worked plateway that served the Bryn Oer collieries and the limestone quarries at Trefil, dropping 330 m or 1,080 ft along its route to the canal at Talybont-on-Usk. An extension was built to serve the Rhymney ironworks in the Rhymney Valley.
By the 1830s, the growth of local railways had begun to complete with the tramway, especially with the introduction of steam locomotives that were too heavy to work on the fragile plateway. By 1860, most of the tramway's traffic was being sent by railways and it closed in 1865.[1]
The tramway today
Much of the route of the tramway is in use as a public bridleway for walkers, horseriders and mountain-bikers, and stone sleepers remain in place in several places.
A Brinore Tramroad Conservation Forum has been established to protect and conserve the remains of this important piece of Wales' industrial archaeology. The Forum comprises the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales, Tredegar Town Council, Talybont and Llangynidr community councils together with Llangynidr Historical Society and individuals.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Brinore Tramroad website
- "Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on the Bryn Oer Tramway".
- "Brinore Tramroad Conservation Forum article on the origins of the tramway".
External links
- Brinore Tramroad Conservation Forum's site
- images of Brinore Tramroad and surrounding area on Geograph website
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Railway
- Aberdare Railway
- Aberdare Valley Railway
- Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway
- Alexandra Docks and Railway
- Bala and Dolgelly Railway
- Bala and Festiniog Railway
- Barry Dock and Railway
- Barry Railway
- Blaenavon Tramroad
- Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway
- Brecon and Merthyr Railway
- Bridgend Railway
- Bristol and South Wales Union Railway
- Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway
- Cambrian Railways
- Cardiff Railway
- Cardiff and Ogmore Railway
- Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway
- Carmarthenshire Railway
- Clarbeston Road and Letterston Railway
- Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway
- Corris Railway
- Corwen and Bala Railway
- Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway
- Ely and Clydach Valleys Railway
- Ely Valley Railway
- Ely Valley Extension Railway
- Gwendraeth Valleys Railway
- Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
- Kington Tramway
- Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway
- Llancaiach Branch
- Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway
- Llanidloes and Newtown Railway
- Llangollen and Corwen Railway
- Llangurig branch
- Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
- Llynvi and Ogmore Railway
- Maerdy Branch
- Manchester and Milford Railway
- Mawddwy Railway
- Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway
- Mid-Wales Railway
- Monmouth and Hereford Railway
- Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
- Narberth Road and Maenclochog Railway
- Neath and Brecon Railway
- Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
- Newtown and Machynlleth Railway
- North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway
- North Wales Mineral Railway
- Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway
- Oswestry and Newtown Railway
- Pembroke and Tenby Railway
- Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway
- Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway
- Port Talbot Railway
- Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway
- Rhymney Railway
- Rumney Railway
- Ross and Monmouth Railway
- Shrewsbury and Chester Railway
- Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Chester Junction Railway
- South Wales Railway
- Taff Vale Railway
- Tanat Valley Light Railway
- Vale of Glamorgan Railway
- Vale of Llangollen Railway
- Vale of Neath Railway
- Vale of Rheidol Railway
- Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
- West Midland Railway
- Whitland and Cardigan Railway
- Wye Valley Railway
- Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway
Western Railway
- Anglesey Central Railway
- Bangor and Carnarvon Railway
- Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway
- Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway
- Carnarvonshire Railway
- Central Wales Railway
- Central Wales Extension Railway
- Chester and Holyhead Railway
- Chester and Connah's Quay Railway
- Conway and Llanrwst Railway
- Knighton Railway
- Llanelly Railway
- Red Wharf Bay branch line
- Sirhowy Railway
- Swansea and Carmarthen Railway
- Central Wales and Carmarthen Junction Railway
- Vale of Clwyd Railway
- Brynmawr and Western Valleys Railway
- Nantybwch and Rhymney Railway
- Quakers Yard and Merthyr Railway
- Taff Bargoed Railway
- Buckley Railway
- North Wales and Liverpool Railway
- Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway
- Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway
- Vale of Towy Railway
- Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway
- Wrexham and Minera Railway
- Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad
- Fairbourne Railway
- Ffestiniog Railway
- Festiniog and Blaenau Railway
- Glyn Valley Tramway
- Hay Railway
- Kinmel Camp Railway
- Mold and Denbigh Junction Railway
- North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
- Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway
- Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway
- Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway
- Pwllheli and Llanbedrog Tramway
- Ruthin and Cerrig-y-Drudion Railway
- Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway
- Snowdon Mountain Railway
- Swansea and Mumbles Railway
- Talyllyn Railway
- Van Railway
- Welsh Highland Railway
- Bailey's Tramroad
- Beaufort Ironworks Tramway
- Bryn Oer Tramway
- Buckley Tramroad
- Cedryn Quarry Tramway
- Cowlyd Tramway
- Crawshay's Private Railway
- Crickheath Tramway
- Croesor Tramway
- Deeside Tramway
- Dinorwic Railway
- Dowlais Railway
- Eigiau Tramway
- Elan Valley Railway
- Gorseddau Junction and Portmadoc Railway
- Gorseddau Tramway
- Hendre-Ddu Tramway
- Kerry Tramway
- Little Ormes Head Quarry tramway
- Merionethshire Railway
- Morda Tramway
- Nantlle Tramway
- Padarn Railway
- Penrhyn Quarry Railway
- Penydarren Tramway
- Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry tramways
- Rhiwbach Tramway
- Saundersfoot Railway
- Trefor Quarry railway
- Tremadoc Tramway