Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway

[ ] Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway

Taff Vale Railway towards Porth and Abercynon Pontypridd Central PC&N Jcn Pontypridd Tram Road Glyntaff Halt Treforest Halt Rhydyfelin (High Level) Halt Dynea Halt Upper Boat Halt Groeswen Halt Nantgarw (High Level) Halt Rhymney Railway towards Walnut Tree Jcn Barry Railway Rhymney Railway towards Llanbradach Caerphilly Rhymney Railway towards Cardiff Central Brecon and Merthyr Railway via Machen Monmouthshire Railway towards Ebbw Vale South Wales Railway Alexandra Docks

The Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway connected the collieries of the Aberdare and Rhondda valleys directly with the new Alexandra Docks at Newport.

Using the Taff Vale Railway lines above Pontypridd, it ran on its own metals to Penrhos where it connected with Caerphilly station of the Rhymney Railway. It then ran on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway through Machen to Bassaleg junction for connection to either the Alexandra Docks, or Newport Station for passengers connecting to the South Wales Railway or the London and North Western Railway.

The line closed to passengers in 1962, and was shut to freight from 1965. Some of the northern stretches of the lines from Upper Boat to Pontypridd form the redeveloped dual carriageway sections of the A470 road, while the southern 3.5-mile (5.6 km) section from Rhydyfelin to Penrhos form part of the Taff Trail cycleway, constructed at a cost of £42,000.

The need for the PC&NR was brought about by the stranglehold of the Taff Vale Railway on railway traffic to both the Aberdare and Rhondda valleys.

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