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Research Resource Links

Below is a selection of links which are relevant to the railways of Wales. The list is by no means exhaustive, but we have aimed to provide links to to those societies whose railway of interest provided services within the Principality.
The Welsh Railway Research Circle is not responsible for the content of external websites.

If you know of any further Welsh railway related sites that you think are worthy of inclusion, please contact:
The webmaster



Updated 5th August 2026

Access to Archives   A major project to give greater access to the UK's extensive archives. Archive Access
Bill Hudson Transport Books   Bill Hudson Transport Books - the place to find that elusive railway book. Providing a friendly and efficient search service as well as web-based opportunities to buy from  thousands of second-hand and in-print book stocks Publisher
Branchstow Railway Books   Branchstow are specialist railway booksellers, with a particular emphasis on high quality books produced by small independent publishers. Rail Publisher
The Brickworks of Wales   Information on most of the many brickworks in Wales, and many industrial sites. Location Information
Britain from Above   Britain from Above presents the unique Aerofilms collection of aerial photographs from 1919-1953. Photographic Archive
Cambrian Heritage Railways   Wales's "own" pre-Grouping railway, although its headquarters were located in Oswestry in England Rail Society
Coflein   The new on-line database of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) Location Information
DB Schenker Rail (UK),   Before 2009 known as English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) the modern provider of freight services within the UK, including Wales Rail Company
Disused Stations   Closed Railway stations in the UK. Location Information
Grace’s Guide To British Industrial History.   Includes a section devoted to railway engineer biographies also much relevant background information elsewhere on the site. It does not seem to include mining in detail. Biography Archive
The Great Little Trains of Wales   the organisation dedicated to promoting the many popular narrow gauge railways in Wales Rail Promotion
Great Western Society   the GWR had extensive holdings in Wales prior to the 1923 railway grouping, and absorbed most of the independent Welsh railway companies after this date Rail Society
The Industrial Railway Society   The Society is the leading organization in the United Kingdom devoted to the study of all aspects, and all gauges, of privately owned industrial railways and locomotives, both at home and overseas. Rail Society
Kidderminster Railway Museum   a Museum with ownership of an extensive photographic archive which is now available to researchers Photographic Archive
LNWR Society   the LNWR had extensive holdings in North and South Wales, as well as jointly owning the line through the Welsh Marches Rail Society
Midland Railway Centre   the Midland Railway gained access to Wales via the Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway, and had its own terminus at Swansea Rail Preservation
Midland Railway Society   the Society which brings together those interested in the Midland Railway; including its predecessors, successors, joint lines and working arrangements Rail Society
Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick.   Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick have recently digitised and published on line selected editions of the Railway Review 1880 -1892. All pages can be viewed but all pages with accidents/deaths are also searchable by name and place. Accident Archive
The National Archives, Kew   Formerly the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts commission, these extensive archives contain much information on the railways of Wales National Archive
National Library of Scotland   The site includes extensive range of OS and other maps up to and including 25 inch scale of Britain as a whole. Includes facility to carry out side-by-side comparison of historic maps and modern imagery with LAT/LONG coordinates etc. Map Archive
The National Library of Wales, Dictionary of Welsh Biography.   Includes railway engineers, industrialists, railway promotors etc. Biography Archive
The National Library of Wales, Welsh newspapers online.   All Welsh newspapers, provincial and local from start of nineteenth century onwards including Welsh language titles. A massive resource but filters enable questions to be refined and query response times are good. Newspaper Archive
Rail Archive   A large number of early Welsh Railway company documents. Rail Archive
The RailCar Association   For all things related to Heritage DMUs Rail Society
Railway Work, Life and Death   A joint initiative between the University of Portsmouth, the National Railway Museum and the Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick. Making it easier to find out about railway worker accidents in Britain and Ireland from the late 1880s to 1939. Accident Archive
Signalling Record Society   The Society maintains and shares knowledge of Railway Signalling and Operation in the British Isles and Overseas. Rail Society
Standbrook Guides   Standbrook Guides gives you a comprehensive look at your town. Location Information
STEAM - Museum of the GWR.   STEAM is the leading museum in the country dedicated to the history of the Great Western Railway. They hold a collection of over 400,000 objects, which include locomotives and rolling stock, photographs and archives, fine art and textiles. Rail Archive
Trackbed.com   The aim of this site is to provide the most comprehensive historical database on the web of everything that made Britain's Railways so unique & special. Rail Archive
UK & Ireland Heritage Railways   A complete listing of all heritage railways in the UK, including the many standard and narrow gauge railways in Wales Rail Publisher
Welsh coal mines   A website recording all the mines within the Welsh Coalfields. Location Information