Barry proposed lines

[Rhobat Bryn]

Thanks for the info Robin.

A visit to the South Glamorgan Archives is in order. Once I've tested negative for Covid, I shall make an appointment.

[Penrhos1920]

Tony Miller has very kindly sent me a copy of the Barry's proposal to join up with the Rhymney at Llanishen together with a map drawn by Colin Chapman. It has 2 railways on it; the main route from St Fagan's to Llanishen plus a short spur down to the TVR at Waterhall Junction. Tony notes the Directors' Minutes of 16 December 1887 which state: "The Bill for the railway joining this Company's line with the Rhymney Railway was discussed, and it was resolved to instruct the Solicitors to omit Railway No.2 referred to therein." Were the Rhymney unhappy with railway 2?

Rhymney proposal-1.jpg

Tony has also sent me Colin's maps of the 1889 & 1890 notices showing how the Barry intended to get to Mount Stuart Square.

Cardiff-1-4.jpg

Cardiff-2-3.jpg

notice the very short railway 4 from Clarence Rd southwards.

I've found a further notice relating to the Barry getting better access into Cardiff when in 1897 they planned to bypass the TVR with a route from Cogan tunnel to Clare Rd, Cardiff

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/iss ... 0/data.htm

[stephebm]

Interesting to consider the Cogan aspect - how the Barry was going to get around the PH&DR (TVR) - over/under or through? Not much space at that date and how to handle the Ely river.
As I'm writing about the BR I was interested to read "Felix Pole- His Book", page 54, and his views of the BR at amalgamation time - "The Barry Railway -notorious for its individualistic and somewhat piratical tendencies - was antagonistic to amalgamation." He goes as far as to include a carton the BR person sculking in the front corner

[Rhobat Bryn]

Hi Richard

Many thanks for sharing the maps and my apologies for the delay in replying. The difficulty with these maps is that there is no topographical context so it's difficult to envisage the route of the line, especially the Rhymney extension to Cefn On (sic). Looking at the NLS maps, I believe the route could have reached the Rhymney by skirting around the north of Cardiff as there was very little development in that area at the time. But that's speculation of course.