WRRC Forum

Good afternoon,

I have received the following from Brian Mills, I was wondering if anyone can help:

Dear Sir, I wonder whether the WRRC can clear up an anomaly regarding the last scheduled train over the Crumlin viaduct. Being affiliated to national rail operation for over 60 years, I am very familiar with the South Wales and other BR rail network systems and have conducted an authorised photo-survey of all of the S.Wales & part of the Gloucestershire and main line to Exeter areas between 1958 and the present. In retirement I have become an author and published my second professional railway book, the last, on the Barry Railway recently.

In just accessing Wikipedia's entry on Crumlin viaduct, I discovered some inaccuracies, first in the operational number of years, secondly the demolition year and thirdly an anomaly connected with the last scheduled train over the viaduct. I gained authorised access to the viaduct during its demolition on 7th August, 1965 (Wikipedia states 1967 for the demolition) and the Vale of Neath Line/Taff Vale extension to Pontypool road was closed on 16th June 1964. Websites claim that on 13th June 1965, the last scheduled train, the 21:10 ex-Pontypool Road, ran over the viaduct to TREHERBERT, a destination which the Caerphilly Chronicle, Wikipedia and the South Wales Argus has reiterated but was thus the case? I have failed to establish an official British Railways Western Region confirmation as to the last traverse of the viaduct. I know there was never any direct rail connection with Treherbert from the Vale of Neath line and find it hard to believe that that traverse happened for a 'scheduled' service. (Quote from Wikipedia, Caerphilly Chronicle & SW Argus = On Saturday the 13th of June 1964, the last scheduled passenger train; the 21:10 from Pontypool to Treherbert; passed over the Crumlin Viaduct),

To reach Treherbert from Crumlin viaduct, a variety of routes would have been necessary, some of which were not signalled to carry a passenger service. One route would have been Crumlin to Hengoed High Level Jct, Ystrad Mynach North Jct, Aber Jct, Penrhos Jct then over the Caerphilly & Pontypridd section to Pontypridd (that section not carrying a passenger service after 1958) and finally up the Rhondda Fach to Treherbert but that would not have been in any way, a scheduled working. I can only assume that the working was to a destination on the Vale of Neath line, Aberdare being the most likely if not worked through Hirwaun and Rhigos to Neath. I appreciate that a lot of years have intervened but if you can assist in answering this anomaly, it would be very much appreciated.

I have just consulted the official BR(WR) private signal box working data for the summer of 1961 and it seems that the Pontypool Rd-Neath line passenger timetable was practically unchanged from the public summer timetable of 1958 but I cannot conform what happened after September 1961. Firstly the statement by the press et al that a departure of 21:10 took place, is suspect. BR did not use the 24-hour clock system then. It appears that in 1961, the last public scheduled passenger working from Pontypool Rd ran only as far as Aberdare and that was an 08:31pm departure (2F73) which ran stopping at all stations as far as Aberdare arriving at 09:45 pm. If the report got 21:10 wrong and meant 09:10 am instead, that service ran as 2F88 departing at 08:40am from Pontypool Rd through to Neath, arriving at 10:33am. I have consulted the private freight working timetable for 1962 and again there appears to be no down freight working over the viaduct agreeing with that quote of 21:10 either! For the  sake of correctness, I'd therefore like to clear this up so if you can assist, I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks in advance,

Simon

Simon,

I have only just seen this post and apologise for the late response. I actually travelled on the last west-bound train from Pontypool Road across the Crumlin viaduct on 13th June 1964. This was the 8.55pm from Pontypool Road to Aberdare where it arrived at 10.09pm.

However, the last scheduled passenger train to cross the Crumlin viaduct would have been the 9.10pm from Neath which arrived at Pontypool Road at 11.18pm. This train ran actually started from Swansea (High Street) on weekdays and normally terminated at Aberdare but on Saturdays was extended from Aberdare to Pontypool Road departing Aberdare at 10.05pm.

I still have a rather tatty copy of the Western Region timetable from 9th September 1963 to 14th June 1964 which confirms these times.

The dates in the Wikipedia entry are confused and I can't throw any light on the reference to Treherbert which seems totally wrong.

Richard,

Thank you very much for your answer, I shall pass it on to Brian.

Simon

Demolition of the viaduct did commence in June 1965. For some reason, the decking between the First and Second piers (numbered from the Pontypool end) was removed at this time but the remaining sections, girders and piers remained intact and not finally removed until June the following year.
Stuart Davies 0083