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Darren Ddu Road, PONTYPRIDD, CF37 3HE

Seen from a carriage window during a railtour (Image) was this uprooted cast iron trespassing warning sign. The Taff Vale was amalgamated with the GWR during 1922 & so hadn't existed for 45 years, but the sign's continued existence gave evidence of the history of the Nant Clydach valley's branch line. Not for much longer perhaps - such signs are collectable & not being attached to anything made it likely it would be easily 'collected'!

The Taff Vale Railway's Ynysybwl branch of about 4 miles was opened to serve the Lady Windsor, Black Grove, & Llanwonno Collieries of the Nant Clydach valley in 1886. A passenger service from Abercynon as far as Ynysybwl began in 1890, this was extended to Old Ynysybwl Halt in 1922. The passenger service only lasted until 1952. Colliery closures meant that by 1959 the branch had been shortened to about 1 mile to serve Lady Windsor Colliery - the last one remaining. That too closed c1989 & all trackwork removed. Our railtour traversed the branch (from Stormstown Junction just south of Abercynon on the line to Merthyr Tydfil) as far as the Colliery exchange sidings where a brief photo stop was made. (In view of the weather I'm surprised I took advantage of the opportunity!) From the OS map it appears that National Cycle Network Route 47 (Newport to Fishguard) follows the branch trackbed. (Let's hope its better fenced than the railway line). The railtour, 'South Wales Valley Tour No.1', was an extensive & fascinating ramble along many goods-only branch lines marred only by the miserable weather. Details of the route can be found on the Six Bells Junction website http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/ .