Exploring canal relics at Pontymoile basin

Featured previously in a video about trams tunnels in Pontypool, I retunr ot Pontymoile to find out why there are certain relics there and tell their story.
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[@BordersBeeching]

As always a very relaxing watch, Bob, thank you sir.

[@bobsrailrelics]

Thanks, knowing how realxing your videos are, I take taht as a great compliment

[@BordersBeeching]

@@bobsrailrelics My pleasure. Thoroughly enjoy your videos.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the video today. Was quite interesting to see. You do a great job on these. See you on the next. Cheers Bob!

[@bobsrailrelics]

Thank you Martin.

[@md-ariful-islam01]

Wow

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Nice vid Bob. South Wales must be a spiders Web of of former canals, tramways and railways. I often wonder how much still exists just below the tarmac.

[@bobsrailrelics]

Thanks Bob. It is and you do pass things at times and think "I need to look that up". On that video I found some rails plonked in the ground as fence posts. Possibly from that tramway!

[@chrisandteresabartley438]

It's an interesting area. Part of the tramway route from the tunnels under the canal can be followed towards the town, and I assume that the old buildings by the traffic lights were originally there because of the old canal branch and/or related tramroads There was also a tinplate works by the tramroad where the builders merchant is now, which has some very old stone buildings.
When the dual carriageway road was built in the 80s, partly over the route of a railway, they found parts of the old canal and locks (I have a book which has photos of it), so I assumed the railway followed the line of the earlier canal and tramroad, but I haven't seen any maps early enough to have the canal branch to see the route.
Incidentally, there was a nice stone railway viaduct on the opposite side of the dual carriageway, sadly demolished to make way for the road and junctions

[@stevieb125]

Thanks Bob. Lovely history of the canal. I thought you might be interested in some information regarding the canal to Pontnewynydd. That is the M&B canal company constructed a railway over the canal in the centre of Pontypool and the rest of the route (not on the canal route) crossed the Cwmynyscoy viaduct (now demolished as part of the Pontymoile redevelopment) and then crossed the canal a few hundred yards west of the road bridge before continuing to Newport. The railway is now occupied by the Pontypool bypass and Pontnewynydd industrial estate from which the remains of the line is still used as a footpath to Abersychan.

[@bobsrailrelics]

Thanks, so much went under that bypass though I did film the bridge further down which goes over the canal and a road. So much to see down there.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Nice video. How was the canal boat cafe?

[@bobsrailrelics]

Not bad. Very good toasted tea cake.

[@louisjamescarroll2173]

All of my canal maps call the canal the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

[@bobsrailrelics]

I struggled to find any maps of the canals in their original state due to the age. I got a lot of the history from the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal trust. They merged at some point so they were called all sorts along the way.

[@fhwolthuis]

Very nice! Maybe just rename your channel to "Bob's Relics", then it is suitable for all interesting industrial history 😀👌🏼😉

[@bobsrailrelics]

I had thought about it, but the rail element will be my main focus, especially with the better wether coming. One or two canals may feature.