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Porthcawl’s Lost Railway - Can You Walk The Old Porthcawl Branch Line?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ส.ค. 2024
- Walking the lost Porthcawl Branch Line from Cefn Junction Signal Box to the site of the old Porthcawl train station. How much of the old railway can you still follow?
To help me follow the old line I used this website: bit.ly/3CDFHC7
The walk takes you past Kenfig Hill, Pyle, South Cornelly, Nottage and Porthcawl. There are still signs of the old railway in some areas but has been extensively built over in other sections.
The first track was for a horse-drawn tram built by the Duffryn Llynfi and Porthcawl Railway. It was later converted to steam and then became a popular passenger service for day-trippers and holidaymakers visiting Porthcawl.
The line was taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1873
Following the Beeching Act, the branch line closed to passengers in 1963 and to all traffic on 1st February 1965.
▶︎My Second Channel “Marcus Walks”
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#Porthcawl #Train #South Wales
‘Porthcawl’s Lost Railway - Can You Walk The Old Porthcawl Branch Line?’ - Filmed October 2022
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I lived in Porthcawl in the 60's. 23 Brians Cres to be exact. My bedroom looked right over the tracks, the train would come by from time to time with it's whistle & black smoke. Was quite different for a young boy who had a month before was living in San Diego, California. Porthcawl was a wonderfull place to grow up. I now live in Boston and miss all my friends from Porthcawl dearly.
Thanks for commenting. Sounds like some good memories.
@@flydriveexploreLots of good funny memories. Thank you for this.
Interesting thing about Porthcawl, one minute you are in the country side and all it's nature, two minutes down the road and you are on the beach. What a wonderful place to grow up in. I wished I could live there again.
Very true!
Hi Marcus, I used to travel this line from Tondu to Porthcawl for days out with my Grand Parents, one of photos showed the exhaust deflector over the line, it was still in place when I used the line in the 50s, I was told that it and the short tunnels were because some of the local bigwigs objected to seeing the trains. I also read that with all the tight curves, the line following the route of the old tramway, the engines suffered excess drive wheel wear, so the trains used to travel quite slowly.
I also travelled on this line as a child for summer holidays in Porthcawl. We would change from the Leeds to Swansea train at Pyle. It was always a good connection.
Alun Morgan was my history teacher, he had a good grasp on local history. His book The Breakwater is a good read.
Yes, I've borrowed a few of his books from the library.
The old bit of rail sticking up looks like broad gauge 'Barlow Rail'. They often used this for mile posts or fence posts when it was left over from converting back to standard gauge.
Could be, there were quite a few other posts like that on the path.
My Parents once lived in Nottage it made your film of real interest. I had no idea there was once a Halt there. Excellent Film i really enjoyed your Enthusiasm and Abundant local History. I have enjoyed going back to Porthcawl on several occasions. I am a Proud Welshman living in Bristol. I must make another visit, the last time we came the Sea was Crashing over the Defences causing this really thick Salty Sea Foam which was Blowing everywhere like Bubbles, dramatic stuff!. I have always enjoyed the Area. Great Film really enjoyed. Many thanks.
Thanks for watching . I did a video on the last storm we had. There were more reporters than locals. Although, the 'old gits' I have coffee with every morning were still there. The 70mph winds didn't put them off 🤪
We used to travel by steam train from the valleys to Porthcawl in the 60s
The Nottage tunnel was filled in with large rocks, and houses built on each end. So there's no tunnel anymore. I walked through it a few times when it was open. You can still walk on the platform at Nottage halt if you're careful.
Thanks for the info. You can still see Nottage Halt quite clearly in the winter months. It's still a bit overgrown at the moment.
I used to live in Nottage, my parent owned Llynfi Caravan site and a school friend grew up on the farm where the track used to run through near Moor Lane. Great video, will have to take a look when I visit next.
Thanks for watching. Moor Lane past the old Nottage halt is still a nice walk to do.
Very interesting, I often visit Porthcawl and now learned that building used be the ticket office, cheers.
It wasn’t the ticket office
Thanks for another informative video . What I can't understand is why you have not got a lot more subscribers. Anyway Marcus keep up the good work .
Good question! I think I need to do some more TikTok dances in my videos.
@@flydriveexplore whatever you post I'm sure I'll be watching .
@@kevinhodge6700 👍
@@flydriveexplore While wearing your new nipple tassels.
My mum and I walk along the path you were on at the beginning every day. The Waun. We walk our dog there lol. Also, the street just down from the roundabout you were is where we live
it's a nice walk.
I've been living in Porthcawl since i was a child, and Kenfig Hill for a couple of years, this video was an absolute treat. I walked these streets and walkpaths shown in this video so many times and I never knew there were train tracks so close to me! Being local, I always heard stories from elderly people about Porthcawl's train tracks. They were hard to put together (For instance, I didn't know they moved the train station to the car park, I thought people were misremembering two places.) This was a very interesting, educational, straight-forward video. I can look at Porthcawl with pride. Thank you!
Thank you very much. Appreciated. Sorry for the slow reply as we travelling at the moment and have very limited internet. Glad it was helpful, 👍
The tunnel through nottage is closed and has been since the 70's I think, but earlier this year the road collapsed and i actually got a glimpse of inside the tunnel and got a photo of the opening on the road directly below the street sign you were standing next to
Do you still have the photo?
Yes - would love to see that photo.
Another great video. It’s fascinating following the old line and a great website to use. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it 👍 (That website is very interesting)
I recall that there was a service from Cardiff General in the early evenings direct to Porthcawl. Presumably there was a service to Cardiff in the mornings? The evening service used a bay platform , facing west, at the General which was , of course filled in once the service ended when the branch closed? It was found between platforms 4 and 5.
Thanks for the info, there could still be an old timetable somewhere.
Terrific. Just that. Thank you.
I grew up in Mountain View in North Cornelly and, I vaguely recall trains going behind our garden. I certainly remember the line after the track had been lifted. You could walk a long way along it
Great video. Well done.
Thank you very much!
It would be great if Porthcawl had a small branch line again, the town feels cut off in terms of public transport. I'm sure tourist numbers would increase too.
I know, taking any form of public transport from Porthcawl is slow and restricted.
I think its impossible, its too heavily built up now. I heard someone proposed a new line to the outskirts of Porthcawl via a new junction at Stormy Down, but how it would get around the quarries is up for debate.
If you close the current Pyle station and rebuild the previous station you could build a branch line to Porthcawl but you'd have to tunnel under the A48 roundabout and M4 with the line coming out above ground on the Kenfig pool side of South Cornelly abd cut through the Grove golf club. Nottage tunnel perhaps could be rebuilt.
As Porthcawl I'd make room by reducing the dual carriageway from 4 lames to 3 lanes with 1 being bi directional. Station would be bybthe 1st station alongside the current bus terminal at John Street. Likely to be single track branch with a loop around South Cornelly.
Definitely due to lack of paths Bridgend to Cardiff you'd just have it ad a shuttle to Pyle connections would be made with an hourly swanline service
Thank you for a very interesting video.
Thanks again
A great video, very enjoyable and interesting to watch. Keep it up!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting railway with great information. Thank you for bringing me walking around out there❤️👍🤗
Glad you enjoyed
this was really awesome, a labour of love I can tell. Shame they removed the line cos as someone else also commented the public transport in and out of the town is quite minimal. Cheers!
Love the video ❤
Thank you!!
Great video,
Glad you enjoyed it
Love the history you bring to us in your videos. I can remember very vaguely the railway opposite the Stoneliegh . I also used to pop in to the pub in South Cornelly now and again.
Thanks 👍
We lived in Porthcawl from 1956 and can remember the station and the old level crossing on Station Hill. Lovely informative video and I now realize where your bit of derelict track was last week. Your knowledge of the area must be quite incredible with all you videos.
I'm just that bit too young to remember the railway myself. Yes, the Port Talbot branch still has the track, they used for the open cast mine in Kenfig Hill.
Only now hearing about your Chanel, great video
Thanks
think I might take this walk today, thanks for that map, it's great :) learning so much about my village already - Skewen. The evidence of the past covers every inch of this area, so it is so nice to have an easy app to settle all those discussions with my husband over where all the collieries were. One day I will find the secret entrance into Drumau mountain and explore its hidden chambers ;)
That map is really useful and yes, it can really help settle those discussions.
Thanks Marcus, another great video. Very informative, looked a tricky walk as I thought it may well be. 👍🚂
I did walk it a few days before to work out where to go around the M4 area.
@@flydriveexplore now Marcus…. Its not a walk, but how about a history of wonderful Fulgoni Ice cream, and its place in Porthcawl folklore 🍦
@@alandavidson6055 The Knickerbocker Glory!!!
@@flydriveexplore I seem to remeber various cafe locations from Cosy Corner to The Rest that sold it, your research will involve you having to eat the wonderful stuff🍨. Still made to a family recipe at the John street Cafe…. Enjoy 😋
I live just up the road near Laleston I often walk down there, your showing me things I haven’t seen annoyingly lol enjoyed the video thanks for that.
Cheers and thanks for watching.
Very interesting, I've cycled through Parc Slip and Bedford park many times, I will make a detour to see this signal box next time
Yes, it's worth taking a look.
Excellent video Marcus really enjoyed it. Just a shame the railway isn't there any longer
Glad you enjoyed it. Yep, it would be good to still have a rail link.
The line from cefn junction to pyle was closed in 1973 I remember coal trains running past the comprehensive school in kenfig hill at that time
Really it was still there in 73? Very interesting thanks when I walk/cycle it, it seems so distant.
@@20PhantoM07 I can remember it running past Cynffig comp in the early 70s. It was closed when I went there is 76.
I know that area well the old steps and platform still exist with thare just overgrown deep in the bushes behind Georgia's dinner
Thanks
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed 👍
Cracking video Marcus. Not sure if this has been mentioned in the comments, not trawled through them, the 10/20 sign is a speed indicator board, the lower speed is for freight. Porthcawl needs connecting to the rail network again, sooner rather than later.
Thanks for the info about the sign. Yes, it would be good to still have a rail connection.
Your right about standard gauge Marcus. Nice nostalgic walk. Where i live we were surrounded by railways. Unfortunately Beeching cuts and the decline of the mines put an end to most of them. They did open the Ebbw Vale line back up in 2008 though.
Yes, its a shame there isn't a connection to Pyle, it would be really useful.
@@flydriveexplore do you have a preference to what shoes you wear on your walks?
@@ianjames8794 I have boots for the winter but walking shoes/trainers that are well worn in for everywhere else.
Fabulous walk I don’t live in porthcawl but love the area it’s so nice to see parts you don’t know are there,as a child we had a van in happy valley and I remember the walk we used to do through wig fach past the guide and brownie place and over to porthcawl to the town for our shopping and my father would make us walk all the way back - great times!
@@debbiemorris7814 That's a nice walk at the back of Newton Burrows from Wig Fach
Thanks Marcus for another great and informative video. Really enjoy reading about the town and surrounding area. We first lived here in the late 60s early 70s when we got married and I got a job at the steelworks. We moved away and then decided to retire here. It’s really great to be back it feels like home. Do you do any videos on port Talbot. I used to buy my HiFi Electrophonic in Forge road. Have been trying find out about it and the owner if he is still around.
Keep up the great work anytime you some company on a walk let me know, I’ll gladly buy you a coffee.
Thanks for watching. The only videos on Port Talbot were walking through on the way to Swansea, Margam and a bit of the valleys. I don't really know Port Talbot town that well.
There are railways in N. Ireland where all tracks are gone, the only thing you will find are the tunnels and occasionally some platforms or stations, but that's it.
Marcus you should run a prize giveaway to who guesses how many miles you have on your legs. Lol.
Good idea. That day I did about 32,000 steps.
Great video Marcus - I actually saw you in Porthcawl the other day but didn’t want to disturb you to say hi!
On the ticket office at Porthcawl - I’m pretty certain that building isn’t actually the ticket office, although it’s quite commonly said to be. If you look at any map of either Porthcawl or the railway that particular building is very much separate to the station. I haven’t yet found out what it was, I’d guess probably a parcels office or coal merchants, something like that, but pretty confident it isn’t the station’s ticket office
You could be right. Although it was owned by GWR and was used by the station master.
Hi, Awesome live video. I enjoyed it can't wait to see more soon. Can you do St. Donate s castle in Wales. I heard it's haunted by a ghosts. See you next video greetings from Canada. Cheers
Thanks. Unfortunately, St Donats is privately owned by Atlantic College International School. They used to have open days many years ago but don't anymore.
@@flydriveexplore OK thanks for telling me I did not know. I saw St. Donate s castle. On a program called castle ghosts of Wales, narrerated by Robert Hardly. Who has passed away years ago. I'll keep looking for places for you in the future to video. Have a great day 👍😀
@@michellebruce5092 I'll see if I can find the program
@@flydriveexplore go to TH-cam type in Castle ghosts of Wales. And it will come up. you'll see Robert Hardly s face.
@@michellebruce5092 Thanks
I did a similar walk on the old railway trackbed around the environs of Pontypool which takes you by the old mine workings up by the British (mountain). It is tarmacked over and makes for easy and what should be pleasant walking but it was spoiled by incessant cyclists, dog walkers, and joggers - never again.
The trouble is I have knacked the muscles in my upper thighs (the hip flexors) and I need to get them back into shape with some level walking. Unfortunately, in the valleys of South East Wales, everywhere is so steep that you really do need to be a bit of a Sherpa to cope.
Maybe I should adopt Mel's way of pleasing herself while you are away on your tramps by putting my feet up in front of the fire with a mug of tea and a few chocolate eclairs to hand while engaged with a good historical bodice ripper.
Talking of which, I hope you are going to give me the willies by taking us somewhere very spooky for your Halloween special. I would urge you to take a friend with you as I know how easily you get the heebie-jeebies if not the collywobbles when lurking around old buildings in the failing light.
Luckily no cyclists during my walk, it was very quiet. I plan to do a 'short' Halloween story based on a true event.
i think porthcawl has been lucky to have lost its rail connection as its helped keep porthcawl small and more enjoyable
Although, the M4 is only 3 miles away and Trecco Bay isn't that small. A heritage old steam line would have been good and a tourist attraction.
U walked past my house 😂😂
Brilliant video as usual. You mentioned the Windmill. Does any foundation of it still exist?
Thanks. It is now part of a house called the Windmill. You can see the curved part of the original building at the back of the house.
Why isn't the Port Talbot line in use for passengers? Wales has restored the line via Rogerstone and the Llantrisant line with great success.If we are going to be green and get cars off the road, never mind stupid 20 miles an hour speed limits, get those trains moving. Is the signal box listed, who owns it?
Great video Marcus I Always wanted to know which way the railway line ran into Porthcawl.
Take a look at that website I mention, link is in the description. It's really intersting to see the old maps compared to the new.
@@flydriveexplore yes I will Marcus thanks 😃
wow so cool i like history train too did you walk all the way bay how far was it also how long it take you?? ty for video you wife have a good week
Thanks, it was about 7 miles but I actually walked about 10 when I was filming.
@@flydriveexplore ok ty
Great your on the railway just hope a train does not come
Well, it hasn't been through for 5 years and there's a few fallen trees to get through first. Although, Halloween is coming, could be a 'Ghost Train' or a "Ghost Replacement Bus Service"!
👍😁😃🏴
Thanks
Hi do you know of any history about the station masters house opposite westbury station we have just moved into the house thanks in advance
No, sorry.
Fab
How do you get to the signal box and the old trackbed by car
The nearest car park is Bedford Park Cefn Cribwr, about 20 yards up the road from the entrance to the car park, there is a footpath by a small house (there is a Signal Box sign there too). It's about 400 yards walk along this path heading East.
I always thought the crown pub was where the train station was.
It's worth checking that website I mention in the description. It helps show exactly where the old locations were compared to now.
@@flydriveexplore will do, I found it very interesting, lived in the area for over 48 years , lots of interesting places around this area,.
Any aslef members around
What’s aslef?
@@20PhantoM07 G4.....but for rsilways
Wrong about exit of tunnel
Well elaborate.