Blaina railway station

Blaina railway station was a station which served the small town of Blaina in the Welsh county of Monmouthshire.[1]

Blaina
Station remains in 1966.
General information
LocationBlaina, Blaenau Gwent
Wales
Coordinates51.7644°N 3.1613°W / 51.7644; -3.1613
Grid referenceSO199079
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyMonmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
23 December 1850 (1850-12-23)Opened
30 April 1962Closed to passengers
23 March 1964Closed to goods
5 July 1976Line closed

History

Among the lines built by the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company from Newport into the valleys was a 6-mile (9.7-kilometre) branch from Aberbeeg to Nantyglo, which was first opened as a tramroad in 1824 branching from the Llanhiledd Tramroad between Crumlin and Beaufort.[2] The first timetabled passenger service began on 23 December 1850 from Newport Courtybella to Blaina via Abertillery.[3] There were two daily services each way; the journey time was 1¾ hours between termini.[4] The line was converted to a railway in 1855 together with other Monmouth tramroads in the area.[5] It became part of the Great Western Railway in 1880[6] and remained there at the Grouping of 1923.[7]

Blaina station opened with the first timetabled service on 23 December 1850.[8][9] It was situated opposite St Peter's Church and to the north of Blaina Reading Institute.[10] To the north lay a network of sidings branching off to serve the Tinplate Works and Lower Deep Pit, while to the south were the Gasworks served by a private siding between 1911 and 1937.[11] The Brynmawr and Blaina Gas Company received around 4000 tons of coal yearly during this period, after which coke oven gas was sourced from Blaenavon.[12] The station had two platforms linked by a covered footbridge which subsequently lost its roof.[13] A pagoda shelter stood on the Down platform, whilst the solidly-built stone station building was on the Up platform with a 42-lever signal box which was in service until 11 October 1964.[14][5] Around 15 staff were employed at Blaina station in the 1930s.[15]

Passenger services were withdrawn from the station on 30 April 1962.[16][9][8] Goods facilities were provided until 23 March 1964.[16] The route was progressively shortened as collieries were closed, with official closure of the section between Blaina and Rose Heyworth Colliery coming on 5 July 1976.[17] The last section of the line near Abertillery was taken out of use in 1989 after the closure of Six Bells Colliery.[5][18]

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Nantyglo
Line and station closed		   Great Western Railway
Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
   Bournville (Mon) Halt
Line and station closed

Present

The A467 road follows the course of the former line through Blaina.

References

Notes
  1. Conolly (2004), p. 8, section A4.
  2. Page (1988), p. 141.
  3. Mitchell & Smith (2006), historical background.
  4. Byles (1982), p. 32.
  5. Page (1988), p. 142.
  6. Awdry (1990), p. 36.
  7. Awdry (1990), p. 13.
  8. Quick (2009), p. 89.
  9. Butt (1995), p. 37.
  10. Mitchell & Smith (2006), fig. XXVIII.
  11. Mitchell & Smith (2006), figs. XXVIII and 81.
  12. Mitchell & Smith (2006), fig. 81.
  13. Mitchell & Smith (2006), figs. 80 and 82.
  14. Mitchell & Smith (2006), figs. 82 and 83.
  15. Mitchell & Smith (2006), fig. 80.
  16. Clinker (1988), p. 14.
  17. Hurst (1991), p. 69, note 3054.
  18. Hall (2009), p. 52.

Sources
  • Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0049-7. OCLC 19514063. CN 8983.
  • Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  • Byles, Aubrey (1982). The History of the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company. Cwmbran: Village Publishing. ISBN 0-946043-00-0.
  • Clinker, C. R. (1988) [1978]. Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830–1980 (2nd ed.). Bristol: Avon-Anglia Publications & Services. ISBN 978-0-905466-91-0. OCLC 655703233.
  • Conolly, W. Philip (2004) [1958]. British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer. Hersham, Surrey: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-0320-0.
  • Hall, Mike (2009). Lost Railways of South Wales. Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 978-1-84674-172-2.
  • Hurst, Geoffrey (1991). Register of Closed Railways 1948–1991. Milepost Publications. ISBN 0-947796-18-5.
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (August 2006). Abertillery and Ebbw Vale Lines. Welsh Valleys. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 978-1-9044-7484-5.
  • Page, James (1988) [1979]. South Wales. Forgotten Railways. Vol. 8. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-946537-44-5.
  • Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway & Canal Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
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