78-581: The Llantrisant – Aberthaw line was a railway line built in two parts. The Cowbridge Railway was a locally promoted railway line in South Wales, intended to connect the town to the nearby mainline network at Llantrisant . The company was desperately short of money to construct the line and a subscription of £10,000 from the Taff Vale Railway towards the construction costs ensured alignment to that company's system, so that Pontypridd , and not Cardiff ,
156-532: A Cowbridge and Aberthaw Railway were deposited in the same month. The TVR guaranteed 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 % on the construction cost, and the Cowbridge and Aberthaw Railway Act was passed on 12 August 1889, with capital of £90,000. Construction of the line proceeded, and on 2 September 1892 Major H. A. Yorke of the Board of Trade inspected the line and passed it for passenger operation; it opened on 1 October 1892. The line
234-461: A few small local amenities, such as a corner shop and a hairdressers. Llanharry is home to Llanharry Primary School , built 1935 and Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari Welsh medium secondary school which was built in 1974. In 2012 the secondary school became Rhondda Cynon Taf's first 3-19 school, opening a new Welsh language primary department in the former sixth form block. Buses are the main transportation links servicing Llanharry. Between 1871 and 1951,
312-541: A focal point of history. By the early 19th century the tower was in ruins and in 1890 it was restored as a folly by the Llantrisants' town trust. ‘Y Pwysty’ the weighing house, was located on this site since medieval times. Once known as The Angel Inn, it was at Y Pwysty that the weight of goods were regulated at the markets and fairs held in the town. The Royal Mint , which produces all British coins, moved from London to Llantrisant in 1967 in order to meet demand when
390-510: A former 18th-century workhouse in the town centre, there is a village shop known as the Bullring Stores, a traditional toy shop with added vintage finds, galleries, pubs and restaurants. The history of education in Llantrisant is firmly based in the varied religious institutions and Sunday School services which rapidly flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Norman parish church
468-485: A local painter. The upper floors have workshops that are used by individual craftspeople, whose work can be purchased either from their studio or from the ground floor shop. The Model House has a programme of art and crafts exhibitions throughout the year and hosts a varied series of workshops, where adults and children may learn the basics of a wide range of contemporary craft skills. The centre closed in December 2009 after
546-531: A platform face on its south side for the Cowbridge trains, and there was a run-round loop. A standard gauge line owned by the GWR left the Cowbridge line at the west end, and crossed the main line to lead northwards to the Ely Valley line. Yolland was not satisfied with the signalling arrangements at Llantrisant junction, which did not bring all the points and signals to a central interlocking. The waiting room at Llantrisant
624-416: A private siding remained in operation until 1975, but when that closed, the line ceased to have any railway activity. The Taff Vale Railway was planned to bring the iron production of works at Merthyr and Dowlais , as well as coal from certain collieries, to the docks at Cardiff for onward shipment to market. It opened its main line in two stages, in 1840 and 1841; it was built on the standard gauge . It
702-485: A road to the south west of the Bull Ring, between the parish church (to the west) and the castle (to the east). The Union Workhouse was built in 1884 on the Bull Ring – west of where Dr Price's statue stands today and behind the town pump . It became known as The Model House, in the rather optimistic belief that its inmates would lead a life of model Christianity. Two pubs, a shop and a cottage were demolished to make way for
780-657: A serious difficulty, and the directors decided to approach the South Wales Railway for assistance; they met them on 4 November 1862. They asked the South Wales Railway to permit their company to reach the L&;TVJR over the Ely Valley Railway, between Llantrisant and Maesaraul Junction. This would enable them to omit the construction of the northward part of their line above Llantrisant. The broad gauge interest had already shown itself to be hostile to such an incursion, but now
858-499: A wooden fortification it was rebuilt as a stone structure around 1246 by Richard de Clare, Lord of Glamorgan. In 1294 the castle was damaged during the uprising against the Norman overlords, led by Madog ap Llywelyn , and again in 1316 by Llywelyn Bren . It is believed that the castle was destroyed in 1404 by Owain Glyndŵr though there is no written proof of the event. John Leland reported
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#1732876597060936-685: Is a spring with unusual petrosomatoglyph carvings of two faces, two saints (1696), but now six are present (Sharp 1979). Old Town Llantrisant has four pubs: The New Inn, the Bear, the Wheatsheaf and the Cross Keys Hotel. Formerly in the Bull Ring was the Rock and Fountain pub, which became the home of the original Llantrisant Workingmen's Club founded in May 1953 by Seth Morgan, Freeman of Llantrisant. The focal point of
1014-458: Is believed to have been a place of Christian worship since at least the 7th century, and in 1096 the parish church was built and dedicated. The church was rebuilt by Richard de Clare in 1246 in the Norman style and in the 15th century the tower was added. Its interior houses an effigy of a 13th-century warrior, believed to be Cadwgan , lord of Miskin , a valuable Welsh church monument . The interior
1092-763: Is evidence for settlements in and around Llantrisant stretching back over three millennia. Two Bronze Age burial mounds are on Mynydd Garthmaelwg, the opposite side of the Ely Valley . A 1.05 metres (3 ft 5 in) tall, by 1.68 metres (5 ft 6 in) wide, possibly Bronze Age, standing stone , was discovered in Miskin during excavations prior to the M4 motorway construction. An Iron Age hillfort stands on Rhiwsaeson Hill. The enclosure, now known as Caerau Hillfort, measures 230 metres (750 ft) by 180 metres (590 ft). A settlement has existed on this site from at least
1170-678: Is home to one of the very longest established male choirs in Wales. Established at least as early as 1898, the choir is a prolific touring choir having sung in the USA, Italy, Cyprus, Slovakia, Poland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain. They travel extensively in the UK supporting charity events and singing at concert engagements. The choir has appeared at many notable venues, including The Royal Albert Hall, The Santa Maria Maggiore, Wales Millennium Centre and
1248-582: Is no longer open. Llanharry also has its own working men's club . Llanharry is home to Llanharry AFC , a football team who compete in the Bridgend & District Premier Division. The team play in yellow shirts with black shorts & socks, and play their home games at The Recreation Ground in Llanharry. Llanharry benefits from the Llanharry Action for Change Project which uses funds, including money from
1326-502: The Beating the Bounds , where local children are bounced by elders on to the boundary stones of the old borough, still occurs every seven years and has its roots set as far back as the 14th century. The rite was intended as a reminder to each generation of the importance of the borough boundaries. The children in question are held under the arms and the legs, and their backside is bounced on each of
1404-511: The European Union , to support projects and improvements in the village. In terms of local politics Llanharry Community Council is responsible for representing the views of local people. To fund its activities, the Council receives a proportion of the council tax collected each year from every home in the village, depending on rateable value . The Llanharry electoral ward is coterminous with
1482-538: The county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf , Wales. Historically part of Glamorgan , Llanharry has been inextricably linked with iron mining as far back as the Roman period , and for a period in the 20th century it boasted the only iron mine in Wales . The town is infamous for being the site of the murders of Harry and Megan Tooze , which remain some of Wales' most notorious unsolved murders. Llanharry iron mine worked from
1560-445: The 1st of March next, this company will feel obliged to withdraw its rolling stock and plant." The deadline passed but the pressure from the TVR continued, and the Cowbridge company gave notice that it would work the line itself from 5 April 1870. A service of seven return trips between Cowbridge and Llantrisant was inaugurated, four on Sunday, although this was later reduced somewhat. The TVR
1638-828: The Company. Later in 1867 the National Provincial Bank was granted possession of the Cowbridge Railway for unpaid debts. The poor standard of maintenance, compounding the inferior standard of construction, concerned the Taff Vale Railway, and in January 1869 the TVR Directors resolved that "notice be given to the Cowbridge Railway Company that if their line is not placed in good working condition previously to
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#17328765970601716-443: The Cowbridge Railway track. Fisher reported that the works on the line were exceptionally light, and had been executed in the cheapest possible manner. This would result, he thought, in costly maintenance and excessive wear and tear. Considerable alterations would be required before TVR engines could work safely over the railway, and the line would require constant attention and repair during its first year of operation. Notwithstanding
1794-529: The Cowbridge one, but there was no direct connection between the two, for trains or for the public. In 1903 the Taff Vale Railway experimented with what it called "motor cars": in fact railmotors, that is, single passenger coaches with an integrated small steam engine. The intention was to enable a service to remote and lightly trafficked areas by the provision of low-cost stopping places: in practice these were platforms 40 feet in length, at first with no shelter or other facilities. The motor cars were introduced on
1872-454: The GWR agreed to reduce the rental charge to £200, and on that basis the Cowbridge directors concluded an agreement in June 1863. The Board of Trade sanctioned the deviation of the authorised route by which the Cowbridge Railway entered Llantrisant station rather than crossing the South Wales Railway main line. The first sod was cut on 9 June 1863. Work seemed to be progressing well and in June 1864
1950-490: The Great Western Railway offered to permit this, and to lay a third rail, forming "mixed gauge", to enable the running of standard gauge trains, for an annual rental of £400. The Cowbridge directors thought this exceeded the interest on the capital outlay if they built the connecting line, so they decided not to proceed with the request at first, but after further consideration agreed that it was worth pursuing. In fact
2028-465: The Hollywood Bowl. The choir has a wide-ranging membership drawn from all ages and social backgrounds. They sing a mix of music from traditional choral classics, Welsh hymns and modern pop music. Llantrisant has a twinning arrangement with Crécy-en-Ponthieu , France, since 2015. Llanharry Llanharry ( Welsh : Llanhari ) is a village, community (civil parish) and electoral ward in
2106-477: The Pontypridd to Aberthaw service on 1 May 1905. Nine round trips per day were arranged using two motor cars; a conventional service and a mixed train also operated on the line. There were new stopping places, not able to be used by the conventional trains. They were at Trerhyngyll & Maendy, Aberthin, St Hilary and Llanbethêry. The motor cars had heating in the passenger saloons, a considerable benefit compared with
2184-493: The South Wales region, being home to typical upland habitat birds and mammals of the British Isles. The town also contains Llantrisant Common and Pastures , a 113-hectare (280-acre) Site of Special Scientific Interest , which is home to several rare plants. Llantrisant is served by Pontyclun railway station three miles away, which was formerly known as Llantrisant railway station . Trains run by Transport for Wales call at
2262-473: The Taff Vale Railway, the L&TVJR was on the narrow (standard) gauge, and the Ely Valley Railway was a broad gauge line. The L&TVJR was to build from the Taff Vale Railway main line, about a mile below Treforest Station, to the Mwyndy branch of the Ely Valley Railway at Maesaraul, where there were important mineral deposits. Running powers were not granted from Maesaraul Junction to Llantrisant Station, which
2340-622: The Three Saints ") is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf , within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan , Wales , lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun . The three saints of the town's name are SS. Illtyd , Gwynno , and Dyfodwg . Llantrisant is a hilltop settlement, at an altitude of 174 m (571 ft) above sea level . The town is home to the Royal Mint . There
2418-516: The UK converted to decimal currency. In addition to British coins, the Royal Mint produces circulating coins for approximately 60 countries, as well as medals, bullion coins and bars. The Royal Mint also attracts tourists to Llantrisant to The Royal Mint Experience and the Royal Mint Museum which runs events and exhibitions around topics of interest. Llantrisant is typical of most locations in
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2496-459: The acquisition of their land in the first place, and lawsuits were now threatened. Repossession of the land was now a possibility. In March 1875, the Company once again approached the Taff Vale Railway. A lease was proposed, but again the Cowbridge put forward unrealistic terms. The TVR offered to lease the line for £1,500 per annum rising gradually to £2,000, and these terms were accepted by a shareholders' meeting on 4 May 1875. The effective date of
2574-403: The beginning of the 6th century, when the poet Aneurin wrote of 'the white houses of Glamorgan' when referring to Llantrisant. It was seized around 1246 by Richard de Clare who built Llantrisant Castle. It is thought that de Clare established the borough of Llantrisant though the exact charter occurred in 1346. In 1346, Llantrisant was granted a Royal Charter months before the archers from
2652-456: The borders of the community and elects a county councillor to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council . Since 1995 the ward has been represented by either the Labour Party or Plaid Cymru , In the 2012 elections Labour Councillor Barry Stephens JP won the seat from Plaid Cymru and was elected Borough Councillor for Llanharry and Tylagarw. During his time in office he made many improvements to
2730-416: The branch were put in. In 1889 the TVR wished to tidy up the arrangement by which it was leasing independently built lines, and the Cowbridge Railway was absorbed by Act of 26 August 1889. Aberthaw had long been a source of high quality limestone, which was in demand for burning to make lime. In 1881 Stephen Collier and David Owen went into partnership with a view to establishing lime kilns at Aberthaw. This
2808-504: The castle as ruined in his writings in 1536. Llantrisant Guildhall , which was the meeting place of the borough council, was completed in 1773. By the early 1900s Llantrisant had eight chapels, as well as the Llantrisant Parish Church Only two religious buildings remain. The elder is the church of 'y tri sant'. The three saints to which the church is dedicated are St. Illtyd , St. Gwynno and St. Dyfodwg . The site
2886-507: The committee stages of the Cowbridge Railway Bill, the South Wales Railway once again put forward the proposal that the branch should be built on the broad gauge, which would bring it into the "associated companies" of the broad gauge group. However this last-minute idea was not taken forward. The Cowbridge Railway Act was accordingly passed on 29 July 1862; it had authorised capital of £35,000. Securing subscriptions continued to be
2964-455: The company informed the Board of Trade of the intention to open for passenger traffic shortly; however this was soon realised to be premature, and was withdrawn. Subscriptions for shares continued to fall short, and in August 1864 it was announced that contractors had been paid with Lloyds Bonds, that is, promissory notes payable in two or three years. Colonel Yolland, for the Board of Trade, visited
3042-407: The company which ran it, Model House Ltd, went into liquidation. The management of the building was taken over by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council , who after tackling structural problems with the roof and outer walls reopened the centre in mid 2010. Llantrisant Castle stands in parkland in the centre of the town though only one wall of the raven tower remains. Although initially built as
3120-558: The cost of bringing in coal, and also moving iron ore extracted at Llanharry to be transported away. In November 1861 the Taff Vale Railway agreed to subscribe up to £5,000 towards the scheme, but subscriptions towards the cost of the railway were otherwise very difficult to secure. Indeed the Parliamentary deposit required to proceed with the Bill had to be loaned by the Taff Vale company. At
3198-488: The deferral of passenger operation, an opening ceremony took place on 30 January 1865. An ordinary goods service was started on 8 February 1865, and it was decided that two trains a day would suffice. Messrs Griffiths and Thomas would maintain the line for twelve months, for £500 in cash. Work on the alterations required by the Board of Trade was complete (except for Ystradowen station, temporarily deferred) and Captain Rich inspected
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3276-452: The early 1900s but closed in 1976; its main ore was goethite , which was used at the local ironworks . Since the closure of its mines and ironworks, Llanharry has been in economic decline, as are most South Wales Valleys villages once dependent on heavy industry. Llanharry's proximity to the M4 motorway in Wales has allowed its residents opportunities to commute to work more easily rather than seeking work locally. Llanharry contains
3354-473: The expansion of the workhouse. The building closed as a workhouse in the early 1900s and first became a boarding house, then an inn and later a general store, called County Stores. They were known as a cornflour and provisions merchant, and a linen and woolen drapers, also selling boots and shoes. The site was bought in the 1950s by 'Planet Gloves', who manufactured gloves there until the late 1960s. The Model House stood empty for many years before being bought by
3432-416: The four-wheel coaches on conventional trains. From May 1908 all the passenger trains were operated by motor cars or auto-trains calling at all the stopping places but the railmotor service was withdrawn on 12th July 1920. In 1884 the Taff Vale Railway had manufactured the "I" class outside-cylinder 4‑4‑0T locomotives. In later years they worked on the Cowbridge trains until they were displaced by
3510-468: The gauge of the track in South Wales: now its entire South Wales system was standard gauge, and this obviated the necessity for transshipment of goods at Llantrisant. The Cowbridge company had taken over the working of its line, but of course that did not enable it to bring in more income, or to improve the standard of maintenance. In 1874 it emerged that most of the landowners had never received payment for
3588-401: The importance of Cowbridge was much diminished. There is controversy as to whether the people of Cowbridge wanted the South Wales Railway to pass through their town, or resisted it, though it seems likely that engineering considerations took the line further north. As soon as the South Wales Railway opened there was a widespread feeling that the town must have a branch line if it could not be on
3666-437: The inaugural passenger train ran. The train service consisted of three round trips daily, of which two continued to and from Pontypridd. A Sunday service of two Cowbridge to Pontypridd round trips was also provided. With the exception of these Sunday trains, all trains were mixed, passenger and goods. Rolling stock was rented from the Taff Vale Railway. Receipts for the first month of operation amounted to £212. Ystradowen station
3744-544: The inspection. Inevitably therefore the inspection there failed and the opening of both the Cowbridge Railway and the L&TVJR section was refused also. On 16 January 1865, the TVR brought an engine over Maesaraul Junction and the mixed gauge section of the Ely Valley Railway, on to the Cowbridge Railway. This engine then worked on the line as a trial. While this was satisfactory, the Taff Vale Railway Engineer, George Fisher, declared himself extremely unhappy with
3822-458: The lease was 1 January 1876. The TVR decided that a fortnight's closure was necessary to enable the necessary track relaying to take place. The passenger service was suspended from 30 November 1875, reopening on 13 December 1875. During this period one goods train ran a round trip daily. On reopening, the through service to Pontypridd was reinstated, and as this reduced the frequent service between Llantrisant and Cowbridge, two extra round trips on
3900-465: The line on 17 December 1864. The third rail on the Ely Valley Railway was not yet ready so no rolling stock had reached the line. Yolland noted that the line was 5 miles 60 chains in length, and that gradients were steep, with a maximum of 1 in 45 near Ystradowen . The down platform of the South Wales Railway (by this time amalgamated into the Great Western Railway) had been altered so as to have
3978-563: The local authority to convert into a craft and design centre. In 1989 the Model House re-opened as a craft and design centre. A registered charity, Model House was funded by the Arts Council of Wales since the demise of the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1994, receiving about 35,000 visitors a year. The ground floor contains galleries that include glass, ceramics and designer jewellery from established British and Welsh artists, as well as
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#17328765970604056-407: The main line. A number of schemes were put forward, many of them remarkably ambitious and expensive, and for some time the proposals came to nothing. The Ely Valley Railway opened its first line in 1860; it was a broad gauge line worked by the Great Western Railway. It had been built to serve iron and coal pits to the north of the South Wales Railway main line. It was not financially successful and it
4134-494: The motor cars. However the railmotors generated more traffic than they could manage, and so the "I" class re-entered service in December 1907 on auto-trains. In 1909 a significant development of iron ore extraction near Llanharry took place, with a long tramway being provided to make the connection. Further south, the Aberthaw & Bristol Channel Portland Cement Company opened a large cement manufacturing plant at Aberthaw in 1913; it
4212-537: The railway on 22 March 1865. He was satisfied and approved the opening for passengers. However he also inspected the Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway; he was dissatisfied with the signalling at Maesaraul Junction, and refused that opening. The third rail over the Ely Valley Railway was also incomplete, so the Cowbridge directors decided not to attempt to operate a passenger service on their own branch line until trains could run through to Pontypridd. Eventually these difficulties were resolved and on 18 September 1865
4290-579: The station. The town is the home of the Royal Mint , which manufactures all British coins. The Royal Mint transferred to Llantrisant in 1967 and its attractions include the Mint's museum. The Mint employs around 900 people. A number of small, independent retailers have successfully found a home in Llantrisant Old Town. In addition to the Model House Craft & Design Centre, now well-established in
4368-462: The stones of the old borough. It is believed that the Beating of the Bounds started in 1346, when Llantrisant was awarded its Royal Charter . This allowed them the freedom to trade without paying tolls within the boundaries of the former borough. The last occasion of this event was in June 2017, but the event is now seen as a purely historic tradition and social community event. At nearby Tarren Deusant
4446-523: The supply of rails. Moreover the Lloyds Bonds which the company had issued to the contractors were becoming due for redemption, and in April 1867, the Company went into bankruptcy. An auction of movable assets was held on 29 April 1867. R C Nichol-Carne, the Company chairman, purchased some items on his own initiative: the engine turntables, carriage shed, weighbridges, water tank and pump, and leased them back to
4524-793: The town helped Edward, the Black Prince , win a victory against the French army at the Battle of Crecy . The Llantrisant longbow men were pivotal in the adoption of the English longbow as the missile weapon of choice for the English crown during the Middle Ages . Llantrisant was one of the eight boroughs constituting the Glamorgan borough following the Act of Union , a status it held until 1918. An ancient tradition called
4602-510: The town is the Bull Ring, a commercial square in the centre of the town that was used for bull-baiting , until it was disallowed in 1827 due to unruly crowds. The square contains a statue of Dr William Price a pioneer of cremation . The first workhouse in Glamorgan opened in Llantrisant in May 1784, using a number of adapted cottages on Swan Street and part of the Black Cock pub on Yr Allt,
4680-468: The village was served by Llanharry railway station , but there is no longer any local rail connection. The nearest station is now Pontyclun. The M4 motorway skirts the southern end of the village, but there is no direct local access to it. At the centre of Llanharry is Saint Illtud 's Church which was built in 1867. There is presently only one public houses in Llanharry; the Fox & Hounds, The Bear Inn
4758-421: The £200 paid to the GWR for the use of the Ely Valley line, nor for any maintenance of the permanent way which, in the first year alone had cost £500. Paying £1,560 a year escalating, to lease a railway losing £237 a year escalating, was hardly attractive to the TVR, and they turned the offer down. In April 1867 the ironmakers Guest & Co. issued writs against the Cowbridge Railway for payment of £817 owed for
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#17328765970604836-427: Was 6 miles 53 chains in length, and had cost £120,000 to build. A new station was provided at Cowbridge as the location of the old one did not lend itself to extending the line, and it was downgraded to the status of goods station. There were new stations on the line at St Mary Church Road, St Athan Road, and Aberthaw. There were three passenger trains a day, running between Aberthaw and Pontypridd. The Taff Vale Railway
4914-409: Was about two miles south west of the village of that name. It opened the majority of its line in 1863, but the Ely Valley Railway stalled on the provision of mixed gauge track on its line, on which the L&TVJR was dependent. The promotion of the L&TVJR spurred the people of Cowbridge to move forward with their own scheme, and on 1 July 1861 a prospectus for the Cowbridge Railway was published. It
4992-426: Was absorbed by the Taff Vale Railway in 1895. The Cowbridge and the Aberthaw sections were operated as a single entity. The Taff Vale Railway introduced railmotors , which it called "motor cars", on the lines in 1905 and although they were successful, the lines remained loss-making. The passenger service from Cowbridge to Aberthaw was discontinued in 1932; that from Llantrisant to Cowbridge in 1951. A mine working with
5070-652: Was connected to both the Taff Vale line and the Vale of Glamorgan line although through freight traffic was not authorised. No further rail traffic to or from the works via the TV branch took place after 1932 when the line was closed south of Beaupre, 1mile-3chains south of Cowbridge. At that location, track to Aberthaw Low Level was lifted from June 1934 and the line further curtailed at Beggars Bush buffer stop at Cowbridge station, in 1947. Llantrisant Llantrisant ( Welsh pronunciation: [ɬanˈtrɪsant] ; " Parish of
5148-455: Was dependent on its larger sponsor in 1861. There were iron and coal pits in the area between Treforest and Llantrisant, and after a false start, the Llantrissant and Taff Vale Railway was incorporated by Act of Parliament on 7 June 1861. It was to reach Llantrisant station on the South Wales Railway main line, but the final mile was over the Ely Valley Railway. As it was being financed by
5226-492: Was immediately successful, and at the same time coal mining enjoyed a massive increase in volume in the area, so that coal became the principal traffic. This encouraged numerous further branch lines and colliery connections, and at the same time the railway encouraged the opening of new mines. The South Wales Railway was promoted in 1843, to connect the Great Western Railway network at Gloucester to Milford Haven ; it
5304-402: Was left to work into Llantrisant from Pontypridd, and was obliged to contribute to the tolls for using the Ely Valley Railway from Maesaraul, and to the Cowbridge itself for the use of the standard gauge accommodation at Llantrisant. The Cowbridge company opened a new station at Llanharry in August 1871. The facilities were of the most basic kind. In May 1872 the Great Western Railway altered
5382-541: Was not immediately fruitful, but in 1888 works and equipment were provided and the industry took hold. At this time further railway developments in the general area were under consideration, and in November 1888 proposals were published for the Vale of Glamorgan line , which would connect Barry and Bridgend via Aberthaw. The preparations for this motivated the Taff Vale Railway to give support to Collier and Owen, and proposals form
5460-471: Was opened in February or March 1866. "The Ystradowen station has recently been opened for passengers and goods." To relocate it away from the steep incline, it was now positioned some distance from the village it served. During the second half of 1865, the gross receipts of the Company had been £951, with working expenses of £703. This did not make any allowance for maintenance and renewal of the permanent way. It
5538-450: Was persuaded to acquire the Cowbridge and Aberthaw Railway company, which it did from 1 January 1895, authorised by Act of 17 August 1894. The lack of a loop to cross trains on the single line at Cowbridge proved to be an operational inconvenience, and a loop was installed, being commissioned in October 1897. The Vale of Glamorgan line opened in that year. It had an Aberthaw station adjacent to
5616-553: Was restored in 1874 by Welsh neo-gothic designer John Prichard . The former parish office built 1873 on George Street is now a private home. The second religious building in Llantrisant is Tabor Baptist Chapel, built in 1828. It is in on an elevated site next to Llantrisant Castle, accessed by steps from the High Street. At the highest point of Y Graig is a stone tower known locally as “Billy Wynt”. Also said to have been used as an auxiliary tower with its high up positioning it remains
5694-414: Was so close to the platform edge as to risk accidents to passengers. Ystradowen station was on a very steep gradient, which could have simply been eased, and as it was a passing place, another platform was necessary on the loop line. Accordingly Yolland declined to pass the line for passenger operation. Moreover the L&TVJR had not provided signalling at Maesaraul Junction, intending to leave it until after
5772-552: Was stated that "some time must elapse before the Cowbridge Railway Company can have a disposable balance of £1,000 per annum." Faced with serious financial difficulties, the Cowbridge company was anxious to lease its line to the Taff Vale Railway, and proposals were submitted to the TVR in August 1866. The Cowbridge Company would lease its railway to the TVR for 3% per annum on capital of £52,000 until 1 January 1870; then 4% for five years and then 5%. Receipts of £1,436 against working expenses of £973 were declared, but this did not include
5850-506: Was the destination of through passenger trains. The line opened in 1865 and operated as a through line from Pontypridd in association with the Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway . The Company was always impoverished and from 1876 leased its line to the Taff Vale Railway. The TVR absorbed the Company in 1889. High quality limestone workings at Aberthaw encouraged thoughts of a Cowbridge and Aberthaw Railway . This opened in 1892, and
5928-530: Was the starting point for the education movement, although it was one that would take a century or more to fully develop into a successful entity. Sport flourished in Llantrisant for centuries and the remains of a Welsh Handball court dating from the 1790s, stands at the rear of the Workingmen's Club. Llantrisant is also known as the home of Llantrisant Rugby Union Club known locally as the Black Army . The town
6006-426: Was to be a broad gauge line. Its route was the matter of considerable discussion, and at one stage it was assumed it would pass through Cowbridge. However the route as finally determined ran near Llantrisant, about five miles north of Cowbridge; the South Wales Railway opened in several stages but this section was opened on 18 June 1850. The mail road coach service through Cowbridge was almost immediately withdrawn, and
6084-464: Was to run from Cowbridge to connect with the L&TVJR at Maesaraul, north of Llantrisant, crossing the South Wales Railway main line a little east of Llantrisant station, with a spur there to an interchange siding. The capital was to be £30,000, as it was claimed that the cost of construction would be far below the average cost of railway construction locally. The benefits would enable local farmers to get their produce to market cheaply as well as reducing
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