Merthyr Memories: Merthyr’s Railways

by Kenneth Brewer

The railway has played an important part in Merthyr’s history, but also in my own personal history.

My earliest memory of the railway stems from the beginning of the Second World War when the evacuees arrived in Merthyr. Quite a number of them came to live in Abercanaid, and I remember them arriving at the old Abercanaid Station. I don’t remember any details however, as I was only a small child myself at the time.

Abercanaid Station. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

I have many more memories of Abercanaid Station – it is where we would start out on our annual holiday to stay with my father’s auntie at Castlemorton near Malvern. This wasn’t a straightforward journey – we started out in Abercanaid, changed at Quakers Yard, and again at Pontypool before catching the train to Malvern, and then a bus journey to Castlemorton. The great excitement of the journey was going over Crumlin Viaduct – it was so high and so rickety-looking there was always a sense of trepidation mixed in with the excitement.

My other childhood memory of Abercanaid Station was having to catch the train from there to Quakers Yard to go to school at Quakers Yard Technical School. After a while I came to realise that from where I lived in Pond Row, I could watch the train passing Rhydycar Junction, and if I ran like the clappers I could make it to Abercanaid Station in time to catch my train. Little did I realise in those days that I would end up working on the railway.

I started my career working on the railway in November 1952, and ended up working there for almost 50 years. I first started working at Merthyr Railway Station as a carriage oiler and greaser.

Merthyr Railway Station. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

The old Merthyr Station bears no resemblance to the small station we have today. Originally designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, by the 1950’s, Merthyr Station had five platforms and was covered by a huge glass roof. There were two waiting rooms (ladies and general), and also a refreshment room. There were many staff there, including the stationmaster and his clerk, four booking office clerks, two inspectors, seven or eight porters, Mrs Watley who announced the trains, and many others. I particularly remember Mrs Pritchard who was a cleaner – she lived to the grand old age of 106.

A plan of the old Merthyr Station

I left Merthyr Station to do my National Service, and having completed it, I went to work at Dowlais Caeharris Station. I trained as an examiner (or a wheel-tapper as it was called), and my job was to examine passenger rolling stock at Caeharris and Dowlais Central Stations, as well as freight rolling stock at the Ivor Works and the ICI Factory. Although much smaller than Merthyr, Caeharris was a very busy station, and in the time I worked there, there were four people in my department (Carriage & Wagon) as well as a stationmaster, booking clerk, two porters and four carriage cleaners.

Dowlais Caeharris Station. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Whilst I was at Caeharris Station, Dr Richard Beeching, chairman of the British Railways Board, produced his report to streamline Britain’s railway system. This resulted in the closure of dozens of railway lines and hundreds of stations. Caeharris Station was one of the casualties, and Merthyr’s railway network was decimated. I returned to work at Merthyr Station, and one of my lasting memories of that time was catching the last goods train from Brecon to Merthyr – a very poignant occasion. Merthyr Station eventually closed to be replaced by a smaller building, and my job moved at that time from Merthyr to Pontypridd.

Looking back on the way the railways played such a pivotal role in Merthyr’s history, and thinking of the different lines and stations there were in the borough, it is sad to see what we have lost – all in the name of progress.

4 thoughts on “Merthyr Memories: Merthyr’s Railways”

  1. We lost a huge piece of historical heritage.It was such a busy magical place.The large trolleys lined up with wicker cages of pigeons on their journey to a special event,the warm cosy waiting room and restaurant so inviting.Around the back the beautiful dray horses would be cared for by their handlers before and after their deliveries.What a loss,particularly to this town,no foresight whatsoever,money talks every time.

  2. Hello Ken I was a Guard at Dowlais Caeharris in the sixties I remember you and Jack Coles, Jack lived by me on the Pant road my mother cleaned house for Mrs Coles they were very good friends.Kind Regards Roy.

  3. Is There anyway I could get some more detailed stuff regarding the old merthyr station. I’m currently working on building a 1930s model of the town’s railway. I have sourced thro Alan George webpage with some fantastic reference photos but I cannot seem to find much with this station i.e. Size and colour. I’m guessing the colour would have been brown and cream with it being part of the GWR back then. Although the model I’m building of the whole yard will be 6ft x 4ft I’m hoping I can exhibit the build when it’s done with working trains.

    1. Hello Dave, I worked at Merthyr staition from 1962 – 1967. You are quite right it was brown and cream.
      Let me know what else you need to know and I’ll do my best to help you. Paul Powell

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