Line from Tondu to Margam - is it out of use?

[_toommm_]

I'm remembering back to a forum meet in Cardiff for the Pacers, and going 'behind' Tondu station, there's a line that branches off. From following it on Google maps, it appears to go to Margam Yard. Is this line still in use please, and if so, by what?

 

[50031]

I'm remembering back to a forum meet in Cardiff for the Pacers, and going 'behind' Tondu station, there's a line that branches off. From following it on Google maps, it appears to go to Margam Yard. Is this line still in use please, and if so, by what?

Yes it does go to Margam Yard. Not sure if still in regular use. It was used for freight diversions not so long ago. Saw a video on YouTube. I went on the line on a railtour in 1992, when the line to Blaengarw was still open. The freight diversions used a loop on the remains of the latter line to run round

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Yes it does go to Margam Yard. Not sure if still in regular use.

"Railway Track Diagrams - Western & Wales" (6th edition - 2018) had the so called 'Ogmore Vale Extension' line from Tondu to Margam as "Not in regular use". Would suggest from the shininess / rustiness of the trackwork in 2023, it might just be able to make an educated guess as to whether it has in fact been used anytime recently.

 

[karlos]

Looking at the street view taken in July 22 from the Bankers Hill crossing (https://goo.gl/maps/yNn1JeU95QLX4ssQA) I'm guessing this line hasn't seen a train in some years.

 

[Chester1]

Looking at the street view taken in July 22 from the Bankers Hill crossing (https://goo.gl/maps/yNn1JeU95QLX4ssQA) I'm guessing this line hasn't seen a train in some years.

Off the top of my head I think it was just about usable when electrification to Swansea was dropped but with an extremely low line speed. The plan had been to do enough work for it to be used for diversions during electrification. My best guess would be it hasn't been used since 2016.

 

[DelW]

I travelled along it eastbound on a railtour on 13th June 2009 (UK Railtours' "The Thames Towy"). It was very slow - Margam Abbey Wks East to Tondu was scheduled to take 57 minutes for 7m 43ch, though my records show we beat that, taking "only" 36 minutes (average 12.6mph). Some sections were taken at walking pace, to the accompaniment of screeching noises from tree branches scraping down the outside of the mark 1 coaches.

 

[Kite159]

I travelled along it eastbound on a railtour on 13th June 2009 (UK Railtours' "The Thames Towy"). It was very slow - Margam Abbey Wks East to Tondu was scheduled to take 57 minutes for 7m 43ch, though my records show we beat that, taking "only" 36 minutes (average 12.6mph). Some sections were taken at walking pace, to the accompaniment of screeching noises from tree branches scraping down the outside of the mark 1 coaches.

Similar experience when I did the line on a railtour (UK Railtours "The Valley of the Witch") on the 10th March 2018. Quite slow with evidence of recent tree cutting. I don't think it has seen much traffic since that tour

 

[Gloster]

I did the line around 1981 in the early hours of a Sunday morning on the Up Fishguard. I think that this was the occasion when I had to stay on the train all the way to Reading via Berks & Hants to get back to Exeter.

 

[_toommm_]

Thank you all, this is really interesting! I remember us walking down a path parallel to the line. I’m going to do that walk again on Friday so I wondered if I might see a train possibly.

 

[Train Maniac]

Hmmm, definitely looks out of use to me...

(photo was taken back in October)

 

[anthony263]

There has been.a tamper over the section from Margam to Tondu last year and engineers road/rail machines have been on it recently renewing the fountain and Cwm Ffoes level crossings.

Theres was talk to it being used more regularly but nothing has come of it yet

 

[snowball]

There has been.a tamper over the section from Margam to Tondu last year and engineers road/rail machines have been on it recently renewing the fountain

Please forgive my ignorance but what's the fountain?

 

[Gloster]

Please forgive my ignorance but what's the fountain?

It is the name of a level crossing according to my (old) copy of the Quail track diagrams. It should have a capital F.

 

[bramling]

View attachment 127356

Hmmm, definitely looks out of use to me...

(photo was taken back in October)

We walked along the adjacent footpath last July, and the railway was heavily overgrown, to the point where it would be dodgy running something down there. We saw a couple of dog walkers using the formation as well.

Of interest, remarkably the platform of one of the two long-closed workers’ halts (Newlands Halt) is still intact just west of an overbridge.

Certainly an interesting part of Wales from the railway point of view.

 

[Western 52]

If this line was to be used again, what trains would use it? No freight at Tondu these days. Just a diversionary route for very rare use? It's been retained though so presumably some plan somewhere.