Penydarren Waggonway

Starting point - Merthyr Tydfil station, Finish point - Abercynon station, distance 9.6 Miles

Above - Replica of Richard Trevithick's Penydarren loco at Swansea's Waterfront Museum

Strictly speaking the Merthyr Tramroad, this route is noted for being the route where a steam locomotive hauled a load for the first time in 1804. Richard Trevithick's locomotive was built at the Penydarren Ironworks, one of four Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil the railway served together with Dowlais, Plymouth and Cyfarthfa. Prior to the construction of the tramroad materials produced in the works had to be transported to Cardiff by packhorse. Cyfarthfa had a canal connection and the other works were connected to Cyfarthfa by wagonway, however due to the terrain of the South Wales valleys there were numerous locks on the canal and it suffered greatly from congestion. The tramroad met the canal at Abercynon, cutting out a large section of canal. Proposals to carry the tramroad on in to Cardiff were unsurprisingly opposed by the canal companies.

Much more detail about the tramroad and Trevithick's engines, together with other interesting early locos subsequently employed can be found in this Industrial Railway Society article.

The famous run to prove a steam locomotive could haul a 10 Ton load on the tramroad took place on 21st February 1804 after a number of trial runs in the days before. The run was part of a 500 Guinea bet. It took 4 hours 5 minutes to complete the 9 3/4 miles, so actually slower than using horses but the bet was won. One of the main problems was the weight of the engine breaking the tramroad tracks. Horses continued to be used on the tramroad and the locomotive was used as a stationary engine. More about Trevithick's engine and the demonstration on the tramroad can be read on the Wikipedia article.

In 1841 the Taff Vale Railway opened and was connected to Dowlais works in 1851 via the Dowlais Railway. Some of the earlier works were closed and the tramroad gradually closed in the late 1800s. Unfortunately the old Ordnance Survey maps below are long afrer the hayday of the tramroad and parts of it had been closed. 

1881 Map (1)  1901 Map (2)  1884 Map (3)

Current Map

The route is largely a cycle route today and can be seen on the above map, make sure bicycling is selected in the left hand menu and it is highlighted in green following the River Taff to the east between Merthyr Tydfil and Abercynon. It is very easy to follow the route of Trevithick's engine on a bike, and somewhat quicker. It is would also make an easy walk with good connections from the nearby railway route on the old Taff Vale Railway line.

Sustrans page about the cycle route

Below - Bridge built for a Penydarren canal branch but subsequently used for railway lines in Merthyr Tydfill

Below - Tunnel on the Penydarren tramway

Below - Stone sleepers on the Penydarren tramway near Quakers' Yard

Below - Bridge on the Penydarren tramway near Quaker's Yard

Below - Stone sleepers on the Penydarren tramway near Quaker's Yard

Below - Bridge on the Penydarren tramway near Quakers' Yard

Below - Monument to the Penydarren tramway outside Abercynon Fire Station.

With the route of Trevithick's engine completed I locked my bike outside the Navigation pub and went for a drink. The bike didn't blow up while I was in the pub.