Talk:Llancaiach Branch

Connection to Ynysybwl and Lady Windsor Colliery
Although this line may have been built at the same time or as part of the same contract, the Ynysybwl branch was not connected to the Llancaiach branch as depicted on the map. The Ynysybwl branch deviated from the Taff Vale mainline at a triangular junction to the south of Stormstown Junction. The Llancaiach branch deviated to the east of the mainline at Stormstown as in the plan below

Taff Vale Mainline |           |            |  Llancaiach Branch - to Nelson |/                        /            |                         |            |  Stormstown Junction    | /|                        | -- |                         |  Cilfynydd and Albion Colliery Ynysybwl \|                         / | /--/           |/            |        Pontypridd

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.27.207.210 (talk • contribs)

Rail gauge
Was this ? Peter Horn User talk 00:57, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

Inaccurate route diagram
I understand that you take a particular interest in railways. I came across you as you (quite properly) picked up my addition to "Swaythling Station" when I gave some information without citing a source: fortunately, Wikipedia worked as it should as within a day or so someone else had added a quite acceptable reference.

I have no experience of amending diagrams: can you or someone sort out 'Llancaiach Branch'? Whoever set it up (and did the diagram) has the quite erroneous idea that the former branch line to Ynysybwl came off this branch, rather than the Taff Vale Main Line. I have added appropriate references to the entry on Ynysybwl, where there was a similar mistake, which I have corrected. I have made some amendments to the text of Llancaiach Branch. The whole diagram is an inaccurate mess, as (1) Stormstown sidings were to the north of Cilfynydd; (2) the Albion Colliery sidings came off to the east of the main branch, and Cilfynydd halt lay on the branch; and (3) the Taff Vale branch to Aberdare came off the TVR Main line at Abercynon (and still does). I am originally from this area so know the local geography well.Ntmr (talk) 15:01, 1 July 2014 (UTC)
 * The RDT at Llancaiach Branch does look somewhat odd when compared to the 1903 RCH Junction Diagram for the Llancaiach/Quaker's Yard area. The South Wales Valleys are complicated, with two, three or even four lines up a single valley, crossing over from one side to the other and crossing each other as they go. It's not really my area, and although did most of the work here, it's probably best to express your concerns at the talk page for the article - i.e. Talk:Llancaiach Branch - or that for the RDT - i.e. Template talk:Llancaiach Branch RDT, and also inform WT:UKRAIL of that discussion. -- Red rose64 (talk) 16:14, 1 July 2014 (UTC)
 * Thanks Redrose64! If its wrong, happy to amened, but will say that the German language template that the RDT is based on is about as easy to visually manipulate as herding cats/writing BASIC language code! The way I construct them is to think North-South or East West (ie: top to bottom), then add the major landmarks and do your best with the rest. Drop a note into this thread and happy to attempt any required changes. Rgds, --Trident13 (talk) 16:30, 1 July 2014 (UTC)

I would agree with the user who has raised this point. His diagram would seem to be basically accurate. The same mistake was to be found on the page relating to Ynysybwl: I have corrected the text there and given citations to historic OS maps. The diagram on the Llancaiach Branch page does not tally with the 1903 RCH Junction Diagram for the Llancaiach/Quaker's Yard area either, so it must be wrong. The halt at Coedpenmaen is elusive. It does not appear on the historic OS maps to which I have access, including those of 1900 and 1919. On the other hand, the Berw Road Halt does not appear on the 1900 map either, and it does on the 1919 map, so that certainly existed. The List of closed railway stations in Britain suggests that Coedpenmaen Halt closed in 1915, so it may have opened (at the same time as Berw Road Halt?) after 1900, and closed by the time of the 1919 survey. The OS maps refer to this part of the branch as the 'Pont-Shon-Norton Branch' which is odd, as there was no halt or station at Pont-Shon-Norton (Welsh: Pont-Sion-Norton)Ntmr (talk) 21:54, 1 July 2014 (UTC)
 * I moved the original thread from User talk:Redrose64 because without it, the first few sentences ("I would agree with the user who has raised this point" etc.) don't have context. -- Red rose64 (talk) 19:28, 17 July 2014 (UTC)

I have attempted to amend the route diagram so that it now follows the sketch plan above and the 1903 RCH Junction Diagram for the Llancaiach/Quaker's Yard area. It may need tweaking by someone more proficient in editing these diagrams than I am - the Stormstown sidings were adjacent to Stormstown Junction, which was on the MAIN line - but I think it now more accurately represents the basic layout.Ntmr (talk) 23:25, 6 September 2014 (UTC)

Combined efforts seem to be sorting this diagram out. Two points: (1) although the line from Pontypool to Nelson was called the 'Taff Vale Extension' (part of the GWR by, it seems, 1863) was the line from Nelson to Aberdare (HL) really also known by this name? It is possible, though it seems unlikely. (2) When was the line from just north of Pontypridd Goods Station via Cilfynydd actually built? It was known as the Pont-Shon-Norton Branch (see above). Is this the 1873 deviation referred to?Ntmr (talk) 16:25, 9 September 2014 (UTC)
 * The Pont-Shon-Norton Branch does not appear on the 1:2500 OS Map published in 1874 (date of the actual survey not known), but does appear on one published in 1900. The 1900 Map does not give a name for the junction of the new Branch with the Taff Vale Main Line.Ntmr (talk) 16:38, 9 September 2014 (UTC)