The Rogerstone Directory - History Articles

The Railway in Rogerstone

The growth of the iron and coal industries further up the valleys was instrumental in the coming of the railway through Rogerstone. The canal alone was unable to cope with the amount of traffic. Tram roads had been built to connect industries to the waterways and it is from these that the railway system was born. The tram roads consisted of single metal tracks along which a wooden tram was pulled by one horse.

The canal had its limitations and an Act of Parliament in 1802 allowed the Canal Company to construct a tram road adjacent to the River Sirhowy and Wattsville from Newport to a point nine miles away. Trains, consisting of up to fifteen wooden trams and drawn by up to six horses, could move fifty tons of goods, but the journey took a full day. The demand for iron was ever increasing, making greater demands on the railroad and its teams of horses. A few enterprising traders were also running a passenger and goods service - known as "The Caravan". Being on this traffic route, Rogerstone was becoming a recognised community. December 1829 saw the first steam engine introduced to the area. The "Brittania" made its first journey from Tredegar to Newport, unfortunately taking all day due to a few mishaps along the way.

In 1848 the Canal Navigation Company changed its name to become "The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company" and was given authority to carry passengers. It was not until December 1850 that Tydu saw its first signal posts erected and the railway was opened for passengers and parcels on 27th December. The journey from Blaina to Newport took one and three quarter hours.

In August 1875 the Monmouthshire Railway Company became part of the Great Western Railway.

Tydu was a significant Holt from the beginning. By 1887 there were six trains a day in both directions every weekday. There were two trains on a Sunday. The fares were 10 pence, 6 pence and 4 pence according to class.

1885 saw the start of the vast sidings complex at Rogerstone. In 1888, with the arrival of Nettlefolds, a private siding and rail links with the Castle Works was added over a viaduct with ten arches, into the works grounds on lower Tregwilym Road. Further lines were added in 1890, Rogerstone becoming a notable marshalling yard for goods trains, mainly coal and steel brought down from the Western Valleys. In 1929 there were 54 sets of lines at Rogerstone Station and sidings, including 2 passenger train tracks.

With the advent of ‘buses’ in the 1920s the railways became less profitable and by 1962 passenger transport was withdrawn completely in both the Western and Eastern Valleys of Gwent.

Coal merchants in the ‘Nook’ used the sidings at Rogerstone. Wern Estate was also served by a siding laid by the Ministry of Power in 1943 until cessation in 1956. Avana Bakeries used it in its early days. Access was also provided to the newly built Power Station in 1957, but the railway ceased to be used with coal imports being brought in by road. The sidings serving Alcan were withdrawn in 1968, no longer being in use, and the viaduct was demolished in 1971.

The marshalling yard finally closed on 19th November 1976, road transport taking over from the rail. The Risca/Rogerstone By-Pass now runs along the site of the sidings and a single through line is all that remains.

The Ebbw Rail Campaign is working to bring passenger services back through Rogerstone with the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line. The latest reports say that the completion of the £30m Ebbw Vale-Cardiff line is expected in the summer of 2007.

The proposed station at Rogerstone is to be situated on the site of the former rail sidings which served Rogerstone Power Station. A covered waiting area and a car park, accessed from the Westbury Homes Development, will be provided, with one platform serving both northbound and southbound trains.

~Rogerstone Railway Station

Kim Fry

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