Maerdy railway station

Maerdy railway station was a railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. It served the town of Maerdy between 1889 and 1964.

Maerdy
LocationMaerdy, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Wales
Coordinates 51.677682°N 3.4838390°W / 51.677682; -3.4838390
Grid referenceSS975987
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyTaff Vale Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
18 June 1889Opened
1 March 1956Closed to goods
15 June 1964Closed to passengers

History and description

Maerdy was the highest railway station on the Taff Vale system, located at 900 feet at the head of the valley. Maerdy was the upper terminus of the Maerdy Branch (or Rhondda Fach branch). The station had a single platform with large brick buildings and a signal box. The sidings for Mardy Colliery also ran through the station and terminated just beyond. Maerdy also had a large carriage shed built of corrugated iron. This initially housed autotrains, and was latterly used for diesel locomotives.[1]

Closure and after

Goods traffic ended in 1956. In the later years of the line's life, there were hourly passenger workings between Maerdy and Porth, the six-mile journey taking around 20 minutes. As part of the Beeching Axe, these services were withdrawn in 1964 and the station closed.[2] In the years after closure, traffic from the colliery continued, and a number of enthusiast specials ran over the line to Maerdy. The colliery closed in 1990 after 115 years. The platform was still intact in 1988,[3] but after the colliery closed, the station site was completely cleared and landscaped.

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Ferndale
Line & station closed		   Taff Vale Railway
Maerdy Branch		   Terminus

References
  1. Hutton, John (2006). The Taff Vale Railway Volume II. Kettering: Silver Link. p. 59. ISBN 1857942507.
  2. Hall, M. (2009). Lost Railways of South Wales. Newbury: Countryside Books. p. 78. ISBN 9781846741722.
  3. Hutton, John (1988). The Taff Vale Railway Miscellany. Sparkford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0860934144.
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