Railway Line Question.

[MacAdder]

Re: Railway Line Question.

I was born in number 40, we used to walk the line to Splott Park, outside our back garden was the main line to London, it used to frighten the Bejesus out of any friends who were out there with me, when a Steam Locomotive went past.

It wasn't Stevenson's Rocket by any chance

On a similar note, did you know....

In 1804 the first steam locomotive railway using a locomotive called the Penydarren was built by Richard Trevithick.
It was used to haul iron from Merthyr Tydfil to Abercynon.

Something I feel I should have known but didn't.

[BLUETIT]

Re: Railway Line Question.

Yes, it ran down past the PLAYING FIELD and crossed Newport Road over a bridge and then crossed the South Wales Main Line at the back of Spring Gardens Terrace. It then ran down towards Roath Dock between Moorland Road and Splott Park in parallel with the GWR Roath Dock Branch which left the main line at Pengam Junction opposite the Newport Road Bus and Tram Depot.

If you are familiar with the Rhymney Line, south of Heath High Level where the line goes under Highfields Road you will see a brick wall with a raised track bed in front of a large retaining brick wall. That raised track bed gets higher as the Rhymney Line drops towards Queen St Station. The track bed ends as it reaches Cathays Cemetery. It was a proposed link to the Roath Branch to allow coal to get from the Rhymney Valley direct to Roath Dock. The plan never got off the ground but tracks had been laid on it and it was used as a siding for many years, specifically for carriages. The tracks were lifted when Heath Junction ( to what was the Coryton Line formerly the Cardiff Railway) was moved 300m north ( now the City Line) and the sidings land that was surplus to requirements was sold off for housing.

We used to call it the "SANDIES", don't ask me why

[Cyncoed Slumdog]

Re: Railway Line Question.

The other side of the railway line from the playing fields, there was some water that kids enjoyed swimming in that was known as the 'WARMIES' - the reason being it was some sort of outlet from the power station!

[splott parker]

Re: Railway Line Question.

Well done Enoch. The line ran along the side of the Harlequins playing fields which was Cardiff High School's home ground and I remember seeing trains going past whilst I was playing rugby. It ran along the bottom of Waterloo Gardens then before new houses were built on the old track bed.

Off topic but interesting regarding the Harlequins ground, the City played a couple of friendlies there pre Ninian Park to gauge the local interest. Middlesbrough was definitely one and I think Bristol City the other. The players changed in the Royal Oak and walked over to the park, I always like to think that the great Steve Bloomer was involved for ‘Boro.

[Enoch Mort]

Re: Railway Line Question.

Off topic but interesting regarding the Harlequins ground, the City played a couple of friendlies there pre Ninian Park to gauge the local interest. Middlesbrough was definitely one and I think Bristol City the other. The players changed in the Royal Oak and walked over to the park, I always like to think that the great Steve Bloomer was involved for ‘Boro.

1909, the City were in the South Wales League at the time and wanted to get into the Southern League but, in the absence of a suitable stadium, could not be admitted. A year later Ninian Park came along and we were in.

[Cyncoed Slumdog]

Re: Railway Line Question.

Off topic but interesting regarding the Harlequins ground, the City played a couple of friendlies there pre Ninian Park to gauge the local interest. Middlesbrough was definitely one and I think Bristol City the other. The players changed in the Royal Oak and walked over to the park, I always like to think that the great Steve Bloomer was involved for ‘Boro.

Steve Bloomer definitely played along with Alf Common who was then holder of the British record having been signed for the first ever 4 figure transfer fee.

[xsnaggle]

Re: Railway Line Question.

It wasn't Stevenson's Rocket by any chance

On a similar note, did you know....

In 1804 the first steam locomotive railway using a locomotive called the Penydarren was built by Richard Trevithick.
It was used to haul iron from Merthyr Tydfil to Abercynon.

Something I feel I should have known but didn't.

Who built the second steam locomotive named Penydarren?