Merthyr Mawr, Kenfig and Margam Burrows
001 South Wales Main Line (Great Western and Port Talbot Railways) and Newlands Loop Rail Corridor
HLCA 001 South Wales Main Line (Great Western and Port Talbot Railways) and Newlands Loop Rail Corridor
Communication corridor: rail. Back to Map
Historic Background
The historic landscape area of South Wales Main Line and Newlands Loop Rail Corridor is a section of the parallel routes of the South Wales Railway and the Port Talbot Railways. The former constructed between Chepstow and Swansea was engineered by IK Brunel and opened on 18th June 1850. The line, which used the Broad Gauge, was later amalgamated into the Great Western Railway in 1863 and converted to Standard Gauge by 1872. The later lines of the Port Talbot Railway (PTR) formerly ran in parallel on the seaward side of the SWR (GWR) between the lines of the Port Talbot Docks at Copper Works Junction and Cefn Junction where it terminated with the Pyle-Tondu line. This line was opened on 18th December 1898 following the authorisation of the Ogmore valleys Extension Act of 7th August 1896. From 1 January 1922 the PTR was amalgamated with the GWR and the Newlands Loop was constructed in 1960 under British Rail, linking the lines of the former SWR and PTR.
Historic Landscape Characteristics
The South Wales Main Line and Newlands Loop Rail Corridor is characterised as an important communication corridor associated with both industrial and public rail. The area partly remains in operation as the main line between Swansea and Cardiff, though the line of the former PTR and associated sidings from Newlands Loop is now dismantled. Surviving features include rail bridges.