Seeking reference material about Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway

[hclewis]

Hello,

 

My father owns a cottage adjacent to what was once the Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway. Naturally he is fascinated with the history of the line, so I am looking for any photographs / books / general information that's out there about the line to give to him for his birthday. The only book I've found on the subject is M. R. C. Price's 'The Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway (Oakwood Library of Railway History)', which I believe he already has. I am acutely aware of the existence of at least one DVD on the line, however efforts to contact the vendors yielded no results in the past, so I am unwilling to try these places again!

 

If anyone has any suggestions (or simply leads which I can follow) I would appreciate your help. I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong place, I am still getting the hang of things here.

 

Harry

[Fat Controller]

As far as I am aware, the only published work on the line is the Price book. Llanelli public library used to have some papers, but that was almost 50 years ago, when I did an A-Level project on the L&MMR and the two lines in the Gwendreath valley. It may be worth looking at two Facebook site, 'Railways of South Wales' and 'Llanelli Unseen'. There is now a preservation society, based at the former Cynheidre colliery site, near Five Roads, which might have some gen.

Glad to see someone taking interest in this line; I was brought up with a view of the line on the other side of the cricket pitch at Stradey, and went to Furnace CP school, starting whilst 16xx Panniers were still the motive power for the line, and finishing not long after the 'Six-Eighters' started their reign.

[kingfisher9147]

There is a book on llanelli dock railways, has some info on that railway. there might be some in different books on railways in wales. but west wales does get left out anything further than cardiff.  There is a book on the Gwendreath valley that does have information in it. There are some of the loco's still about , 1 at the kidwelly muesum, and some odd bits at cynheidre but not much.

mike one of the 16xx 1638 that did run on that line is still about on the dart valley raiwlay.

mike

[Fat Controller]

'Margaret', the engine that was at Kidwelly Industrial Museum (a grand title for what was an abandoned tin-plate works), belonged to the Gwendraeth Valley Railway, which ran from Stephenson's Silica Brickworks to the quarries at Mynydd-y-Garreg. To the best of my knowledge, it never wandered far until preservation days.

There has been a large influx of stock at the preservation site at Cynheidre in recent weeks, with the arrival of three 'Pacer' units. There is a link to their web-site here:-

https://www.llanellirailway.co.uk/

[Andy Kirkham]

I have a coupe of pictures of Cynheidre which you would be welcome to download.

 

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

I think there is some information on the L&MM in this. Not got this one so it might be worth looking at it before purchase to see if it's relevant.

 

https://www.middletonpress.co.uk/books/railways/western-main-lines/swansea-to-carmarthen.html

 

 

 

Jason

[hclewis]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for your very informative replies. They are much appreciated! I will look into the books that have been suggested and try and contact the preservation group at Cynheidre.

 

Harry

[Fat Controller]

On 07/07/2021 at 18:49, Steamport Southport said:

I think there is some information on the L&MM in this. Not got this one so it might be worth looking at it before purchase to see if it's relevant.

 

https://www.middletonpress.co.uk/books/railways/western-main-lines/swansea-to-carmarthen.html

 

 

 

Jason

There are four photos for the L&MMR; one historic, of Great Mountain Colliery, one of the 16xx that served (briefly) as shunter at Cynheidre, one of the exchange sidings at Cynheidre, and one of Sandy Junction.

In contrast, the BP&GV seems to have about twenty pages dedicated to it....

[Compound2632]

Have you tried the Welsh Railways Research Circle? They have an introductory page on the L&MM. There is a "Line Superintendent" - which I presume means someone who knows what there is to know. @corneliuslundie may be able to advise.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Compound2632

[corneliuslundie]

The WRRC Line Superintendent is Mike Denman. You can only contact him direct via the website if you are a member. But you can drop an e-mail to the Secretary with a query (or to me via a PM). There have been half a dozen or so articles/items on the L&MMR in Welsh Railways Archive over the last 30 years or so, including two about individual locomotives. Where available back numbers can be purchased from the Circle, though I doubt if the very early issues are still available.

Jonathan

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

The WRRC Line Superintendent is Mike Denman. You can only contact him direct via the website if you are a member. But you can drop an e-mail to the Secretary with a query (or to me via a PM). There have been half a dozen or so articles/items on the L&MMR in Welsh Railways Archive over the last 30 years or so, including two about individual locomotives. Where available back numbers can be purchased from the Circle, though I doubt if the very early issues are still available.

Jonathan

He is also the author of the volume of 'Nevill's Dock and Railway Company', the main line of which ran parallel to the L&MMR between Old Castle Crossing and Castle colliery, Furnace.

[corneliuslundie]

A most interesting volume. Published by Wider View, Tony Miller's company, but it may be out of print.

Jonathan

[Fat Controller]

8 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

A most interesting volume. Published by Wider View, Tony Miller's company, but it may be out of print.

Jonathan

I think you're correct: my wife got me a copy off E-bay. The cover photo shows, on the left, the Bryn Terrace Hotel, which my great-aunt and uncle used to keep, whilst to the right, next to the loco, is my friend Liz's old house. I went back a few years ago, and couldn't orientate myself at all. The area had been 'improved' beyond all recognition.

 

[hclewis]

On 10/07/2021 at 12:23, corneliuslundie said:

The WRRC Line Superintendent is Mike Denman. You can only contact him direct via the website if you are a member. But you can drop an e-mail to the Secretary with a query (or to me via a PM). There have been half a dozen or so articles/items on the L&MMR in Welsh Railways Archive over the last 30 years or so, including two about individual locomotives. Where available back numbers can be purchased from the Circle, though I doubt if the very early issues are still available.

Jonathan

Jonathan, thank you for this info. Sorry I'm almost 2 years late in replying (not a regular on this forum)!

[hclewis]

On 07/07/2021 at 13:07, Andy Kirkham said:

I have a coupe of pictures of Cynheidre which you would be welcome to download.

 

 

 

Lovely pics - I think I found these on flickr in the time since I made this post. Greatly enjoyed by my father, who now cycles past the site almost every day!