Opened : 1826

Closed - Bargoed - Bedwas ?, Bedwas - Machen - 1989

Engineering Code: BJR

Length : ?

Route : Machen, Trethomas, Bedwas, Barry J, Maesycymmer, Maesycymmer J, Pengam, Aberbargoed, Aberbargoed J, Bargoed

	The trackbed between Bargoed and Aberbargoed has been lost substantially. The large embankment across the Rhymney river has been removed and landscaped along with the Britannia Colliery site and Aberbargoed Junction. A new network of paths in the area allows the approximate line of the track to be followed from Aberbargoed Junction to High Stee, Aberbargoed. Only one parapet of the High Street bridge remains as a result of road straightening and cutting backfilling. New houses have been built on the trackbed between the bridge and Aberbargoed Station.
	Redevelopment has also claimed much of the trackbed southwards towards Maesycymmer Junction. The site of Pengam station has been redeveloped. Only one abutment of Plas Road bridge remains.
	The short Maesycymmer Loop (MYL) has fared better, being followable as an unoficcial footpath between the site of Maesycymmer junction and the former GWR line. Only the section immediately around the bridge is private, with the trackbed at this site forming part of someone's garden.
	The section between Maesycymmer Junction and Barry junction is generally not possible to follow for any length. The short section between the partly demolished Summerhall lne bridge to the partly demolished Thomas Street bridge (beneath the GWR viaduct is a public path. Realignment of the A472 Main Road has claimed the Maesycymmer Station site. Small amounts of redevelopment, as well as reversion to farmland or woodland prevents further progress. Twyn Road bridge has been partly demolished and Dyffryn road bridge was partly demolished during road straightening works. Only the northern abutment remain, well hidden beneath bushes. The small stone arch of Ty Gwyn lane is extant, but the trackbed is overgrown. Dyffryn lane bridge has had its top removed and the nearby Barry Junction site is bbadly overgrown.
	THe section between Barry Junction and Pandy Mawr road is not passable, as much of this section now forms Bedwas dump. THe large embankment onver Pandy Mawr road is extant. The trackbed is followable from there th Mountain Road bridge at Bedwas. Bedwas Station has been demolished and the bridge backfilled, leaving only the eastern parapet. The section between there and the intact Rectory Road brighe is overgrown and partly flooded. THe text "Rumney Railway 1826" is a legacy of the origin of this railway as an early tramway. The line is impassable towards the partly demolished Ty Canol lane bridge, marking the western end of the Bedwas Colliery site, only cleared in 1989. Eastwards of the now only slightly overgrown Bedwas Colliery site the trackbed is followable through to Trethomas Station. The station site itself is overgrown, although the platforms are extant beneath nettles and brambles.
	THe section between Ttethomas Station and Dranllwyn lane, Machen is open as a sustrans-backed cycleway. The line passes under Standard Street bridge (a 1960's concrete structure) and over three small stone arches over lanes. The cycleway ends at Drallwyn. Beyond this the trackbed is in private hands, as a paddock and the last section before Machen, including the site of the station and junction has been built upn. A short section of heavily overgrown trackbed leads to the current terminus of the line at Machen Quarry.

Quarries and Railways