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Returning home after an
overnight stay in South Wales, I consulted the map carefully.
(Self, whilst passing the
environs of Merthyr Tydfil) "There's an interesting-looking narrow
gauge railway not far from here"
(Wife) "What a surprise. Will we be able to get lunch there?"
  Study
the old maps to see what a railway maze the Merthyr and Dowlais area was.
An early base of the iron industry, a number of railway companies tried to
tap into the valuable traffic generated there. Sadly all are now gone,
with the exception of the single track passenger line to Cardiff. The
Brecon Mountain Railway is a relatively new 2ft gauge line built on part
of the trackbed of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway's through route to
Newport.
  Starting
at the line's headquarters at Pant, the line heads due north to
Pontsticill, formerly junction for the line via Morlais Junction to
Merthyr High Street. It then climbs steadily to its highest point at
Torpantau. Although track has now been laid as far as the latter, trains
currently run round at Dolygaer and, as there is no platform there, they
then return to Pontsticill. Passengers then have 20 minutes to take in the
scenery from this elevated position above the reservoirs of the Taf Fechan,
before returning to Pant. The trip takes about 65 minutes in total.
 Our
train was hauled by a pacific, no less - a Baldwin, no. 61269 of 1930,
whose transatlantic origins are
only too obvious. In keeping with its style, the coaching stock includes a
caboose with a "birdcage" type lookout for the guard, and the
station at Pontsticill (a few yards to the north of the original B&M
station) is reminiscent of places much further west!
We enjoyed the trip
greatly, and I will certainly be looking in again, perhaps when the
extension is opened. And to answer the question, yes, the lunch was most
sustaining...
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; "Like a scene from much further west.....")
; "No 2 runs round at Pant")
; "No 2 runs round at Dolygaer")
; "No 2 and train at Pontsticill")
; "Portrait of No 2 at Pontsticill. The sign reads \"Height above sea level 1123 ft\"")
; "No 2 being griced at Pontsticill")
; "Almost back at Pant")