Geoffrey Lloyd continues this series of pocket books exploring Wales's railway heritage, each revealing one of the nation's "lost lines." The closure of many of these lines has had significant and lasting impact, and the recovery of some routes is of public relevance and a source of debate today. The Heads of The Valleys line served the communities of Methyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny dating back to 1860, linking the area to major population centers around south Wales and the rest of the UK on a dramatic route of curves, steep gradients, tunnels, and viaducts. The line was finally closed in 1958. The history and social background of the railway and its passengers during this period is explored station by station and brought vividly to life through extensive research and archive photography, some of which has never been published before. These portable guides are suitable for the transport historian as well as being accessible to the general reader, and richly document this essential aspect of British heritage.

Take a nostalgic steam-powered journey back in time on the long-closed line of the Vale of Neath. Includes an essay on the history of the line and photographs of its locomotives, trains and stations. Explore the line station-by-station as the history, heritage and social background of the railway and its passengers is brought to life using archive photography, some of which has never been published before.

Take a nostalgic steam-powered journey back in time on the long-closed line from Abergavenny to Merthyr. This was one of the steepest gradients in Britain, offering spectacular views of mountains and gorges as it meandered across the wind-swept heads of the south Wales Valleys. The line was also built to capitalise on the rich coal mining and ironworks that sprang up during the Industrial Revolution, the birthplace of the railways that became famous throughout the world. Includes an essay on the history of the line and fascinating photography of its locomotives, trains and stations.

Studies arising out of a highly successful IWA conference on the Heads of the Valleys held in 2008, followed by an expert seminar organised by the IWA in association with the Regeneration Institute at Cardiff University.

While it is still possible to travel from Swansea to Shrewsbury along the quaint and sleepy Heart of Wales line today's experience is a far cry from its heyday, when heavy goods and express trains worked their way over the Welsh hills. In this volume, we explore the southern end of the line, including the now closed section running along the Swansea shore line and the branch to Carmarthen, and document its complicated history around the Swansea and Llanelli areas.