This line linked up with the TVR line from Cathays to Llandaf and the East
Moors depot and industrial estates.
More details on the dates of construction and abandonment can be found here
(RAILSCOT
website). Very little of this line remains, however its route can be
traced out by the boundaries of some new developments. The main purpose of
this page is to show what is left of this route about 40 years after
abandonment. The table on the right details the current state of the line.
There is a photogallery at the bottom of the page.
 |
The section from Roath Branch Junction to North Road has disappearde beneath a new development - Silver Birch Close. |
| Although the bridge under North Road was removed during the construction of the Gabalfa interchange the areas of grassland to either side of North Road at this point are relics of a filled in cutting | |
| From Gabalfa to Fairoak Road bridge, the line has been completely overbuilt by the A48. This inclused the replacement of the bridge of Rhymney line to Caerphilly. | |
| The section between Fairoak Road and Penylan Road has been largely built over by the Boleyn Walk and Melrose Place developments. Penylan Bridge still exists and until 2002 served as a pedeatrian undepass. The arch has beeen filled in, presumably as the bridge was weak and the conjestion caused by removing it would be severe. | |
| The section between Penylan Road Bridge and Roath Brook bridge has been overbuilt, with development of Melrose Court and Waterloo Close. The Roath goods depot and power station has been demolished and some is now the site of Sainsbury's. It is possible to walk along the side of the old trackbed from Penylan Rd to Newport Road, but not on the trackbed itself. | |
| The Roath Brook Bridge has been partially demolished however the brick arch remains and is used as a pedestrian crossing over the Brook | |
| The Newport Road bridge has been removed for widening of Newport road, however the track line can be seen as the earth bank between the last of the Edwardian terrace houses and the shopping development | |
| South of the GWR mainline, the Roath Branch parallels the active? GWR to docks branch as far as as far as Muirton Road, where the present line to the East Moors Depot transfrerrs to the route of the TVR Roath Branch. At this point the Roath Branch track was only double. It is now heavily overgrown all the way from Vale Terrace to South Park Road.The TVR Muirton Road Bridge is abandoned, wide enough for 2 tracks. The GWR Muirton Road Bridge is partially in use, a modular iron girder bridge, formerly 6 track, reduced to 2. Thw easternmost portion of the East Moors Spur is the ababdoned twin track high level GWR route to the docks. The brick arch of South Park Road bridge is abandoned and in a poor state of repair. The iron girder TVR South Park bridge carries 2 tracks, but is still a full 6 track width. Since the GWR route is still active, access to the section is tricky. |
