The line from Newport to Blaenavon lost its passenger services from April 1962 before the notorious 'Beeching Act' denuded significant parts of Wales of their railways. Although passenger services ceased freight continued working but this was also withdrawn following closure of the Big Pit Mine at Blaenavon in 1980; the site achieved World Heritage Status in 2000. The preserved Pontypool and Blaenavon Heritage Railway uses part of the high-level line. Includes an essay on the history of the line and photographs of its locomotives, trains and stations. AUTHOR: Geoffrey Lloyd worked in the gas industry for over 35 years and spent over twenty years as an officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Taking early retirement, he then embarked on an academic career in pursuit of educational qualifications that took him to Doctoral level and travelled the world as a consultant and conference speaker. He spent several years with Voluntary Service Overseas that took him to locations such as Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone. He has always harboured a deep interest in railways from childhood and wrote his first book for Graffeg in their 'Lost Lines Series' in 2
