Brecon Mountain Railway
A narrow-gauge steam railway from Pant near Merthyr Tydfil into the Brecon Beacons National Park, running along reservoirs to Torpantau.
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Over het museum
The Brecon Mountain Railway runs from Pant, just north of Merthyr Tydfil, into the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. It follows part of the former Brecon & Merthyr Railway, which was established in 1859, opened in 1863 to carry iron, coal and goods through the hills, and closed in 1964 in the Beeching cuts.
The revival was the project of Anthony Hills, who began planning in the late 1970s after a childhood love of steam locomotives. By then the old line had been stripped of its rails, bridge girders and ballast, so the railway was rebuilt almost from scratch. Track between Pant and Pontsticill was laid by 1979, and the first section opened to the public in 1980 with a small locomotive named Sybil. The line was extended to Dolygaer in 1995 and to Torpantau, the summit of the old railway at 1,313 feet, in 2014.
Today the railway has a station with shop, tearooms and workshop viewing area at Pant, a lakeside cafe and adventure playground at Pontsticill, and a 9.5-mile return journey behind steam locomotives. Among them is Loco No. 2, a Baldwin Pacific built in 1930 that was rescued after a crash in South Africa and restored. The railway is still run by the Hills family.
Hoogtepunten
- 9.5-mile return steam journey past Pontsticill and the Taf Fechan Reservoir to Torpantau at 400 metres
- Enclosed Heritage Cars and open-sided Excursion Car
- Workshop viewing gallery at Pant station
- Lakeside Cafe and adventure playground at Pontsticill
- Cupola Experience and footplate rides
- The Polar Express train ride in November and December 2026
Vaste collectie
- Steam train journey to Torpantau – A 9.5-mile return journey behind a steam locomotive from Pant to Torpantau, the summit of the old railway, with a stop at Pontsticill beside the reservoir.
- Workshop viewing gallery – A viewing area at Pant station where visitors can see locomotives and carriages being maintained on many running days.
- Opgericht
- 1980
- Beheerder
- Brecon Mountain Railway Company
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | £ 23,50 |
|---|---|
| Kinderen & jongeren | £ 11,75gratis t/m 2 jaar · Child return fare for ages 3 to 15, £11.75 online or £12.50 at the door; children aged 2 and under travel free without a seat. |
| Mensen met een beperking | –A necessary companion or carer can travel at a 25% discount when the disabled visitor pays the full fare; proof is required. |
| Groepen (vanaf 20 pers.) | –Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. |
| Excursion Car (open-sided carriage), full return journey | £ 24Lowest 'from' price shown online; availability is limited. |
| Cupola Experience | £ 33,92Ride in the raised lookout above the guard's van; adults only (18+). |
| Footplate ride from Pant to Torpantau | £ 99,75Adults only (18+); one participant per train. |
| Single journey Torpantau to Pontsticill | £ 15,90Single journeys are available in the off-peak season. |
The adult return fare for ages 16 and over is £23.50 online or £25.00 on the door; the Heritage Car (enclosed) full return journey is shown online from £24.91 including fees. Online fares carry a booking fee and rise with demand in summer. Concessions include 10% for Blue Light Card holders, 20% for Great Little Trains of Wales card holders and 20% for local residents' card holders.
Toegankelijkheid
- Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift: geen informatie
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
The car park is level, with six accessible bays close to the entrance and a drop-off point. Pant station has a step-free route to the platform, an accessible toilet, and level access to the restaurant and gift shop. A specially adapted carriage with a ramp carries manual, self-propelled wheelchairs with staff help, and spaces must be pre-booked; powered chairs and mobility scooters cannot be carried. Standard carriages have steps. Wheelchair users cannot board or leave the train at Torpantau. There are no toilets on the train. Pontsticill has a level platform with ramps, a 30 mm step into the cafe, and an accessible toilet. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
| Bezoekduur | ca. 1,667 uur |
|---|---|
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 2 jaar |
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Kinderwagenvriendelijk
- Verschoonruimte
- Speeltuin / speelhoek
Child fares apply to ages 3 to 15 and infants travel free. There is an adventure playground at Pontsticill, and baby changing facilities are at Pant and Pontsticill stations. The Polar Express event for families runs from 13 November to 23 December 2026.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Pant (cemetery) bus stop
Stagecoach bus route 35 runs from Merthyr Tydfil bus station to Pant (cemetery stop) every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday. Trains from Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil run every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 2 hours on Sundays.
Met de auto
Betaald parkeren
A large car and coach park at Pant station is free for the first hour and then costs a flat £3 per day, payable at the machines or in the shop. There are six 7 kW electric vehicle charging points. There is no car parking at Pontsticill or Torpantau.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
Pant station is just off the Heads of the Valleys road about three miles north of Merthyr Tydfil; follow the Mountain Railway signs from the A470 and A465. For satellite navigation use CF48 2DD.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Museumwinkel
Pant Station Tearooms serve light meals, cakes and drinks and are open to the public without a train ticket; cream tea and afternoon tea must be pre-booked 48 hours ahead. The Lakeside Cafe at Pontsticill serves snacks, drinks and ice cream. The gift shop is at Pant. Mobile phone reception along the line is patchy.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.
Je bezoek plannen
| Goed om te weten | Visitors can break their journey at Pontsticill or Torpantau and return on a later train by telling the guard; this is not possible in peak summer. Guided walks combined with train rides are offered in 2026 with an outside walking company. On many days the workshop where locomotives and carriages are maintained can be viewed from a gallery at Pant. Pushchairs may be used in the stations but are asked to be left in the waiting room during the journey. |
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