The Vale of Neath Railway "Pontypool Rd to Glynneath"

A full length run along my Train Simulator route "The Vale of Neath Railway" from Pontypool Road as far as Glynneath. As usual, the camera work is a bit all over the place, and some signals failed to show correctly, but I hope you enjoy watching it.
Note that my route is based on the 1892 - 1914 25" OS Map, so a lot of the scenery is all over the place historically, and trying to drive the train without the usual controls showing on screen was a bit of a challenge, so I am a bit slow in places on the long steep gradients.
I hope to extend the route all the way to Neath in future.
PLEASE NOTE: Subtitles for locations are available by clicking on the subtitle icon above.
The route is available to download if you're a Train Simulator user click here www.mediafire....

[@pam-d1z]

I have told loads of people about these, your are a genius mr salter and these have given pleasure to so many. thankyou.

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

@@pam-d1z thanks. Winter us coming, I hope to do more.

[@TheAutisticCapricorn]

I can't help but think of how much watching neat Train Simulator gameplay videos would make great fascinating _Railway Series_ stories, if I was liable to have the creative mind to write me a good story or two, which unfortunately is something I don't seem to possess to make redeemable for not just myself, but for the people that's heavily inspired and in connection of the universal lore of the _Railway Series_ and _Thomas & Friends_ franchise as an entire whole.

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

www.youtube.com/@AngryWelshmanProductions

[@robertherrick3337]

Incredible work. The detail is amazing. Gelli Tarw junction is so accurate with the Cwmaman line (pre 1939) and the Merthyr line joining. Your loco was really struggling coming up from Aberdare and I remember, similar to Glyn Neath, coal trains were usually banked.

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Glad you liked it

[@denisehartley2732]

Absolutely brilliant.

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Thanks 😃

[@hhondahornet]

amazing, just been along some of route by bus, amazing totally gobsmacked

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Thank you 👍

[@user-nb9pi9dy4l]

Great stuff! can u do newport to crane street pontypool....

[@paulhowells6172]

I have watched up to Ystrad Mynach but I wanted to give a review straight away , it was brilliant and I recognised a lot of the area . I live in Maesycwmmer and seeing a digital representation of my house was pretty amazing and cool . I will say the smoke from the train did block my view a couple of times and as you said the camera work was all over the place . You don’t know how much I enjoyed this video, it’s crazy to think that A472 sits on top of most of that track and that I use that road a lot going back and forth to Pontypool. I often wonder what it like when trains were everywhere.

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Thanks. So glad you enjoyed it. One day I'll do some more realistic filming of my route.

[@nigelwilliams7403]

Another fab video Ben! Just loved the details of the complex junctions, esp Bird In Hand (named after the nearby pub). Seems there are very few old photos of the junction at the start of Crumlin viaduct - think this was a double track incline down to join the lower Western Valleys route at Llanhilleth ? My old Dad often talked of the route thru Maesycwmmer Station under the Hengoed Viaduct - on the way to Bedwellty Grammar School i think.

[@hamster_cheeks]

Excellent steam Train Simulator skills with no HUD. Many thanks Ben

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Thanks, I should have taken a much shorter train!!

[@andyman1963]

fantastic detail, loved the canal barges , well done

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Thanks. Glad you spotted the canal barges on the Glamorganshire Canal over the Cefn Glas tunnel 👍

[@andyman1963]

@@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL would they have been visible on the Abercynon / Aberedare stretch too ?

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

@andyman1963 there's a few in my model somewhere, but that section of canal became derelict quite early on. Above Mountain Ash in my recreation, I've filled it full of weeds.

[@22whizzo56]

How come the train went so far without any coal being added?

[@chriswilliams7480]

My father drove a real over thing over the real route

[@HaydnMillerUK]

Can you do a train to Dowlais (Cae Harris) from Cardiff, btw love your videos and attention to detail.

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Glad you like them. Might be extending my Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny route from Beaufort to Dowlais this Winter?

[@nimywales]

Crumlin viaduct had to many piers

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Yes I know. But it was a limitation of the software I was using. I tried to alter the viaduct to use less piers, but it just wouldn't work.

[@dr.christopherwilkinson2482]

To didn't have enough o's

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

@@dr.christopherwilkinson2482 🙄 🤣😂

[@turquoisecat761]

* too

[@ancientsolar2]

living along the route between pontypool and Pontllanfraith, I recognised a lot of it - 1 area threw me off a little - as you leave treowen and Newbridge toward Pentwynmawr, is there meant to be a tunnel or was that solely for the track coming from Crosskeys Junction? - i'm not entirely sure how/if it met up but I used to walk around that area in Pentwynmawr.

[@ancientsolar2]

think I see the tunnel at 27:24 - it all makes sense now! :) :)

[@ancientsolar2]

further to that, just checking googlemaps on the pontllanfraith, can see the variations on the map where the line would have run ! Incredible!

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Yes that's the single track Pennar Tunnel in the background, taking the line to Crosskeys.

[@nimywales]

Can you download it to play as the game?

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Yes, but you'll need quite a lot of extras. The requirements are in the READ ME in the download.

[@kipwinger13]

Can't see the names of the stations

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Click on the subtitles option at the bottom of the screen. 😁

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Or the top right if you're on a phone.

[@jacobparry6212]

Can you do a video on tredegar train station

[@jacobparry6212]

Can you do a video of tredegar train station in this game?

[@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL]

Hi there. I'm sorry but I don't have enough time to recreate Tredegar at the moment. It takes weeks if not months to research and build these routes. This Winter I hope to finish this route, from Glynneath to Neath Riverside. Then I'll return to my Merthyr Tredegar and Abergavenny route, to complete that from Beaufort to Merthyr. Sorry I can't help (yet).

[@jacobparry6212]

@@TheOpenBoatDAFFODIL no rush mate. I was just wondering because I'm from tredegar

[@Vinyl_Dave]

57:58 - Oops - they didn't have mouse pointers in those days!