Private company
Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
Railway in English
The Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway (HH&BR) was a railway company that built a line between Hereford in England and a junction with the Mid-Wales Railway at Three Cocks Junction. It opened its line in stages from 1862 to 1864. It never had enough money to operate properly, but the Midland Railway saw it as a means of reaching Swansea, and from 1869 the Midland Railway was given exclusive running powers over the HH&BR.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated Oct 20, 2026.
Overview
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The Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway (HH&BR) was a railway company that built a line between Hereford in England and a junction with the Mid-Wales Railway at Three Cocks Junction. It opened its line in stages from 1862 to 1864. It never had enough money to operate properly, but the Midland Railway saw it as a means of reaching Swansea, and from 1869 the Midland Railway was given exclusive running powers over the HH&BR. There was then a long-running dispute over whether the Midland inherited rights of access previously granted to the HH&BR.2
Acquisitions
- Succeeded by Midland Railway1
Controversies and legal
Transfer from Barton to Barrs Court
Midland trains started to work through to Swansea over the Neath and Brecon Railway and the Swansea Vale Railway on 2 July 1877. The use of Barton at Hereford was never entirely convenient, because Barrs Court was used by through trains and connections there were desirable. Antagonism between the respective companies (Midland, GWR and LNWR) resulted in any agreement being much delayed until 21 May 1891. The Midland Railway would now construct the Widemarsh Loop (at last); the GWR would form the northern junction with it; the GWR and the LNWR would make and complete the Brecon curve; and the Midland would use Barrs Court station and vacate Barton.
Finally the Brecon Curve was opened from 2 January 1893, and HH&BR (Midland) trains started to use Barrs Court. Midland Railway through coaches between Birmingham and Brecon, later Swansea, started running from 8 July 1873; they continued running until 31 December 1916.
From 1 January 1893 Barton was reduced to the status of a goods station. Engines were turned on the triangle until 30 June 1894, when the South Curve was cut.
From Wikipedia’s article on Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3
Timeline
- Aug 8, 1859Founded Founded1
Links
- WikipediaHereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
- More imagesWikimedia Commons
- WikidataQ5737913
Sources
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.
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