Following the sucess of the author's two volume set on The Rhymney Railway, the natural follow on was to explore the history of the Taff Vale Railway. Such has been the depth of the author's research this project has resulted in a need for three volumes. Copiously illustrated with maps, ephemera and lineside scenes this series is sure to delight the enthusiast and those with an interest in local history

The Taff Vale railway was absorbed by the Great Western Railway as far back as 1922 despite this the impact that the oldest and most extensive of all the South Wales colliery railways. It was constructed in several stages the first section from Merthyr to Cardiff was authorised in 1836 and the embryo Taff Vale company approached the now famous Isambard Kingdom Brunel to be the engineer responsible for construction. The 24 mile route was completed in 1841 and branches and extensions were added rapidly in the ensuing years.

The demand for coal to feed the steel works was growing rapidly as was the need for coal throughout the rapidly growing industrial base of the United Kingdom. Lines gradually spread throughout the welsh valleys above Cardiff and the importance of the docks to serve a growing level of imports and exports led to rapid expansion of dock lines including a new dock at Penarth, Locations served by the Taff Vale included Dinas, Abercynon, Aberdare, Aberthaw, Cardiff, Bute, and many more too numerous to mention here - suffice to say that the Taff Vale Railway is still a significant presence in the valleys even today - there being many structures and historic links with the old company.