Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
In time the Canal became overwhelmed by the volume of traffic, and encouraged by the successful opening of railways with more advanced technology than the horse tramways of previous years, the Taff Vale Railway was promoted. It was authorised by Parliament in 1836 and it opened between Merthyr and Cardiff docks in 1841. The line passed close to the Maesmawr workings but did not make a connection.
Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
In 1903 the Taff Vale Railway experimented with what it called "motor cars"—railmotors, that is, single passenger coaches with an integrated small steam engine. The intention was to provide a passenger service in remote areas by setting up low-cost stopping places; these were generally 40-feet long timber platforms without shelter or any other facility. After trials on the Penarth branch the system was adopted throughout the TVR system, and from 1 May 1905 the motor cars operated most of the passenger services in an enhanced timetable between Pontypridd and Aberthaw, reversing at Llantrisant and continuing over the Cowbridge Railway and the Cowbridge and Aberthaw Railway. A new motor car platform was provided at Tonteg. The motor cars could not convey tail traffic so some conventional trains were run, but they could not call at the motor car platforms.