Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - Penarth Dock in 1874. . .

The trend line added to the graph above shows the linear relationship between tonnage in millions conveyed on the lines of the Taff Vale Railway in the years 1841 to 1873 and is an illustration of the amazing growth of trade over that period of time.

Of the last mentioned quantity (4,527,641 tons) nearly one-fourth, or 1,234,618 tons, was sent to Penarth Junction for shipment at the docks, while a nearly equal quantity, namely, 1,226,374 tons, was conveyed to the East Bute Dock and Bute Tidal Harbour, 707,550 tons to the West Bute Dock, and 17,143 tons to the dock belonging to the Taff Vale Company.

We had an opportunity, during some of the excursions last week, of examining the Taff Vale line at various points, and it is only fair to the engineer, Mr. Fisher, that we should say a word as to the admirable manner in which both the permanent way and rolling stock are maintained. In this respect the Taff Vale sets an excellent example to some of our larger companies, and it is more worthy of notice, as in lines devoted almost entirely to mineral traffic, thoroughness of maintenance is but too apt to be neglected.