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

The Taff Vale, we may add, is laid with doubled-headed rails, those now being put down being of steel. The chairs are bolted - not spiked - to rectangular sleepers, and the latter are well creosoted. The fish-joints used differ from any we have met with elsewhere. In the latest pattern the fish-plates are made very long, and extend through the chairs on each side of the joint, these chairs being specially made to receive them. To secure the fish-plate six square bolts are used, four of these being situated between the joint chairs and two outside them. The joint thus formed is necessarily somewhat expensive ; but it is very strong, and the state of the line shows that it remains in excellent condition under the heavy traffic.