The Brecon Mountain Railway, one of the 12 Great Little Trains of Wales and the only one located in the south of the principality. Like the others, it runs through stunning scenery; in this case, climbing into the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The BMR is one of the newest and least-known Welsh narrow gauge railways and is certainly worth visiting for the ride up the scenic valley behind steam.
The railway is unique in the UK because of its transatlantic American flavour and use of Baldwin steam locomotives. It is operated by the Brecon Mountain Railway Company Limited with paid staff and no volunteers, but this does not mean the employees are not enthusiasts.
Originally, the BMR trackbed was part of the standard gauge Brecon & Merthyr Railway, which opened between Brecon and Dowlais Top in 1863. The line was notable for its fierce gradients and having the highest standard gauge tunnel in the UK at Torpantau, 1313 feet above sea level and 666 yards long.
In 1923, the line became part of the GWR and then BR in
