Competition For Coal
The Great Western Railway seemed oblivious to the massive expansion in coal and mineral production that was occurring in South Wales during the second half of the 19th century. The LNWR had already penetrated the area by taking over various small local lines. The Midland followed suit and in 1867 took over the Swansea Vale Railway, followed by the Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway in 1886. These acquisitions were also exploited in the form of a passenger service from Hereford to Swansea which, in conjunction with running powers over the Great Western between Worcester and Hereford, permitted the provision of through carriages from Birmingham to Swansea in competition with the Great Western. Midland passenger and freight trains also ran on a branch of the Swansea Vale to Brynamman(East).
Meanwhile in the East Midlands, dominance along the Erewash Valley was being challenged by the Great Northern and the Great Central. In 1878 the GNR's "Derbyshire Extension" line through Derby Friargate opened. This cut directly through the coalfields north of the Midland line which ran along the Trent Valley, and in extending to Egginton, had access to Burton-on-Trent and its lucrative beer traffic.
Thus the Midland retaliated with lines from Ambergate to Pye Bridge, from Basford to Bennerley Junction, and Radford to Trowell. Later when mining became possible under the limestone to the east, more lines appeared around Mansfield
Read more about this topic: Midland Railway
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