Wye Valley Railway Timeline
Part 2
1905 - 1918
Services are improved under GWR control with new services added, overdue maintenence completed and most of all, new halts added. The tourist potential of Tintern Abbey is capitalised on with a "Harvest Moon Special" being run.
January 1917
The Coleford branch, having failed to live up to expectations, is closed. The line from Wyesham Junction to Whitecliff Quarry is lifted, and the remainder is worked by the Severn & Wye for the remainder of its life. This is the first of the lines from Monmouth to close, after only 45 years of service.
1918-1958
The rise of motor transport heralds a decline in the use of the line, despite the best efforts of the GWR to stem the tide. Traffic on the Wireworks Branch finally ceases as maintenence is no longer remotely economical. The hot summer of 1935 buckles the line which is removed by 1941.
4th January 1959
The last passenger service along the line is run. The Ross and Monmouth line also loses passenger services at the same time, leaving Monmouth with no rail passenger services anywhere.
January 1964
The line is completely closed from Monmouth to Tintern Quarry and this section of the line is lifted shortly afterwards. Trains for the quarries would continue to use the line until 1992.
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