and Merthyr, whose line formed part of the chain from Hereford to Swansea. Brecon arrangements The first Brecon and Merthyr Railway station at Brecon was at Watton; it was always intended as a temporary station, but the arrival of the HH&BR trains and Mid Wales Railway's own trains overloaded the accommodation significantly. The Neath and Brecon Railway opened its line at Brecon from the west in 1867, but during its construction it became clear that its attitude to the B&MR was unfriendly. It was also desperately short of money, and opened its line to a separate temporary station at Free Street. A connection was made between the two stations, but it was not suitable for passenger operation. Nevertheless, Barrie observes: As late as July 1869… the Neath and Brecon Engineer, admitted to a House of Lords select committee that if any passengers for east of Brecon arrived by train at Mount Street their tickets were collected, they were put on the engine, and run forward on the high level line to a point opposite and above the Watton station. (There was also a loop line direct from the Free Street extension into Watton Yard, but the Neath & Brecon witnesses claimed that the B&M would not let them use it, but kept the points locked. By 1870 a contract was let to build a new station at Free Street, intended to be a Joint station for all the railway companies (although wholly owned by the B&MR), and it opened on 1 March 1871. Nonetheless the Neath and Brecon Railway continued to use its own station until 1874, when its passenger trains moved to Free Street, the former station being relegated to goods traffic. Watton had already adopted that role. Caerphilly The Old Rumney Railway had secured authorisation in its Act of 1861 for a line from Machen to Caerphilly, and after the acquisition of the Old Rumney by the B&MR this was constructed, opening in 1867. It served mainly collieries and factories. On 8 August 1878 the Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway was incorporated. It was heavily sponsored by the Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company, which wished to bring the coal resources of the Rhondda and Cynon (Aberdare) valleys to Newport Docks. Traffic agreements were secured with the Taff Vale Railway to achieve the connection, as well as with the B&MR and the Rhymney Railway. In 1882 the B&MR decided to