station name is common in railway parlance when the station is situated away from the centre of the town served). The first stationmaster was Henry Griffiths after whom the nearby community of Griffithstown is named. The growth of the railways in the area saw the development of Sebastopol and Griffithstown to house workers. Pontypool Road was also the birthplace of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) in 1880. Further railways openings linked Pontypool Road to the Midlands and north of England. Taff Vale Extension Railway (TVE) The Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway (NAHR) also opened the Taff Vale Extension Railway (TVE) in 1857 to link up with the Taff Vale Railway (TVR) at Quakers Yard which connected onto Merthyr Tydfil. A major achievement of this railway was the building of the Crumlin Viaduct over the Ebbw River. The TVE linked directly with the Vale of Neath Railway at Merthyr and further linked Pontypool to Swansea and Neath. The main purpose of this line was the transport of coal across the country. Further development In September 1874 the Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway (PC&NR) opened to goods traffic from Pontypool South Junction to Maindee Junction in Newport. By December 1874 the line was opened from Pontypool North Junction to Panteg Junction. Passenger trains also used the line and run to Newport High Street on the South Wales Railway over the St. Julian's railway bridge. The peak of Pontypool Road By the late 19th century Pontypool Road contained a large rail network of junctions, sidings and sheds forming a large inverted triangle of tracks. Coed-y-Gric Junction of the Hereford line formed the southernmost point. Lines now split to go through Pontypool to the west and to the north via Hereford. Larger engine sheds and buildings were added. Additional sidings were added to cope with the increasing traffic and the marshalling of freight at Pontypool Road. By the early 20th century the original station at Pontypool was congested, and on 1 March 1909 a larger station was opened just north of it. It comprised a large island platform with two inset bays (one north to Monmouth, one south to join the TVE). A large station building was built with booking office and an underpass to reach the island platform. The new station now catered for the growing passenger numbers. First and Second World Wars Pontypool Road saw an increased activity