 There were many populous villages in the area between the Great Western Railway route through Llangollen, to the north and the Cambrian Railways line through Welshpool to the south.The Berwyn and Aran mountains (with steep gradients and sparse population) together formed a barrier for a through railway line westwards towards the coast.Slate quarrying and agriculture were the areas dominant industries, and both suffered in the mid 19th century from transport difficulties.