Unity may refer to:

Buildings
 Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building
 Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper
 Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England
 Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a historic building
 Unity Church (Mattoon, Illinois), US; a historic church
 Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois, US; a Unitarian Universalist church

Education
 Unity Academy (disambiguation)
 Unity College (disambiguation)
 Unity School District (Wisconsin), an American school district
 Unity University, an Ethiopian privately owned institute of higher learning

Media and entertainment
 Assassin's Creed Unity, a 2014 action-adventure video game
 Classical unities, three rules for drama described by Aristotle
 "Unity", a 2006 episode of I Pity the Fool
 "Unity" (comics), a crossover story line in the Valiant universe
 Unity (film), a 2015 documentary
 "Unity" (Star Trek: Voyager), a 1997 episode of Star Trek
 Unity (team), a superhero team in titles published by Valiant Entertainment
 Unity (video game), a cancelled video game for the Nintendo GameCube
 Unity 101, a radio station in Southampton, England
 UNITY Journalists, an American alliance of journalists' associations
 Unity Performing Arts Foundation, a fine arts company based in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Music
 Unity Christian Music Festival, a Michigan music festival

Albums
 Walt Dickerson Plays Unity, 1964
 Unity (Larry Young album), 1966
 Unity (Sun Ra album), 1977
 Unity (311 album), 1991
 Unity (Big Mountain album), 1994
 Unity (EP), a 1999 split EP by Dropkick Murphys and Agnostic Front
 Unity (Avishai Cohen album), 2001
 Unity (Rage album), 2002
 Unity (George album), 2003
 Unity (Frank Wright album), 2006

Bands
 The Unity, a Nepalese band featuring DA69 (Sudin Pokharel), Asif Shah, and Aidray
 Unity, a band formed by members of Uniform Choice
 UNITY, a Dutch girl group which represented the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020

Songs
 "Unity" (Afrika Bambaataa and James Brown song), 1985
 "Unity" (Shinedown song), 2012
 "Unity" (TheFatRat song), 2014
 "U.N.I.T.Y.", a 1993 song by Queen Latifah
 "Unity", a song by Desmond Dekker and the Aces from the album Action!
 "Unity", a song by Kelly Rowland from the album Ms. Kelly
 "Unity", a song by Mordechai Ben David and Shea Mendelowitz, 1998
 "Unity", a song by Operation Ivy, 1989, also covered by many punk rock acts

Places
 Unity, Saskatchewan, Canada
 Unity State, South Sudan
 Unity Village, Guyana

United States
 Unity, Georgia, an unincorporated community
 Unity, Illinois or Hodges Park Station, an unincorporated community
 Unity, Kentucky, a small unincorporated community
 Unity, Maine, a town in Waldo County
 Unity (CDP), Maine, a census-designated place within the town
 Unity, Kennebec County, Maine, unorganized territory
 Unity, Missouri
 Unity, New Hampshire
 Unity, Adams County, Ohio
 Unity, Columbiana County, Ohio
 Unity, Oregon, a small city in Baker County
 Unity, Lane County, Oregon, an unincorporated community
 Unity, South Carolina, a census-designated place
 Unity, Wisconsin, a village in Clark and Marathon counties
 Unity, Clark County, Wisconsin, a town
 Unity, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, a town
 Unity Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
 Unity Village, Missouri

People
 Unity Bainbridge (1916–2017), Canadian artist and poet
 Unity Dow (born 1959), judge, activist, writer and Government minister from Botswana
 Unity Phelan, American ballet dancer
 Unity Mitford (1914–1948),  British socialite and fascist
 Unity Spencer (1930–2017), British artist

Politics
 Unity (asylum seekers organisation), a 2005 UK human rights group
 Unity (trade union), a British pottery workers' union
 Unity (Canada), a 1930s Communist movement
 Unity (Georgia), a left-wing political party
 Unity (Hungary), a 2014 political alliance
 Unity (Latvian political party), a liberal-conservative party
 Unity (Russian political party), a 1999 party
 Unity (Transnistria), a 2000 political party
 Unity Party (disambiguation)
 Unity Committee, an 1878 organization for Bulgarians in Thrace and Macedonia
 Yedinstvo (Lithuania), a pro-Moscow movement during the Perestroika era

Religion
 Unity Church, also known as the Unity School of Christianity
 Great Unity, a Confucian concept of an utopian world

Science and technology
 Unity (mathematics), the number 1
 A concept in ring theory in mathematics, also called identity
 Unity (ISS module), a segment of the International Space Station
 Unity (cable system), for trans-Pacific communications
 VSS Unity, a rocket-powered suborbital spaceplane

Ships
 Unitie, a ship of the Third Supply fleet to Virginia colony in 1609
 Unité, a French ship captured by the Royal Navy and renamed
 HMS Unity, the name of several ships of the Royal Navy
 Unity (schooner), a ship that disappeared near Tasmania in 1813

Software
 Unity (user interface), from Canonical (Ubuntu 11.04–17.04)
 Unity Application Block, part of Microsoft Enterprise Library
 Unity (game engine), a multi-platform game engine and development toolkit
 Unity Technologies, developer of Unity game engine
 UNITY (programming language), a 1988 theoretical language
 Unity Operating System () a Chinese linux distro

Other uses
 Unity (military operation), the covert supply of Thai troops to the Laotian Civil War
 Unity (newspaper), a weekly publication by the Communist Party of Ireland in Belfast, UK
 Unity (peer education project), a peer education project in the Dutch nightlife
 Unity in diversity, a philosophical concept
 Unity of invention, a patent law requirement
 Unity of opposites
 Unity Bridge (disambiguation), various bridges
 Unity Day (disambiguation), various holidays
 Unity FC (Canada), a Canadian soccer team
 Unity FC (Ghana), a Ghanan football team

See also

 Unanimity
 Unified (disambiguation)
 Unify (disambiguation)
 Unit (disambiguation)
 Unite (disambiguation)
 United (disambiguation)
 Uniti, an Italian river
 Unity 1918, a 2001 play by Kevin Kerr
 Unity in diversity
 Unity in variety

Unity


Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel, also called The Sephardic Temple, is a large, urban Sephardi Jewish synagogue located in Westwood, Los Angeles, California at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Warner Avenue. Established on February 1, 1920 as the "Sephardic Community of Los Angeles," it exists today as the merger of three major Sephardic organizations with approximately 600 member families.

Overview and History
Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel is a modern synagogue in the Sephardic tradition. It is the largest Sephardic synagogue in California, and one of the largest in the country. The synagogue offers a robust and diverse array of spiritual, cultural and social activities, including daily morning minyan, Shabbat services with hundreds of attendees, Torah classes, a vibrant Men's Club, Sisterhood, Young Professional events, and more. Sephardic Temple offers traditional non-equalitarian services, using Orthodox liturgy and prayer books. Sephardic Temple maintains its own unique blend of authentic traditional Judaism with openness to the opportunities and challenges of modern life. As such, it is not formally affiliated with any specific Jewish stream or movement. In the words of its legendary cantor, Hazan Haim Mizrahi: "We are simply traditional, and Sephardic". This traditionalism appeals to hundreds of families who feel disengaged from liberal Judaism, and yet do not fully subscribe to Orthodoxy at the same time.

The history of the Sephardic Temple reflects the history of the Sephardic community in Los Angeles. The first Sephardi Jews to arrive in Los Angeles came around 1853; however, significant numbers of Sephardim came in the early 20th century from places such as Egypt, Rhodes, Salonica, Turkey, and other regions of the former Ottoman Empire and elsewhere in the Middle East.

These early Sephardi immigrants to Los Angeles founded the Avat Shalom Society in 1912 to unify Jewish immigrants coming from the Ottoman Empire, but the society soon dissolved. In 1917, the Peace and Progress Society was formed mostly by immigrants from the island of Rhodes. In 1935 the name was changed to the Sephardic Hebrew Center and later to Sephardic Beth Shalom. Others organized the Haim VaHessed Society ("Sephardic Brotherhood") of Los Angeles.

On February 1, 1920, 39 Turkish elders of the Sephardi community formed the Sephardic Community of Los Angeles ("La Communidad"). Rabbi Abraham Caraco served as the first rabbi of the community. Minutes from the first meeting note that monthly dues would be $1 for each member. In 1924, the Sephardic Community of Los Angeles purchased property for a synagogue at 52nd Street and Second Avenue in southwest Los Angeles. The synagogue was never built at this location due to funds nearly being exhausted. Rabbi Caraco died in 1925, with Rabbi David Tovi serving from 1925 through World War II. By 1928, membership increased to the point where the property was sold, and a new larger site was purchased for $12,000 on the corner of Santa Barbara Avenue (now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd) and LaSalle Avenue in the West Adams neighborhood of South Los Angeles. Groundbreaking ceremonies took place on September 1, 1931 with 125 members, and the new Santa Barbara Avenue Temple was dedicated on February 21, 1932 with invited guests including the mayor of Los Angeles.

Following World War II, the congregation started a choir and increased the frequency of Friday night services. Rabbi Tovi died and was replaced by Rabbi Axelrod, who in turn was replaced by Rabbi Friedman of Florence, Italy. Rabbi Friedman eventually resigned due to intra-congregational squabbling.

In 1959, the Sephardic Community of Los Angeles merged with the Haim VaHessed Society ("Sephardic Brotherhood"), forming the Sephardic Community and Brotherhood of Los Angeles. Rabbi Jacob M. Ott was invited to be the spiritual leader of the community on a trial basis, and ended up serving as Senior Rabbi until his retirement in 1992. By 1970, the congregation outgrew the Santa Barbara Avenue Temple and broke ground at the current Wilshire Boulevard and Warner Avenue site in Westwood for a new synagogue. The building would not be finally dedicated until September 15, 1981, when California Governor Jerry Brown addressed a crowd of over 1000 guests during a dedication ceremony.

On October 1, 1987, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain visited the temple, reported to be the first visit to a synagogue by a Spanish king since the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.  In 1993, the newly named Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel merged with Sephardic Beth Shalom, uniting all three major original Sephardic congregations in Los Angeles. In 1994 the temple installed a group of "Sephardic Heritage" stained glass windows by Israeli artist Raphael Abecassis.

Rabbi Ott's successor, Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, was raised and became bar mitzvah at the temple, and became the senior rabbi two years after being hired out of Yeshiva University's rabbinical school. Under his leadership the temple's  Hebrew school grew considerably, as did attendance at services. After 17 years, Bouskila decided to step down in Feb. 2010 at the age of 45 to become director of the Sephardic Educational Center.

His successor as Senior Rabbi was Rabbi Jay Shasho Levy, J.D, from Feb. 2010 to May 2013. Rabbi Levy is from a Sephardic family with roots in Spain, Aleppo  and Gaziantep. He is also an award winning Cantor, writer, composer, and recording artist who has lectured and performed around the world.

In 2013, Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel appointed Dr. Tal Sessler as Senior Rabbi. Rabbi Dr. Sessler formerly served as the Rabbi of Freehold Jewish Center in New Jersey, and earlier as the Rabbi of the Jewish Center of Forest Hills West in New York. Rabbi Sessler left the Temple in May 2021. Rabbi Refael Cohen is the current Senior Rabbi. The Cantor is Haim Mizrahi and the Gabbai is Edward Mizrahi.

References

External links
Official Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel website

1920 establishments in California
1981 establishments in California
Conservative Jewish day schools
Greek-American culture in California
Greek-Jewish culture in the United States
Egyptian-American culture in California
Egyptian-Jewish culture in the United States
Jewish day schools in California
Jewish Rhodian history
Jewish organizations established in 1920
Schools in Los Angeles
Sephardi Jewish culture in California
Spanish-Jewish culture in the United States
Synagogues completed in 1981
Synagogues in Los Angeles
Turkish-Jewish culture in the United States
Unafilliated synagogues in California
Westwood, Los Angeles
Sephardi synagogues

Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel


The 1927 Rose Bowl Game was a college football bowl game held on January 1, 1927, in Pasadena, California. The game featured the Alabama Crimson Tide, of the Southern Conference, and Stanford, of the Pacific Coast Conference, now the Pac-12 Conference. It was Stanford's second Rose Bowl game in three years. The game ended in a 7–7 tie, the last Rose Bowl game to end in a tie.

Game summary
United Press called the 1927 Rose Bowl "the football championship of America", and the game was considered the most exciting in the series up to that time.  The crowd of 57,417 set an attendance record.  Stanford's George Bogue missed an 18-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, then threw a touchdown pass to Ed Walker and kicked the point after to put Stanford up, 7-0.  Stanford held that lead through most of the rest of the game, but in the final minutes, they were forced to punt on fourth down.  Frankie Wilton's kick was blocked, and Alabama took over 14 yards from goal.  Alabama running back Jimmy Johnson carried the ball in for the touchdown.  The two-point conversion, and overtime, were decades in the future.  Stanford's only hope was to block the point after, but Alabama ran the play quickly and Herschel Caldwell's kick tied Stanford, and took away a Stanford victory in the final minute.

Scoring

First quarter
 Stan – Walker, 15-yard pass from Bogue (Bogue kick good)

Second quarter
 No scoring

Third quarter
 No scoring

Fourth quarter
 Ala – Johnson, 1-yard run (Caldwell kick good)

References

1926–27 NCAA football bowl games
1927
1927
1927
1927 in sports in California
January 1927 sports events

1927 Rose Bowl


Arman Arian (Persian: آرمان آرین; born 1 September 1981) is an Iranian author, novelist and researcher, best known for his first trilogy, Persians and I (Persian:  پارسیان و من: کاخ اژدها). He is the youngest winner of the annual "The Book of The Year of Iran". In addition to many national awards, he received the honorary diploma in the 31st IBBY World Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark (2008) by the International Board on Books for Young People the highest recognition available to creators of children's books.
Although Arian is known as a children and young adults fantasy writer, he doesn't limit his genre to fantasy and also, his books are well received by wide range of readers from all age groups. Persians and I became the best-selling novel in the 19th Tehran International Book Fair, 2006.

In his writings, Arman Arian has combined an affluent academic background in Cinema studies with an extensive knowledge of myths, religions and history."We need to look back to our cultural heritage to survive in the intricate modern life", says this Iranian young author in an interview with Borna News in order to explain his intention to dig into Iranian ancient literature, history, mythical and epical stories.

Awards
 Winner of the annual prize by The Children's Book Council of Iran for the trilogy of "Ash vaz dang heh" as the best fiction book of the year, 2016.
 Winner of the annual book prize of "Payvar" for the trilogy of "Ashvazdangheh", 2016,
Winner of the diploma of the first book prize of Mehdi Azar Yazdi for the trilogy of "Ash vaz dang heh", 2016
The board of appreciation in "the Millennium Festival of Ferdowsi" For young researchers in Ferdowsi's Shaahname by the Youth Institute of Tehran's Municipality. 2010.
 Winner of the honorary diploma in the 31st IBBY World Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark by the International Board on Books for Young people 2008, for the book the Persians and I
The annual prize of "The Book of The Year of the Islamic Republic of Iran" was featured as the youngest recipient of this prestigious prize since its establishment in 1955, 2005.
The annual prize of -"Mehrgan e Adab" for writers and publishers, 2005

List of books
Patash Khoargar 2,(Persian:پَتَش خوآرگر 2: مردی از تبار اژدها), Ofogh publishing house, 2016
Writing about Writing, (نوشتن درباره نوشتن), Moaj publishing house, 2016
Shahnamag:Myths Six volumes,(Persian:شاهنامَگ: اسطوره ها), Chekke publishing house, 2015
Patash Khoargar 1,(Persian:پَتَش خوآرگر۱: حماسه سرآغاز), Ofogh publishing house, 2015
Ash vaz dang heh 2: Invincible Demons,(Persian: اشوزدنگهه 2), Moaj publishing house, 2014
Ash vaz dang heh 3: Emancipatory Epic,(Persian: اشوزدنگهه 3), Moaj publishing house, 2013
Shadowy light (Persian: تاریک روشنا), Ghatreh Publication House, 2014
 Ancient Future3: The First Night Story (Persian: آینده کهن), Safran Publication House, 2013
 Ancient Future2: The First Night Story (Persian: آینده کهن), Safran Publication House, 2013
 Ancient Future1: The Last Night Story (Persian: آینده کهن), Safran Publication House, 2013
The book of spell(Persian: افسون نامه), Iranban publishing house, 2011
The nightmare of the dark garden(Persian: کابوس باغ سیاه), Iranban publishing house, 2011
The encyclopedia of the Avesta's dramatic elements(Persian:دانشنامه تصویری و نمایشی اوستا), Moaj publishing house, 2011
The Book of Wisdom (Persian: صد پند هزار بار شنیده), Iranban publishing house, 2012
The quiet hubbub, a collection of thoughts and articles (Persian: غوغای خموش ), Moaj publishing house, 2011
The dream of the white garden(Persian: رویای باغ سپید), Iranban publishing house, 2010
The guide to storytelling for computer games(Persian:راهنمای بازی نامه نویسی ), Co-authored, The National Computer game organization, 2010.
Sepit maan: the story of Zoroaster's life (Persian: سپیتمان), Iranban publishing house, 2009
Ash vaz dang heh 4:God, The World, and Thoughts: Ash vaz dang heh's Six-Thousand-Year-Old Manuscripts  (Persian: اشوزدنگهه 4), Moaj publishing house, 2009
Ash vaz dang heh 1: the myth now,(Persian: اشوزدنگهه 1), Moaj publishing house, 2008
Bitter Earrings: a collection of short stories(Persian: گوشواره تلخ), Moaj publishing house, 2007. Bitter Earring is published in Turkish (Turkish: Acı Küpe)by Demavand Publication House, 2015
The Trilogy of the Persians and I(Persian: سه گانه پارسیان و من), Moaj publishing house, 2006.
Persians and I: the resurrection begins(Persian: پارسیان و من، رستاخیز فرا می رسد), Moaj publishing house, 2005
Persians and I: the secret of the bird mountain (Persian: پارسیان و من، راز کوه پرنده)),  Moaj publishing house, 2004
Persians and I: Azh dahak Fortress(Persian: کاخ اژدها), Moaj publishing house, 2003

Computer games and script
Ario: The little hero: An animated serial, produced by Saba & paarsima corporations, 2007. It participated in the 27th International Children Film Festival under the name of Legend of the Jewels Land, 2013.

Other activities
 Conducting the "Creative Writing Workshop" in Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus, 2014
He teaches the first professional workshop of scenario writing held by Iran National Foundation of Computer Game, 2010.
Conducting and teaching in a "Myths and Legends" workshop, 2009
He was a juror of the 1st International Tehran Game Expo and Festival, 2011
He was the judge in the First NoGhalam (Persian:نوقلم) amateur Story-writing Competition, 2009.

References

Living people
Iranian children's writers
1981 births
Iranian art writers
Iran's Book of the Year Awards recipients

Arman Arian


Colombophis ("snake of Colombia" in Greek) is an extinct genus of snakes of the clade Alethinophidia, a group of "primitive" snakes. The genus was first recognized in the Villavieja Formation in the town of Los Mangos, part of the known fossil fauna of La Venta in the department of Huila (Colombia), in the middle Miocene. With the remains of a fossil snake was erected the species Colombophis portai in 1977, based on forty fragmentary vertebrae. These vertebrae are characterized by a low neural spine, and subdivided paradiapophysis and thin zygosphene. The vertebrae are medium to large, so the snake would measure about  long, similar in size to the current Boa constrictor.

Taxonomy
Remains found in the Brazilian Solimões Formation in the Purus River area (Late Miocene), with vertebrae shorter than wide, thick zygosphene and high neural thorn, were classified as a new species, Colombophis spinosus; fossil remains found in Venezuela (Urumaco area) and Colombia (La Venta) also seem to belong to this new species rather than C. portai. Traditionally, Colombophis was taken as a representative of the family primitive Aniliidae, fossorial and primitive snakes that still retained some traces of lizard as Anilius, the false coral. However, retention of primitive traits that identify Colombophis and other members of the superfamily Anilioidea (including features already found in the Cretaceous snake Dinilysia patagonica) indicate that this group is paraphyletic and that for now, Colombophis remains as an Alethinophidia of uncertain classification. Moreover, their remains indicate that the ecosystems of South America from the mid-Miocene were humid tropical environments as reinforces the finding of other reptile faunas of Urumaco, La Venta and Solimões as Paradracaena and Eunectes stirtoni; Colombophis, like Dinilysia, must be adapted to move and feed in semi-aquatic environments. Fossils were also found in the Socorro Formation of Venezuela.

References

External links
 Colombophis in Wikispecies
 Paleobiology Database: Colombophis

Alethinophidia
Miocene lepidosaurs
Miocene reptiles of South America
Neogene Brazil
Fossils of Brazil
Neogene Colombia
Fossils of Colombia
Honda Group, Colombia
Neogene Venezuela
Fossils of Venezuela
Fossil taxa described in 1977

Colombophis


"Let's keep the Goan tradition and culture alive, worldwide"

Fa-rar Far Zattai Ranantum

Shots after shots are roaring in the forest

Type: Dulpod

Source: J.A.A. Fernandes, (1884-1980). Album Cantarancho. Chorão

Musical form: Ternary

Literary form: Political agitation and resistance

Translated by António Vicente de Noronha (1895-1982), Chorão, July 1981

Fá-rar fár zatai ranantum, (bis)

Shots after shots are roaring in the forest.

Co-´n sangta tuca bõunsulé eta mun chôrunco.

Who is telling you that the Bhounsule are coming to loot.

Bõunsulé[13] chõrunc etat cornetti funcunum.

The Bhounsule are coming to loot blowing their trumpets.

Bõunsulé chõrunc etai cornetti funcunum.

The Bhounsule are coming to loot blowing their trumpets.

Aváz ho aicunum-guelé garam sandunum. (bis)

Having heard the noise,

The villagers have run away leaving their houses.

Toddé dãun guelé rananim, toddé podlé teã táncanim. (bis)

Some of them ran into the forest,

Some of them fell into the tanks.[14]

Ganttar ganttou marunc laglé sogleam Igôrzanim. (bis)

They started ringing bells in all churches.

Polleiat

Dulpod Goenche

Sondorbh

Konknni
Dulpod
Romi panam

Fa-rar Far Zattai Ranantum - Dulpod


Zhaoxing (肇兴镇) is a town in Liping County, Guizhou, China. It comprises eleven villages. Since the beginning of the 21st century the town is visited increasingly by tourists which has brought some prosperity to the region.

Zhaoxing village
The seat of Zhaoxing Town is Zhaoxing village, the largest Dong minority village in China. Therefore, it is also called "No.1 Dong Village" (Zhaodong). Zhaoxing has over 800 households and more than 4,000 inhabitants (2013). Zhaoxing village contains a lot of old wooden buildings, wind- and rain bridges but is most famous for its five drum towers.

According to oral history, the ancestors of Zhaoxing built the village as early as 1160 during the Southern Song Dynasty.

Gallery

References

Towns of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture
Liping County

Zhaoxing, Guizhou


The Audi Steppenwolf was a concept car produced by Audi and presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2000. The Steppenwolf was a study for a three-door compact crossover SUV based on the Volkswagen Group PQ34 platform used in the contemporary Audi A3 and Audi TT. Powered by a 3.2L V6 engine with four-wheel drive, the Steppenwolf had several novel features, including four-level adjustable air suspension (similar to the Audi allroad quattro), a removable carbon fibre hardtop or optional soft top, and an electro-hydraulic parking brake.

The Steppenwolf didn't result directly in a production model. However, six years later, Audi presented the Audi Cross Coupé quattro, another concept car in the same class, which was the basis of a production version called the Audi Q3 for 2011.

Sources

References

Steppenwolf
All-wheel-drive vehicles

Audi Steppenwolf


In 1861 the Llynvi Valley Railway was opened in Glamorganshire, Wales, to convey mineral products to the Bristol Channel at Porthcawl. It adopted an earlier tramroad, the Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway. The Llynvi and Ogmore Railway was opened in 1865, and the two companies amalgamated to form the Llynvi and Ogmore Railway in 1866. At first Porthcawl harbour was an important destination for onward transport, but this soon declined.

The area covered by the two lines combined developed considerably serving collieries and the iron and zinc smelting industries, and the L&OR system was extremely busy in conveying minerals up until 1914. A number of extensions to the system were made, even after takeover by the Great Western Railway in 1873 for management purposes and in 1883 as full amalgamation.

Passengers were carried on parts of the network, but were never dominant except at Porthcawl, which declined as a harbour and arose as a holiday and residential location. As the mineral industries declined after 1945 the railway network followed, but in 1992 the line from Bridgend to Maesteg was reopened to passenger trains, and that is the principal remaining railway activity on the old L&OR network.

Industry before the railway
The Llynfi Valley runs north to south, from the high mountains  north of Maesteg down to Tondu where it joins the River Ogmore, which itself continues through Bridgend to the Bristol Channel at Ogmore-by-Sea.

In the first half of the eighteenth century the area was entirely rural, but coal outcropped in the ground and was used by farmers, and some was taken away for sale by pack animal. Charcoal had been used for smelting iron but in the second half of the 18th century, coke began to be used instead; limestone was available locally and was used in the process.

Cefn Cribwr had been the site of a blast furnace established by John Bedford in 1780, though that declined after Bedford's death in 1791. William Bryant took over the works in about 1825. Elsewhere though, the industry had been on a small scale. It was in 1826 that the Maesteg Iron Company was founded: the first furnace was blown in 1828 and by 1831 the population of the local hamlet had tripled (Cwmdu, from 968 to 2,880). The Maesteg Iron Company later became known as the Old Works and its foundation started the large scale industrialisation of the process locally.

This was followed in 1831 by the establishment by James Allen of the Spelter Works near what is now Caerau. Spelter is an ore of zinc; it was mined in Cornwall and brought to the area for smelting. The locality of the works became known as Spelter, and the name appears on present-day maps. In 1839 Allen and his partners established another iron company, the Cambrian Iron Works (later known as the Llynvi Iron Works), in Maesteg.

These industries needed transport away to market, and this was chiefly by sea from wharves on the Bristol Channel. Transport from the works and the collieries to the coast was expensive and slow, generally taking place on the backs of pack animals. The ordinary road network was quite inadequate for industrial development.

Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway
Even the earlier, small-scale iron and coal industries around Maesteg, and further south along the Cefn Cribwr ridge, created a demand for ship-borne transport to market. The Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway was promoted by local people, including the Earl of Dunraven, Sir John Nicholl and Sir Digby Mackworth. They obtained an Act on 10 June 1825 to make a horse-drawn toll railway from Duffryn Llynvi to Pwll Cawl (or Porthcawl, or Pwll-y-Cawl), and to improve the harbour there by the erection of a jetty, and charge harbour dues and wharfage. The engineer was John Hodgkinson.

As well as conveying mineral products down to Porthcawl for shipping transport away, it was to bring limestone (used for fluxing in iron making) up from Cornelly, and also to a certain extent timber for mine use. The line was to use stone-block sleepers and cast iron fish-bellied edge rails, and the track gauge was to be  and its length would be .

Capital was £40,000 and this was all subscribed before the Act was passed, but obtaining a mortgage loan proved much more difficult, and a further Act of 14 May 1829 was required to elevate the priority of the mortgage payments in order to secure the loans.

Construction of the line only began in 1826, and the line from the Maesteg ironworks at Duffryn Llynvi to Porthcawl was opened on 22 June 1828.

Duffryn Llynvi was the name of the ironworks in Maesteg—the district was also known as Garnlwyd. Many other works and collieries were served intermediately by the new line. Duffryn Llynvi was reached in 1828 when the line opened; the line was extended to Allen's spelter works in 1831. The line was soon extended further to the Blaenllynfi Colliery, in present-day Caerau; the colliery was alongside what is now Caerau Road (and Railway Terrace).

There were already a number of tramroad connections to works in the Tondu and Maesteg area, and the opening of the line, giving easy access to the dock at Porthcawl, encouraged the establishment of further metal foundries and collieries, in many cases served by private tramroads in connection with the DL&PR and in other cases purely internal and private. In 1839 a new ironworks, known as the Cambrian Ironworks, was established by Allen and his partners established another iron company, the Cambrian Iron Works (later named the Llynvi Iron Works), and in 1846 the Forge was added to these works.

The journey time from Duffryn Llynvi to Porthcawl was just over six hours; the return journey, uphill, took eight hours. A regular time table was operated on the line, and the passing places were designated. Each train was pulled by a team of three horses. As a toll railway the line was open to private carriers who paid tolls for the use of the line; the company did not operate trains nor own wagons of their own.

However it was becoming apparent that the harbour improvements at Porthcawl were inadequate, not doing enough to shelter vessels there from the prevailing winds, and it tended to be used in summer only.

In 1840 a further Act was obtained, enabling money to be raised for the provision of coal chutes, and the construction of a new wet dock. This considerably improved business, and the DL&PR was able to pay dividends of 8% later.

Route of the DL&PR
Running south from Blaenllynfi Colliery the line proceeded along the east bank of the River Llynfi to Tywith (or Ty-chwyth) and through Nantyffyllon by Heol Tywith. From there it crossed the river and followed along Bangor Terrace, behind High Street, crossing the road near the Traveller's Rest Hotel, through the Llynvi Iron Works to Llynfi Road. It then continued through Commercial Street to Bethania Street and along Llwydarth Road to the Cerdin (Cross Inn); thence to the Llwyndurys weighing house at Pontrhydycyff (Llangynwyd), after which it ran across the main road, and continued behind the modern Maesteg Comprehensive School to the old Gadlys Woollen Mill, where its embankment can be traced across Nant-y-Gadlys. The tramway then continued to Cefn Ydfa and to Tondu, where it turned west to Cefn Cwsc, Kenfig Hill, Pyle, Cornelly and finally to the harbour at Porthcawl.

The route of the tramway from Commercial Street to the Cross Inn later became the main road from the Maesteg town centre. Its unusual width is explained by the development of the railways and a road alongside it before the housing was built up.

The line was  in length and there was a fall of , making an average gradient of 1 in 180 down to Porthcawl.

Bridgend Railway
The Bridgend Railway was authorised on 19 June 1828 to build a line from Bridgend to join the DL&PR at Park Slip, a little west of Tondu, to Bridgend. The capital was £6,000.

The distance was ; it was sponsored by the same promoters as the DL&PR, and like the DL&PR it was a  gauge edge railway, using cast iron fish-bellied rails on stone block sleepers.

The line entered Bridgend along Quarella Road and terminated at The Green; very little of this line was used for the later Tondu branch line railway. The line opened on 22 October 1830.

Llynvi Valley Railway
The Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway and the Bridgend Railway were simply horse-operated tramroads using primitive stone-block sleepers and cast iron rails, and as the volume of mineral activity increased, they were overwhelmed by the business offered. By the mid 1840s railway technology had advanced considerably; the South Wales Railway had been projected for some years and obtained its authorising Act of Parliament in 1845, so that soon the area would be connected by a trunk railway to the British network. Local businesspeople decided to promote a new railway to modernise the DL&PR and Bridgend Railway networks.

In 1845 the Llynvi Valley and South Wales Junction Railway was promoted. It would run directly down the Llynfi valley to Tondu, and then run west past Pyle to join the proposed South Wales Railway at Margam. The name of the company was changed during the Parliamentary hearings and it was the Llynvi Valley Railway that was incorporated on 7 August 1846,  with authorised capital of £200,000. It was to acquire the DL&PR and convert it to modern railway standards, and to introduce locomotive operation. As the South Wales Railway was being built on the broad gauge and was to be the only main line railway in the vicinity, the Llynvi Valley Railway was to adopt the broad gauge as well.

The LVR acquired the DL&PR in 1847, ratified by Act of 22 July. DL&PR shareholders got a total of £50,000 in new LVR shares.

Already on 2 July 1847 the LVR had obtained authorisation to deviate from its earlier intended route. The South Wales Railway had originally intended to follow a route much closer to the coast between Pencoed and Margam, but now it revised its route to pass Pyle. The LVR abandoned its line to Margam, instead running south from Tondu to a triangular junction with the SWR at Bridgend, independently of the Bridgend Railway.

The LVR got a further Act in 1851 authorising a short north to east connection to the SWR at Stormy, east of Pyle. Steam power was prohibited from being used on it. The broad gauge connection, known as the South Wales Junction Branch Railway, was constructed almost immediately, and may originally have been intended as a transhipment siding. The Cefn Cwsc colliery and Ford's Works were located a short distance from the junction of the Junction Branch Railway on LVR territory, and extensions of the broad gauge were laid in to them. This resulted in a short length of mixed gauge  and broad gauge track.

However, no progress was made in the construction of the steam railway or the conversion of the DL&PR for some years, and it was not until 18 June 1855 that an Act was obtained authorising the LVR's intentions. These included a new line from Tywith down to Ffos Toll House west of Tondu, and in addition a new line  long from Tondu to a junction with the SWR near Bridgend station, all to the broad gauge. The Act authorised the re-incorporation of the company with a capital of £200,000, with powers to purchase the Bridgend Railway for £3,000, and to enter into working arrangements with the SWR.

In fact the first sod was cut on 15 July 1858. Brunel was the supervising engineer of the LVR construction work; he appointed Captain McNair to the post of resident engineer. The new LVR line opened to mineral traffic on 10 August 1861.

Passenger services between Bridgend and Maesteg commenced on 25 February 1864. The short South Wales Junction Branch Railway at Stormy was removed after the opening of the LVR, the only connection with the SWR then being at Bridgend. (The plateway known as the Bridgend Railway was entirely separate at this stage.)

At first the LVR made its only connection with the South Wales Railway at Stormy, east of Pyle; at the time this was a very remote location. The LVR alignment at Pyle was parallel to the South Wales Railway, but distanced from it by , to the south. In running towards Tondu it curved round to the north and crossed the South Wales Railway main line by a flat crossing, but there was no inter-running connection there.

The line was worked by the GWR until two engines were delivered on 4 April 1862, enabling the company to work its own traffic. The LVR terminus was first placed at the site of the later goods yard in Coity Road. Then in 1866, it crossed the bridge and ran into Bridgend Station, where it had its own platform and booking office. This station was approached by a lane behind the Coity Castle Hotel.

On 1 August 1865 the LVR started operating a passenger service to Porthcawl, in addition to the Bridgend to Maesteg service. The LVR had its own station at Pyle. The LVR line and the South Wales Railway (now GWR following amalgamation) route were not immediately adjacent and there was no connection between them, and the stations were not close together.

The Bridgend Railway route fell into disuse and later became used as a roadway; this was also the fate of parts of the DL&PR in the upper Llynfi valley.

The Ogmore Valley Railway
Industrialists in the Ogmore Valley wanted a railway connection, and an Act of Parliament was obtained on 13 July 1863 to construct a railway from Tondu (on the LVR) through Brynmenyn and Blackmill to Nantymoel. The railway, known as the Ogmore Valley Railway, was  in length. Capital was to be £90,000. A significant decision was taken to construct it on the narrow (standard) gauge, and there were powers to lay a third rail (to make mixed gauge) between Tondu and Porthcawl over the LVR.

The Ogmore Valley Railway opened on 1 August 1865 from Nantymoel to Tondu for mineral traffic through to Porthcawl. it had sold a locomotive to the LVR, probably to work OVR passenger trains over the LVR to Porthcawl. and connected with the LVR at Tondu Junction.

Porthcawl dock further improved
Mining output and the ironfounding businesses in the Llynfi and Ogmore valleys continued to grow, and indeed it was obviously outstripping the limited capacity of Porthcawl harbour to handle it. Although the Llynvi Valley Railway was partly mixed gauge, the Ogmore Valley Railway was narrow (standard) gauge and the two railways were operated in close collaboration. The South Wales Railway had become part of the Great Western Railway in 1863. Use of that line to convey the mineral output away was of limited use because it was broad gauge only.

The dominant partners in mining and iron operations in the Maesteg and Tondu area were the Brogden family, brothers who together controlled the majority of the iron foundries and collieries in the district. In addition they were the principal forces in both the Llynvi Valley Railway and the Ogmore Valley Railway.

This enabled a close collaboration between the two companies, and they procured an Act of Parliament in June 1864 to construct the New Porthcawl Dock. Much larger and better protected from prevailing winds, it cost £250,000 to build, and was engineered by R. P. Brereton, sometime the principal assistant of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The new dock was opened on 22 July 1867.

Ely Valley Extension Railway
The Ely Valley Extension Railway had been authorised on 28 July 1863 to build  of broad gauge railway from the Ely Valley Railway at Gellyrhaid (near Hendreforgan) to a colliery at Gilfach Goch. The Ogmore Valley Railway company sought an eastward outlet for the mineral products it carried, and in 1865 it acquired the company.

The EVER opened for mineral traffic on 16 October 1865, but it was physically detached from the OVR and was in any case a broad gauge line. It was worked by the Great Western Railway as part of the Ely Valley Railway, which they also worked. It had a basic passenger service from 9 May 1881; the trains ran from Blackmill, reversing at Hendreforgan.

Formation of the Llynvi and Ogmore Railway
The time seemed right for the LVR and the OVR to amalgamate, and the necessary Parliamentary powers were secured in an Act of 28 June 1866: the new company would be called the Llynvi and Ogmore Railway.

Under the 1866 Act the OVR Company was dissolved and amalgamated with the LVR Company to create the L&OR Company with a capital of £402,000 and borrowing powers of £133,900.

By 1868 the third rail had been laid throughout the system, and the L&OR became effectively a narrow (standard) gauge railway, although broad gauge traffic to and from the Great Western Railway system was carried on the broad gauge rails, which remained in situ for the time being.

Tondu Junction became the headquarters of the L&OR. A locomotive shed and workshops were erected there and Mr. J. Routledge was appointed the Locomotive Superintendent.

The GWR converted its South Wales system to the standard gauge in 1872, although in the meantime there was increasing hostility among mineral traffic customers against the constraints of the broad gauge, such that the L&OR projected a long line from Brynmenin to Nantgarw on the Rhymney Railway in 1871. The project would have been extremely expensive, although the London and North Western Railway encouraged it and would no doubt have contributed to the cost in order to get the access. However the GWR was motivated by now to convert its South Wales system to the standard gauge, which it did in 1872, and nothing more was heard of the scheme to reach Nantgarw. As the broad gauge system was no longer in use in South Wales, the L&OR removed the third rail that had been provided for broad gauge vehicles.

Managed by the Great Western Railway
On 16 May 1873 the L&OR agreed with the GWR that the latter would take over the working of their line, which by now extended to , reaching 26 collieries. The L&OR was so successful by now that the GWR guaranteed 6% to its shareholders as its part of the agreement. This was ratified by Act of Parliament of 1 July 1873. The GWR absorbed the L&OR ten years later on 1 July 1883.

Meanwhile, the Porthcawl dock facilities had been improved by the (former) Llynvi Valley Railway and Ogmore Valley Railways, working together. Now capable of handling vessels of 2,000 tons, it had become an important gateway for mineral products and incoming necessities, including timber for the mines, and a shipbuilding business had been established.

Extending to the Afan Valley
The northern extent of the L&OR above Maesteg had been the Blaenllynfi Colliery at Caerau, near the head of the Llynfi Valley. Cymmer Afan stood a little over a mile (2 km) away, in the Afan Valley. Considerable mineral resources existed in that valley, which at the time was served by the South Wales Mineral Railwayc, which led by an operationally difficult route to Briton Ferry. The intervening mountain rose to . Caerau itself stood at about .

The Great Western Railway took the decision to extend the line, starting from a junction with the Caerau line at Nantyffyllon, and driving a tunnel through the mountain to Cymmer, making a junction there with the South Wales Mineral Railway. The necessary authorising Act was obtained on 1 July 1873, to build from Nantyfyllon to Abergwynfi. The construction involved driving a tunnel  in length, and making a large single span bridge crossing the River Afan at Cymmer. The tunnel cost £47,422. The line opened on 1 July 1878 for mineral traffic; passenger services started on 16 July 1880.<ref name = smith-afan)

The line was continued to Abergwynfi where there were important mineral deposits, and the passenger service was extended there from Cymmer on 22 March 1886.

Pyle improvements
When the South Wales Railway had constructed its main line through Pyle, it had made a level crossing with the DL&PR where it intersected it a short distance east of Pyle. There was a connecting line at Stormy, a few miles to the east, from 1851, removed in 1864, but there was otherwise no railway connection between the two railways at Pyle stations, and in fact they ran a hundred yards or so (100 m) apart. In 1876 the Great Western Railway made some improvements there. The L&OR line was altered so as to pass under the South Wales main line by a bridge. The new route opened on 13 November 1876.

In 1882 the alignment of the L&OR line was altered to bring it alongside the South Wales main line and connecting tracks were installed. The South Wales Railway station was relocated to be alongside the L&OR station on 1 July 1886, and the combined station was sometimes known as Pyle Junction at this period. The 1882 connection between the L&OR lines and the GWR main line was basic, and in July 1900 new enhanced connections were installed, and in 1912 further improvements linking the passenger accommodation were installed.

From before 1876 there had been a connection at the west end of Pyle GWR station, heading north to the Bryn-du coke works and colliery, and the Cefn Cibwr colliery. This was a tramway only. In 1898 this was upgraded to railway status as part of the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company Ogmore Valleys Extension Railway scheme.

Porthcawl
Under the original powers, the DL&PR provided a breakwater and small tidal harbour at Porthcawl. In the 1860s the LVR and OVR companies worked together to construct an inner wet dock of , capable of handling vessels up to 2,000 tons; the new dock was equipped with coal tips and other appliances.

For some decades the little harbour enjoyed considerable success, but the increasing size of sea-going shipping and the difficult seaward access eventually militated against it in competition with larger and better equipped ports elsewhere. This was brought home forcefully in 1892 when large and efficient docks were opened at Port Talbot and Barry. Porthcawl docks went into a terminal decline, and the GWR closed the dock in 1898, although some sporadic use was made until 1906. In 1913 the docks were transferred to Porthcawl Urban District Council.

The original station at Porthcawl was north of the main road level crossing. On 6 March 1916 it was superseded by a new station nearer the sea, on the site of the old dock sidings, which were now no longer operational. In the 1920s the dock itself was filled in.

Ely Valley Extension Railway
In 1865 the Ogmore Valley Railway had acquired the Ely Valley Extension Railway Company, which opened for mineral traffic on 16 October 1865. It served a colliery at Gilfach Goch, but at the time was separated from the OVR network, and it was worked by the GWR; the line was broad gauge.

In 1873 the GWR and all the broad gauge railways in South Wales converted to the narrow (standard) gauge. This prompted the L&OR (as successors to the OVR) to build the missing link, a new line from Blackmill (at the foot of the Ogmore Valley) to Hendreforgan, on the EVER. It opened on 1 September 1875.

Cardiff and Ogmore Valley Railway
Now that the South Wales Main Line was standard gauge, the possibility opened up of taking Ogmore Valley minerals to Cardiff, or Penarth, where better shipping facilities existed. The Cardiff and Ogmore Railway was incorporated on 21 July 1873 to build a line from C&O Junction on the Ogmore Valley line north of Blackmill, to Llanharan on the South Wales Main Line. On the line of route it made a connection with several collieries. It opened on 2 October 1876. Sponsored by the L&OR from the outset, it was amalgamated with it in 1876, and worked by the GWR like its parent company.

In 1877 a further line was built by the L&OR from a junction between Tondu and Brynmenyn and the Llanharan line of the C&OR (Bryncethin Junction to Ynysawdre Junction); it opened on 1 May 1877. These lines were for mineral traffic only and never carried passenger trains. From 1889 the Barry Railway opened its connection from Peterston to Drope Junction and Barry, giving a useful connection to the docks there.

Blaengarw
The Great Western Railway promoted a further branch line to serve the central valley at Blaengarw. It was  long from Brynmenin Junction, a short distance west of Tondu. There were gradients of 1 in 34 in the passenger section, and 1 in 18 in the minerals-only upper part.

The passing of the Ogmore Valley Railway's Act of 28 June 1866 had sanctioned the company to construct a branch line to the Garw Valley. However, as a result of a general depression in trade, the scheme was long delayed, and it was not until 25 October 1876 that a branch line was finally opened to Blaengarw at the head of the Garw Valley.

Amalgamation with the Great Western Railway
The Llynvi and Ogmore Railway had been worked by the Great Western Railway since 1873. This left an ambiguity over financial responsibility for major improvements to the system, and formal amalgamation was a logical step. The L&OR was absorbed by the GWR, from 1 July 1883.

After the amalgamation the Great Western Railway made considerable alterations to the old system on the Llynfi Valley line. In 1898 Maesteg station was relocated a short distance northwards from the original location, and double track was installed.

Tywith station was opened on 19 July 1880, initially with only one platform. In 1898 a second platform was opened, and both were constructed to a longer length. Tywith Station was renamed Nantyfyllon on 1 January 1903. A new GWR station was opened at Llangonoyd in 1899; the new station was renamed Llangynwyd in March 1935. Meanwhile, Troedyrhiw Garth Station was built in the 1870s during the time when the GWR was working and managing the L&OR, but the platform was lengthened in 1910, and shortened again in 1938.

Caerau Station, at the head of the line in the Llynfi Valley, was the last station to be opened, on 1 April 1901, following the development of the Caerau district at the turn of the nineteenth century. Also in 1901 the main section of the line from Tondu to Bridgend was doubled. Finally, with the opening of Blaengarw Station on 26 May 1902, a full passenger service was provided for the three valleys—Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore—converging at Tondu.

The poor approach to Porthcawl Dock, together with its inadequate facilities, once more made it impossible for the site to compete economically with other South Wales ports, especially as larger steamships were coming into use. Hence at the turn of the century the dock virtually ceased to function as a port, and it was closed by the GWR in 1906. Porthcawl town developed as a seaside resort with a new railway station built on the site of the old dock lines in March 1916, and during the years of the Second World War the dock was filled in.

When the Vale of Glamorgan Railway was being constructed, ready for its opening in 1897, it had sought running powers to Tondu, but these were refused, and exchange sidings had to be built at Coity Junction.

Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway
The mineral wealth of the Rhondda Valley proved immensely lucrative to the Taff Vale Railway, and later others, in conveying coal to Bristol Channel ports for shipment. At the end of the 1870s, the Swansea harbour authorities were expanding their dock facilities, and wished to bring more business in their direction.

The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway was authorised on 10 August 1882. Construction involved a  tunnel from the head of the Afan valley to Blaenrhondda, and the rock was exceptionally hard, making the construction supremely difficult.

The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway opened from Aberavon to Cymmer was opened on 2 November 1885, and the R&SBR opened a station there alongside the L&OR (GWR) station. Opening of the tunnel was much delayed: the line was opened from Cymmer to Blaengwynfi, short of the tunnel, on 2 June 1890, and through the tunnel to Blaenrhondda on 2 July 1890.

Port Talbot Railway and Dock
On 31 August 1897 the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company opened its mineral line through Maesteg, on a sinuous west to east alignment crossing over the L&OR route.

At first this terminated at Lletty Brongu, but on 17 January 1898 the line was extended further, to Pontyrhyll, where it made a junction with the Garw branch. Running powers up the Garw line had been sought but refused, so Pontyrhyll was an exchange point.

These incursions were followed on 19 December 1898 by a line—the "Ogmore Valleys Extension" of the PTR&D—from Port Talbot along the coast, turning east over the South Wales main line to a junction with the L&OR line at Cefn Junction, giving access towards Tondu. At the same time a spur to Pyle, entering from the north west, was opened. This followed the course of a tramway that had existed since before 1876.

The Grouping of the Railways in 1922
Following the difficult operating conditions during World War I the Government decided to restructure most of the railways of Great Britain into one or other of four new large companies, a process called the "Grouping", by the Railways Act 1921. The South Wales railway companies became part of a new Great Western Railway. The L&OR group of lines had been part of the Great Western Railway since 1883, but the process did away with the competition with other South Wales companies.

The first of the amalgamations took effect on 1 January 1922 and contributed to a passenger connecting service with the former L&OR and the former R&SBR at Cymmer, the result of which provided a through service from the Llynfi Valley to the Rhondda via the tunnel at the head of the Afan Valley.

From 1923
The passenger service between Blackmill, Hendreforgan and Gilfach Goch was withdrawn on 5 March 1928, but local protests succeeded in getting the service restored; however this was now from the east instead of from Blackmill, and established travel patterns were not catered for. Final closure followed on 22 September 1930. The mineral line of the Cardiff and Ogmore Railway between C&O Junction and Bryncethin Junction was closed completely on 28 July 1938.

Pyle west Loop was laid out before the second world war but only commissioned on 15 September 1946. As a south to west curve, it was used by limestone traffic between Cornelly Sidings and the Abbey steelworks, and by morning and evening residential passenger trains between Swansea and Porthcawl.

From 1948
Following World War II the Government again imposed a restructuring process on the railways of Great Britain: they were taken into national ownership under British Railways.

At the same time the mineral industries were declining, and the population also was diminishing as workers moved to other parts of the country for work. The rise of efficient road-based public transport hit the viability of the passenger train services.

The Blaengarw branch passenger service was discontinued from 9 February 1953, and the Ogmore Vale Branch lost the Nantymoel service on 5 May 1958.

1960s closures
The R&SBR line and the GWR (L&OR) line ran parallel and adjacent from Cymmer to Blaengwynfi. In 1960 expensive repairs to Gelli Tunnel and Groeserw Viaduct on the R&SBR line became necessary, and instead a connection between the two routes was made, enabling trains on the R&SBR route to use  of the GWR line, by-passing the defective section, which was closed. The L&OR line was connected into the R&SBR station, and east of the station a slue was made back into it. A new junction was made some distance west of Blaengwynfi, where the two routes separated once again. The new arrangement was commissioned on 13 June 1960.

On the same day however Abergwynfi Station, at the head of the former L&OR Extension line in the Afan Valley, was closed to passenger traffic. The service from Bridgend via Cymmer Afan was transferred to Blaengwynfi station. Goods traffic continued to use the Abergwynfi Station until 27 May 1963.

On 3 December 1962 the Treherbert to Swansea passenger service on the former R&SBR was withdrawn, and replaced by a new diesel rail car service between Treherbert and Bridgend over the rearranged lines at Cymmer. From 18 April 1964 nearly all the L&OR network was diesel hauled, following re-organisation of Tondu locomotive depot.

On 5 June 1961 the section from Gellyrhaidd Junction to Gilfach Goch was closed completely.

The Porthcawl branch and the Pyle to Tondu service was closed to passengers on 9 September 1963, and the entire Porthcawl branch closed to all traffic on 1 February 1965.

Llanharan Junction was severed on 3 December 1962 and remaining C&O served pits around Wern Tarw reached from Bryncethin Junction and the Pencoed branch. Known afterwards as the Raglan branch, the Ogmore Junction to Wern Tarw section continued in operation but it was later closed in September 1983.

The R&SB line in the Afan Valley was closed from Duffryn Rhondda down to Aberavon and Briton Ferry in 1964. From that time coal from Duffryn Rhondda Colliery was hauled up the valley to Cymmer, and after reversal, taken down the L&OR route to Bridgend via Maesteg. However Duffryn Rhondda colliery closed in October 1966.

Freight operation in the Garw and Ogmore branches ceased on 22 March 1965, but coal traffic continued until final closure in 1980.

1970s closures
The passenger service between Bridgend and Treherbert continued longer than some of the others, because of the mountainous terrain and the difficulty of securing reliable replacement bus services. It closed down on 22 June 1970, although school trains continued between Cymmer and Llangynwyd until 14 July 1970.

The section between Nantyffyllon and Caerau closed for freight traffic on 7 September 1976 and was formally closed on 7 March 1977. Traffic from Caerau Colliery continued to travel via the Coegnant inlet to the Maesteg Colliery until the closure of Caerau Colliery on 27 August 1977.

Traffic lower down the line was also lost in 1977 with the closure of the Llynfi Power Station which had been opened in 1943. Further traffic was lost in 1981 when the Bridgend Paper Mills traffic transferred to road transport; the small mines and coal yard traffic at Maesteg station ended when Coegnant Colliery ceased production in 1981.

1992 reopening to passengers
On 26 October 1992 the line between Bridgend and Maesteg was reopened by British Rail and Mid Glamorgan County Council for passenger trains. New stations were provided at Wildmill and Sarn, just south of the site of the former Aberkenfig station, Garth, a little north of the former Troedyrhiew Garth station, Maesteg Ewenny Road, and Maesteg, a little south of the original Maesteg station.

L&OR locomotives

Broad gauge 0-6-0ST

 Ada (1862–1868)
 Una (1862–1868)

The railway owned two 0-6-0STs for goods traffic. Built by Slaughter, Grunning and Company, they were similar to the South Devon Railway Dido class built at around the same time.

In 1868 they were exchanged for standard gauge locomotives from the West Cornwall Railway, which had recently been rebuilt to allow broad gauge trains to run through from the Great Western Railway to Penzance.

In 1876 Ada and Una became GWR 2146 and 2147 respectively. They were withdrawn in 1884 and 1886.

Broad gauge 4-4-0ST

 Rosa (1863–1868)
The railway owned a single 4-4-0ST passenger tank locomotive. Built by Slaughter, Grunning and Company, it was similar to the South Devon Railway Eagle class.

Rosa was also exchanged for West Cornwall Railway rolling stock in 1868. It was then rebuilt as an 0-6-0ST, making it similar to Ada and Una.

It became GWR 2145 and was withdrawn in 1885.

Standard gauge
Twelve Lynvi and Ogmore Railway locomotives were acquired by the Great Western Railway in 1873 and renumbered 915 to 926.
 5 Sharp Stewart and Company 0-6-0ST (1865)
 4 Robert Stephenson and Company 2-4-0 ex-West Cornwall Railway (1868), three rebuilt as tank locomotives
 3 Black, Hawthorn & Co. (1871)

Topography

Afan Valley Extension

 Ocean Colliery;
 Abergwynfi; open 22 March 1886; closed 13 June 1960;
 Cymmer; opened 19 July 1880; amalgamated with Cymmer Afan station as Cymmer General January 1950; closed 13 June 1960;
 Cymmer South Junction; convergence of South Wales Mineral Railway;
 Caerau; opened 1 April 1909; closed to public 22 June 1970; school use to 15 July 1970;
 Nantyffyllon; convergence with LVR main line (below).

LVR main line

 Duffryn goods;
 Tywith; opened 19 July 1880; renamed Nantyffyllon 1 January 1903; closed 22 June 1970; school use to 14 July 1970;
 Maesteg Castle Street; opened 25 February 1864; renamed Maesteg Castle Street 1 July 1924 to 1968; closed to public 22 June 1970; school use until 14 July 1970;
 Maesteg opened 28 September 1992; still open;
 Maesteg Ewenny Road; opened 26 October 1992; still open;
 Garth Mid Glamorgan; opened 28 September 1992; still open;
 Troedyrhiew Garth; open by October 1873; closed to public 22 June 1970; school use until 14 July 1970;
 Llangynwyd; open from September 1865; new station 1897; closed 1 January 1917; reopened 1 January 1919; renamed Llangynwydd March 1935; schools only from 22 June 1970; last school train 14 July 1970;
 Tondu North Junction; divergence of North Loop towards Brynmenin;
 Tondu; opened 25 February 1864; closed 22 June 1970; reopened 28 September 1992; convergence of OVR line; divergence of line to Bridgend;
 Cefn Junction; divergence of Ogmore Valleys Extension Railway to Margam;
 Cefn opened 1 August 1865; renamed Kenfig Hill from 1 August 1885; closed 5 May 1958;
 South Wales Junction; divergence of South Wales Junction Railway to Stormy 1851 to 1864;
 Pyle; opened 1 August 1865; amalgamated with main line station 13 November 1876; closed 9 September 1963; main line station closed 2 November 1964;
 Heol-y-Sheet Junction; convergence of Pyle West Loop from Port Talbot direction;
 Porthcawl Golfers' Platform; opened by July 1902; opened to public as Nottage Halt 14 July 1924; closed 9 September 1963;
 Porthcawl first station; opened 1 August 1865; resited to south 6 March 1916;
 Porthcawl second station; opened 6 March 1916; closed 9 September 1963.

Bridgend Branch

 Tondu (above);
 Aberkenfig; opened by April 1869; closed by January 1870;
 Sarn; opened 28 September 1992; still open;
 Coity Junction;
 Wildmill; opened 18 November 1992; closed same day (safety) reopened 12 December 1992; still open;
 Bridgend (L&O station); opened 25 February 1864; closed and trains diverted to GWR station 1 July 1873.

Pyle West Loop

 Heol-y-Sheet Junction;
 Pyle West Loop Junction.

Garw Valley

 Blaengarw; used by miners from 1877; open to public 26 May 1902; closed 9 February 1953;
 Pontycymmer; miners only 1877; open to public 1 June 1889; closed 9 February 1953;
 Pontyrhyll; opened 25 October 1886; closed 9 February 1953; divergence of Port Talbot Railway and Dock line;
 Llangeinor; opened 25 October 1886; closed 1 January 1917; reopened 1 January 1919; closed 9 February 1953;
 Brynmenin; opened 12 May 1873; renamed Brynmenyn 1886; closed 5 May 1958; convergence of Blackmill branch; divergence of Brynmenin Loop towards Pencoed;
 Ynysawdre Junction; convergence of line from Pencoed;
 Tondu Ogmore Junction; divergence of Tondu North Loop towards Maesteg;
 Tondu; above.

Ogmore Valley

 Nantymoel; opened 12 May 1873; closed 5 May 1958;
 Wyndham Halt; opened 10 August 1942; closed 5 May 1958;
 Tynewydd; opened 12 May 1873; renamed Ogmore Vale 1 January 1902; closed 5 May 1958;
 C&O Junction; divergence of line to Llanharan (below);
 Lewistown Halt; opened 10 August 1942; closed 4 June 1951;
 Blackmill; convergence of line from Hendreforgan; opened 12 May 1873; closed 5 May 1958;
 Brynmenyn (above).

Blackmill branch

 Blackmill (above);
 Hendreforgan (below).

Gilfach Branch

 Gilfach Goch Colliery Platform; miners only; open after 1915; closed by June 1954;
 Gilfach; opened 9 May 1881; closed 5 March 1928; reopened 26 March 1928; renamed Gilfach Goch 1928; closed 22 September 1930;
 Hendreforgan; opened 1 September 1875; closed 5 March 1928; reopened 26 March 1928; closed 22 September 1930;
 Gellirhaidd Colliery; end-on junction with Ely Valley Railway.

Cardiff and Ogmore Branch

 C&O Junction; above;
 Bryncethin Junction; convergence of line from Tondu;
 Llanharan; convergence with Bridgend to Cardiff main line.

Pencoed branch

 Ynysawdre Junction; above;
 Brynmenin Tynycoed Junction; convergence of Brynmenin Loop.
 Bryncethin Junction; convergence with C&O branch.

Brynmenin Loop

 Brynmenin Junction;
 Brynmenin Tynycoed Junction.

Notes

References

Great Western Railway constituents
7 ft gauge railways
Railway companies established in 1866
Broad gauge (7 feet) railway locomotives
Closed railway lines in Wales
Standard gauge railways in Wales
1866 establishments in Wales

Llynvi and Ogmore Railway


GateWay Community College is a community college in Phoenix, Arizona. Established in 1968, GateWay is one of ten regionally accredited colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. The Maricopa Skill Center was rebranded as the Trade and Technical Training Division of GateWay in 2016, offering many of the same programs, just under a new division name within GateWay Community College.

GateWay is the only Maricopa Community College with a Valley Metro Light Rail stop on campus, located on the south end of the campus.

GateWay Early College High School is located on the GWCC campus. Students can be enrolled in college classes and earn credits to eventually earn an associate degree. The first GWECHS class graduated in May, 2008. The GWECHS received its NCA accreditation on April 1, 1997.

History
GateWay was originally located in downtown Phoenix, named Maricopa Technical College, which became the first technical college to be established in Arizona. On May 1, 1987, Maricopa Tech became GateWay Community College, adopting the name commonly used to describe the surrounding area. The Automotive Center was added to the campus in 1989, followed by the Children's Learning Center and Central Plant in 1998, and Center for Health Careers Education in 1999.

GateWay Community College received its NCA accreditation on July 30, 1971.

Academics
GateWay Community College offers more than 160 degree and certificate options.

Athletics

GateWay has the following competitive sports:
 Men's Baseball
 Men's Soccer
 Women's Soccer
 Women's Softball

References

External links
Official website

Community colleges in Arizona
Maricopa County Community College District
Universities and colleges in Phoenix, Arizona
Universities and colleges established in 1968

GateWay Community College


Thomas Reid Nichols (born August 5, 1958) is an American former outfielder and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Boston Red Sox (1980–1985), Chicago White Sox (1985–1986), and Montreal Expos (1987). Listed at  and , he batted and threw right-handed.  After his playing career ended, he served as a coach and minor league coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Though he did not watch professional baseball growing up, Nichols started playing Little League Baseball at age 11 and drew interest from the Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers when he graduated high school. The Red Sox selected him in the 12th round (286th overall) of the 1976 MLB draft, and he debuted with them in 1980. Though never an everyday starter, he batted a career-high .302 in 1982 and played a career-high 100 games in 1983. In 1985, he was traded to the White Sox, remaining with them through the 1986 season. Nichols played for the Expos in 1987, spent part of 1988 in the Texas Rangers organization, and joined the Chicago Cubs for 1989 spring training before retiring.

After a brief stint captaining fishing tours, Nichols became a coach for the Orioles, working alongside Doug Melvin in Baltimore. When Melvin became the general manager of the Rangers and later the Brewers, he brought Nichols with him to those organizations. Nichols instituted a program to teach Ranger prospects financial literacy and etiquette, and with the Brewers, he helped the team develop such prospects as Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Rickie Weeks.

Early life
Thomas Reid Nichols was born on August 5, 1958, in Ocala, Florida, to parents Leon and Judy. Leon supported the family by servicing outboard motors. Reid did not watch professional baseball growing up, but at the age of 11, he tried out and made a local Little League Baseball team which played at Grant Field, later the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays. Nichols made the league's All-Star team. At Forest High School, he starred on the school's baseball team and was teammates with Scot Brantley, who would later reach the National Football League (NFL) as a linebacker. Nichols's coach, Mike McGrath, arranged for Nichols and Brantley to try out for the Los Angeles Dodgers. McGrath also informed George Digby, a scout for the Boston Red Sox, that Nichols was an exciting prospect.

Under Digby's recommendation, the Red Sox selected Nichols in the 12th round (286th overall) of the 1976 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. Though he had committed to play college baseball for the Auburn Tigers, he decided to take the opportunity to play professionally. Since he was only 17, his father signed his Red Sox contract for him.

Minor league career
Nichols began his professional career in 1976 with the Elmira Pioneers of the New York–Penn League, which despite being a rookie-level team boasted several future major leaguers. In 23 games (53 at bats), he batted .340 with eight runs scored, 18 hits, no home runs, nine runs batted in (RBI), and two stolen bases. With a 50–20 record, Elmira won the league pennant.

In 1977 and 1978, Nichols played for the Single-A Winter Haven Red Sox of the Florida State League. He batted .264 with 41 runs scored, 102 hits, two home runs, 34 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 116 games (387 at bats) the first year. In 1978, he batted .247 with 52 runs scored, 102 hits, five home runs, 34 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. Nichols considered Winter Haven a difficult experience: many of his competitors had played college baseball, while he was only 18 years old.

With the Single-A Winston-Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League in 1979, Nichols had his finest season yet. He recorded a 30-game hitting streak, one short of the league record set in 1948. Playing 134 games, he ranked among the Carolina League leaders with a .293 batting average (fifth), 25 doubles (tied with Michael Barnes and Jeffrey Gossett for third behind Greg Walker's 27 and Michael Barnes's 26), and 12 home runs (tied with Craig Brooks for fourth, behind Gary Pellant's 18 and Gossett's and Mike Fitzgerald's 13). He stole 66 bases, second only to Bob Dernier's 77. Nichols led the league with 107 runs scored and 156 hits. He finished second to Dernier in Carolina League Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

Because of his strong performance with Winston-Salem, Nichols was invited to spring training with Boston in 1980. He batted .400 in the preseason but was assigned to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League, where he would spend most of the season. It was not always an easy year. "I was batting .188 and I wasn't having any fun," he recalled. "I went out and bought some cowboy boots and cowboy hat and I showed up to the stadium wearing it and decided it was time to have fun playing baseball again, and after that I improved." In 134 games for Pawtucket, he batted .276 with four home runs and 42 RBI. He ranked among the International League leaders with 68 runs scored (tied with Greg Johnston for seventh), 141 hits (eighth), and 23 stolen bases (seventh).

Major league career

Boston Red Sox (1980–1985)
When Pawtucket's 1980 season came to an end, Nichols was a September callup by Boston. He made his major league debut on playing center field on September 16, singling against Ross Grimsley in the fourth inning for his first major league hit as the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 9–5. After collecting just one hit in his next seven games, he had three on October 1 in a 12–8 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. He batted .222 with five runs scored, eight hits, no home runs, three RBI, and no stolen bases in 12 games (36 at bats).

In 1981, Nichols battled veteran Rick Miller in spring training for the starting spot in center field. He hit a home run against the New York Yankees late in the spring season, but Miller won the job, and Nichols spent the year as a reserve outfielder on Boston's roster. The season was interrupted for two months from June through August due to the 1981 MLB strike. In 39 games (48 at bats), Nichols batted .188 with 13 runs scored, nine hits, no home runs, three RBI, and 0 stolen bases.

Local sportswriters speculated in 1982 spring training about how much Nichols would be used during the season. "The only goal I set is to be the best player I can be," Nichols said. "I want to play every day at 120 percent. I'd like to have some more playing time because experience is the best teacher. I can be a better player just by playing." Nichols did receive more playing time in 1982, getting many starts in left field as well as center field. He hit his first regular season major league home run on May 28, a solo shot against Floyd Bannister in a 3–2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. In July, manager Ralph Houk praised Nichols: "[E]very time he's played, he's done well. … And when he's on the bench he's an asset with his speed if I need a pinch runner." On August 23, his eighth-inning, two-run home run against Bill Caudill turned a 3–2 deficit into a 4–3 lead, which would be the final score in Boston's victory over Seattle. Facing the Mariners again the next day, he hit two home runs: the first coming against Bob Stoddard in the fourth inning, and the second a game-winner coming against Caudill in the 10th inning as the Red Sox won 5–4. Ultimately, Nichols played 92 games for the Red Sox, setting career highs in batting average (.302), runs scored (35), home runs (7), and RBI (33). He had 74 hits and five stolen bases.

Over the 1982–83 offseason, Nichols played winter ball in the Dominican Republic. He hoped to be the starting center fielder in 1983 but was disappointed that December when he learned that the Red Sox had acquired Tony Armas. In an interview with the Waterbury Republican, he stated: "I'm content with whatever I get to do. I'm going to do whatever I can to help this club, and I'm not going to complain about anything ... We've got a good outfield, but you never know what could happen, and I'll be ready to go in there when I'm needed, just like last year." As it turned out, he would make several starts in center field, usually when Armas was serving as the designated hitter, and he played several games in right field as well. On May 9, he had four hits, scored twice, and hit a two-run home run against Dave Goltz in an 8–2 victory over the California Angels. He had three hits on May 25, and his ninth-inning single with the bases loaded against Dennis Lamp scored the only runs of the game in a 2–0 victory over the  Chicago White Sox. In 1983, Nichols appeared in a career-high 100 games, recording 78 hits, 6 home runs, and 22 RBI. He set or tied career highs with 78 hits, 35 runs scored, and 7 stolen bases. After the season, the Red Sox rewarded his performance with a five-year contract.

Nichols did not have the same level of success in 1984, and after starting in left field and center field several times in April and May, he was used as a pinch hitter for much of the rest of the year. He was almost traded to the Yankees for Shane Rawley that month. On June 11, he pinch-hit for Rich Gedman in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Yankees after the Red Sox had scored three runs to tie the game at six. With two outs and a 2–2 pitch count, Nichols fouled off four pitches in a row, then hit a fastball from Bob Shirley into the stands for a game-ending, three-run home run, helping the Red Sox defeat their rivals. In 74 games, he batted .226 with 14 runs scored, 28 hits, 1 home run, 14 RBI, and 2 stolen bases.

Sparingly used by the Red Sox in 1985, Nichols played a number of positions, including every outfield position and three games at second base. In the bottom of the 10th inning on May 10, with runners on first and second and the game against the Oakland Athletics tied at four, Nichols singled against Jay Howell to score Bill Buckner and give Boston a 5–4 win. Facing Oakland on July 10, he hit a home run against Bill Krueger in a 5–4 loss. The next day, he was traded by Boston to the White Sox in exchange for Tim Lollar. This made him one of the only Red Sox players to hit a home run in his final at bat with the team; one of the others was Ted Williams. In 21 games with Boston, he had batted .188 with three runs scored, six hits, one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base.

Chicago White Sox (1985–1986)
With Chicago, Nichols received more playing time, appearing in 51 games in the latter part of the season. On July 18, he had four hits and three RBI as the White Sox defeated Cleveland 10–0. Against the Yankees on August 4, his catch of a Don Baylor fly ball was the final out of Tom Seaver's 300th career win. With Chicago, he batted .297 with 20 runs scored, 35 hits, one home run, 15 RBI, and five stolen bases. In 72 games combined between Boston and Chicago, he batted .273 with 23 runs scored, 41 hits, 2 home runs, 18 RBI, and 6 stolen bases.

Nichols saw time at all the outfield positions in 1986, also playing second base twice. Facing his former team on April 12, he had two hits and three RBI in a 3–1 victory. On May 16, his three-RBI double against Charlie Leibrandt put the White Sox up for good in a 4–2 victory over the Kansas City Royals. In the first game of a doubleheader opening a series against the Mariners on September 30, Nichols pinch-hit for Daryl Boston and had a game-tying RBI single against Matt Young. He then had a walkoff single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning against Ed Nunez, giving Chicago a 5–4 victory. After not hitting a home run all season, Nichols hit one in each of the final games of the Seattle series. His second, on October 1, was part of three hits and three RBI he had as the White Sox defeated the Mariners, 3–1. In 74 games, he batted .228 with 9 runs scored, 31 hits, 2 home runs, 18 RBI, and 5 stolen bases.

Montreal Expos (1987)
Nichols spent spring training in 1987 competing for a spot on the White Sox' roster but was released on March 30. Four days later, he was signed by the Montreal Expos, who were in need of another outfielder after failing to come to terms with Tim Raines. Even after Raines finally signed with the ballclub on May 1, the team kept Nichols around for the rest of the year. Nichols enjoyed playing for the team. "[T]here wasn't as much pressure there. We had a good team that year and after the games, there would be 12 guys going out to dinner together," he reminisced. On May 9, his three-run home run against Jim Deshaies provided all of Montreal's scoring in a 3–1 victory over the Houston Astros. His last appearance for the Expos was in the team's final game of the year, on October 4, when he played center field in a 7–5 loss to the Chicago Cubs. In 77 games, he batted .265 with 22 runs scored, 39 hits, 4 home runs, 20 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. The Expos granted him free agency on November 9.

Texas Rangers organization (1988)
Nichols was at spring training for Houston in 1988, but he did not make the team. Returning to his home of Sarasota, Florida, he fished and played slow-pitch softball while hoping that another MLB team would sign him. On July 21, he was finally picked up by the Oklahoma City 89ers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. "I could hardly expect anything else after sitting at home all summer," he said. The 89ers had struggled to field a full roster following several callups by the Rangers, as well as the retirements of Steve Kemp and Ruppert Jones and an injury to Tito Landrum. In 38 games, Nichols batted .241 with 19 runs scored, 32 hits, two home runs, and 19 RBI in 133 at bats in what would be his last professional season. He signed with the Chicago Cubs for 1989 but retired towards the end of spring training.

Career statistics
In an eight-year career, Nichols batted .266 (308 hits in 1160 at bats) with 156 runs scored, 63 doubles, 8 triples, 22 home runs, 131 RBI, 27 stolen bases, and a .326 on-base percentage in 540 games. He posted a .990 fielding percentage in 408 outfield appearances, committing eight errors in 782 chances. He batted and threw right-handed.

Post playing career

After his retirement, Nichols earned his charter boat license and captained fishing tours, but he chose to return to baseball because, "When you own your own business, the customer is the boss and that is a lot of pressure." Roland Hemond, his general manager (GM) from Chicago who had since assumed the same post with the Orioles, hired Nichols and assigned him to work with Doug Melvin as a field coordinator and coach.

When Melvin became the Rangers' GM in 1994, he brought Nichols along. Nichols served as the farm director for the Rangers from 1994 to 2000. In 2001, he served as the Rangers' first base and outfield coach. With Texas, Nichols instituted a program to teach Ranger prospects etiquette and financial literacy, having actors role-play common scenarios that a rookie might encounter. "If a player walks into a bar on a road trip, everyone knows who they are," said Nichols. "It's important they know how to handle themselves in that situation." The Wall Street Journal featured the program on the front page of its March 2, 1998 edition.

When Melvin went from being GM of the Rangers to being GM of the Brewers before the 2002 season, he brought Nichols along as the Farm Director/Director of Player Development. Over the next several years, the Brewers farm system went from one of the lowest-ranked development systems to a number seven ranking in 2007 from Baseball Prospectus, developing players such as Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Rickie Weeks. On whether it was better to have one or two elite prospects in a thin system or a system with more depth, Nichols said, "If you're putting together a roster, you need depth. If you need a player or two to move up and fill slots, you want elite players." Among his duties was personally notifying players who were released by the organization. "I like to have a good impact on a young person's life. If someone wasn't going to make it in the big leagues, I felt like we were doing them a favor to help them get their life going outside of baseball. I would sit with them all and talk to them about it." David Stearns, who was hired as the team's GM after the 2015 season, did not renew Nichols's contract, ending his 14-year tenure with the team.

For the next three years, Nichols helped with minority baseball camps in Vero Beach, Florida, sponsored by MLB and USA Baseball. Just a coach at first, he eventually became the person in charge of the whole operation. "I really enjoyed coaching. It's the same successful feeling as playing when you see someone get what you're teaching them," Nichols said. He retired in 2018, the year he turned 60.

Personal life
Nichols and his first wife, Janet, had three daughters: Amanda, Erin, and Kendall, the latter of whom went on to play volleyball at Liberty University. He and his current wife, Elaine, live in Goodyear, Arizona. His hobbies include fishing, golfing, and hunting. Nichols stands  and weighs .

References

External links

Retrosheet

1958 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball coaches from Florida
Baseball players from Florida
Boston Red Sox players
Chicago White Sox players
Montreal Expos players
Major League Baseball farm directors
Major League Baseball first base coaches
Major League Baseball outfielders
Milwaukee Brewers executives
Oklahoma City 89ers players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Sportspeople from Ocala, Florida
Texas Rangers coaches
Texas Rangers executives

Reid Nichols


Oxytocin is a hormone found in mammals. It is a peptide hormone and neuropeptide. It acts on the brain. In humans it is released during female reproduction, especially during and after childbirth.

It has other effects. It encourages pair bonding, and parental behaviour. It is released during intimate moments during orgasms and even hugs. For this reason it is often called the 'love hormone'.

Strange to say, the oxytocin released by the pituitary gland cannot reach the brain: it does have effects on the rest of the body. The reason is that there is a blood–brain barrier which prevents large molecules from getting into the brain. Instead, the hormone is produced by special nerve cells inside the brain.

Oxytocin is also released through the use of recreational drugs like MDMA and some prescription anti-depressants.

Oxytocin was the first polypeptide hormone to be sequenced and synthesized, by Vincent du Vigneaud and colleagues in 1953.

Related pages
Peptide hormone

References

Hormones
Proteins

Oxytocin