Welsh Journals

Severn Tunnel Junction Marshalling Yards. 1886 12th October 1987. W. C. Winter The South Wales Railway opened for traffic the seventyfive miles between Chepstow and Swansea on 18th June 1850. There was no station then as Rogiet had only a few inhabitants, mostly farmers, farmworkers and a few quarrymen. This line remained alone until it was joined in 1886 by the Severn Tunnel Railway, an Act of Parliament for which was passed in 1872. The railway was to run the eight miles from Pilning to Rogiet beneath the River Severn. It was to coincide with the opening of the Severn Tunnel that a station was built to be known as Severn Tunnel Junction and the first siding for the marshalling yards formed. From that time up to and including the first World War the yards were increasing in size and their use more extensively. "The History of the Great Western Railway" records that traffic increased through the tunnel from 18.099 trains in 1913 to 24.027 in 1917, mostly coal for the southern ports and docks. There was a Chief Inspector then stationed at the depot one of whom, Mr Williams, retired in 1922. His son Archie, who died a few years ago was a railwayman all his working life. Up to the end of the Great War most workers employed came from the half circle Magor in the west to Portskewett in the east excluding Rogiet although Ifton Terrace, Rogiet Terrace and Sea View Terrace had been built almost as soon as the station or very shortly afterwards. Around the same time Lord Tredegar financed the erection of The Roggiett Hotel. The Chepstow Rural District Council built its first houses in Ifton Road and Caldicot Road under the Housing Act 1919 and they were occupied in 1921. Shortly after this the Great Western Garden Village Society commenced its programme of house building for railway employees with financial aid from both the Exchequer and the District Council. Both these sites were the basis for the strong community spirit founded on railway service. Sometime between the wars a hostel was built between the station and the loco shed. This may have been purpose-built but was in any case, used later as a "double home" lodge. At least one marriage was made in this building when a member of the female staff married a fireman and settled in a society house to raise a family.