Pontymoile Basin

Junction Cottage and Toll Sign at Pontymoile Basin

Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
River Usk and Brecon Feeder Weir and Theatre Basin A40(T) Road bridges 69 Brynich lock Brynich aqueduct Nant Menasgin aqueduct B4558 Cross Keys bridge, Pencelli Afon Caerfanell aqueduct, Talybont Ashford Tunnel (375 yd) 65-68 Llangynidr Locks (4) Afon Crawnon aqueduct 64 Llangynidr Locks - Lower lock B4560 Llangynidr bridge Nant Cleisfer aqueduct B4558 Fro Bridge A4077 Crickhowell Bridge Aqueduct, Llangattock Gilwern Wharf Afon Clydach aqueduct A4077 Gilwern Bridge A465 Heads of the Valleys Road Llanwenarth aqueduct, Govilon former railway bridge Llanfoist and Abergavenny Ochram Brook aqueduct Goytre Wharf Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal Pontnewynydd Basin Pontnewynydd branch locks (8) Pontnewynydd branch locks (3) Staircase Afon Lwyd aqueduct Pontymoile Basin A472 Pontymoile Bypass Bridge Monmouthshire Canal Crown Bridge, Sebastopol Cwmbran Tunnel (87 yd) Five Locks Basin Limit of navigation 59-63 Cross Keys locks (5) 56-58 Pontnewydd locks (3) 53-55 Three Locks (3) 49-52 Forge Hammer locks (4) A4051 road built over canal bed Culverted section 47-48 Two Locks (2) 38-46 Drapers lock to Ty Coch lock (9) Pentre Lane bridge 37 Tamplin Lock 36 Tyfynnon Lock 35 Malpas Lock 34 Gwasted Lock Malpas Brook aqueduct M4 motorway bridge Malpas Junction Crumlin Arm Barrack Hill Tunnel (closed 1930) 1 Mill Street lock South Wales Railway and Newport Llanarth St Wharf Potter Street lock Newport Old Town Dock 2 Gwastad Lock (restored) 3-6 Waen lock to Allt-yr-yn lock (4) 7 Cwrt-y-Mwnws Lock M4 motorway bridge 8-21 Cefn Flight (Fourteen Locks) Site of Giles aqueduct Infilled section Navigable section Pontywaun terminus 22 Cwmcarn lock 23-29 Abercarn locks (7) 30-33 Newbridge locks (4) Crumlin wharf

Pontymoile Basin is a mooring point and canal junction on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

Location

The basin lies on the Pontypool stretch of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in the Pontypool suburb of Pontymoile in the county borough of Torfaen and historic county of Monmouthshire in south Wales.

History

Originally a toll point, the canal narrows significantly as it approaches the basin. Junction Cottage is the old toll house, built in 1810–1812 and is Grade II listed. The basin itself is a large expanse of water adjacent to the canal. It is used for turning narrowboats and filling up with water.

Pontymoile Basin was the site of the junction with the three-mile Monmouthshire Canal to Pontnewynydd, containing 11 locks. This spur was fed from tramways carrying coal and iron down the valley. The junction was enacted in 1797 and completed in 1812. The spur was problematic due to water supply issues, and it was overtaken by rail when the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company drained it and reused the bed for their railway line in 1854, though it had seen decline prior to that date. Today traces of both canal and railway have disappeared under the reshaped A472 road.

Visitor attraction

The basin is becoming something of a visitor attraction. Narrowboats and cruisers can be seen along the private stretch of moorings and day boat hire was introduced in 2007. Boats can be hired for full days or half days. There is a unique narrow boat café which was itself a former canal boat.

The basin is located near Pontypool Park and is a stopping point for boats en route to Goetre Wharf.

See also

• Canals of the United Kingdom
• History of the British canal system