In 1815 a tramway was set up from Rhymney to the Brecon and Monmouth canal at Talybont on Usk along which half ton trams were used to move lime and timber to the Brecon canal.
By 1884 use of the tramroad had stopped. In the years since its closure the tramroad, a statutory bridleway, had suffered from lack of maintenance and illegal motor vehicle use.
Some 80% of the track runs through the Talybont Forest managed by Forestry Commission Wales. As the result of a community consultation exercise carried out by Forestry Commission Wales a Forum of local people was formed with active support and membership from local community councils, local residents, the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Tredegar Town Council, British Waterways and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council to see how the tramway could be conserved to best serve the local communities.
A basic management plan was completed by a consultant (funded by Brecon Beacons National Park). The plan looked at the then state of the tramway, what works needed to be completed to maintain it, and how to obtain further funding.
As a result the project attracted a £33,250 Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The time spent by FCW was costed into the Heritage Lottery Fund bid as partnership funding for the project. The grant money paid for the commissioning of an archaeological survey and the provision of interpretative displays at both Talybont and Trefil.
The consultation work also impacted on the forest design of the area with Forestry Commission Wales putting in new routes into the forest for harvesting machinery to avoid using the historic tramway and using skylines to harvest inaccessible areas. Members of the Forum and the National Park inspect following harvesting to ensure that FCW have honoured the commitment not to let commercial harvesting forestry activity impact on the newly restored tramway.
Restoration work completed by Forestry Commission Wales includes excavation of the site, hedging and drainage as well as the creation of new woodland gates, signposting and marker stones along the route all bearing Brinore Tramroad's own special symbol. Much of the work was carried out by volunteers from the communities of Talybont and Trefil on excavation, hedging and chainsaw days. Raleigh International Volunteers also spent three weeks clearing the site, exposing stones, creating drainage and coppicing the hazel under the supervision of FCW staff.
A guide to the history of the tramroad - Walks and Rides along the Brinore Tramroad - was launched during the placing ceremony of the 1840s style replica tram donated by British Waterways to the site in October 2003.
The work of the forum has been supported by Forestry Commission Wales and British Waterways, together with substantial grant assistance from the Sustainability Development Fund of the National Park, and other donations from trusts and individual members.
FCW have also planted broadleaf edges to the track.
