Cardiff in making iron and later steel, brought to the sea by packhorse from Merthyr Tydfil. This was first achieved by the construction of a long canal from Merthyr (510 feet above sea-level) to the Taff Estuary at Cardiff. Eventually the Taff Vale Railway replaced the canal barges and massive marshalling yards sprang up as new docks were developed in Cardiff – all prompted by the soaring worldwide demand for coal from the South Wales valleys. At its peak, Cardiff's port area, known as Tiger Bay, became the busiest port in the world and – for some time – the world's
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Motorpoint Arena Cardiff (formerly known as Cardiff International Arena and also as The CIA) is an indoor exhibition centre and events arena located in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, and was opened on 10 September 1993 by singer Shirley Bassey. Its current name is due to a five-year sponsorship agreement. It is Cardiff's largest purpose-built exhibition facility. The upstairs of the building is known as the World Trade Centre. The arena was opened on 10 September 1993, by Shirley Bassey, in front of 5,500 fans. The concert was later televised on BBC One on 30 July 1994.