Big Arch

Big Arch since closure - SO 2598 0350

The 'Big Arch' was built in 1878-79 when the MRCC, later GWR line from Pontypool met the LNWR line from Blaenavon at Talywain Station to form the high-level line. It is a substantial 50-yard long, 48ft wide tunnel beneath the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company embankment of 1879 when the LNWR and MRCC lines were connected. The earthworks are in progress but it hasn't been completed on the 1880 OS map which must have been surveyed c1876.

The ironworks closed as the new line opened so the area in front of the old furnaces became the base for the Talywain Railway which served the local collieries as far as Llanerch Colliery in the Cwmnantddu valley. This was the site of the loco shed and wagon repair shops, the main engineering facility for the Talywain Railway, which closed in 1970.

Big Arch not there in c1876	Big Arch in 1901	Big Arch in 1920	Big Arch in 1962
Big Arch from Lodge Road	Big Arch from Lodge Road	Big Arch from the loco sheds	Big Arch from the loco sheds
Big Arch from the loco sheds	Big Arch from the loco sheds	Big Arch loco sheds	Big Arch wagon repair shops
Site of loco sheds from LNWR	Site of loco sheds from LNWR	View over Big Arch from the village

Big Arch Colliery

Big Arch Colliery - SO 2590 0380

Tranch Elled Colliery in Pontnewynydd was becoming difficult to work in 1975 so the 'Tranch Elled Colliery Co', owned by Viv Griffin, opened a replacement level at Big Arch. It accessed the Meadow seam under the foot of the Navigation Colliery slag heap. It seems to have stopped work in 1982 and was abandoned by 1985.

Big Arch level 1970-1985	Big Arch level 1970-1985	Big Arch level 1970-1985
Big Arch level 1970-1985	Big Arch level 1970-1985	Big Arch level 1970-1985
Big Arch level 1970-1985	Big Arch level 1970-1985	Big Arch level in 1973

Griffin's Colliery - SO 2601 0320

Griffin's Colliery was owned by 'Griffin & Son (Pwlldu) Ltd', another Viv Griffin company, as a replacement for their Pwlldu Colliery near Llanelly Hill. The colliery was working from c1975 to 1983 and abandoned in 1986. Richard Jones is seen here leading the horse.

Griffin's Colliery and Richard Jones

British Ironworks

British Ironworks - SO 2573 0367

The 'British Iron Co' started work on the site in 1825, with production beginning in 1827. In 1843 the company became the 'New British Iron Co' being taken over by the 'Ebbw Vale Iron Co' in 1852. Pig iron production ceased in 1876 with all production stopping in 1881. 12 furnaces with coke and calcining ovens were planned but only 6 built. Parts of the back wall and coke ovens survive, along with the office block, now roofless, as does the beam engine pump house of 1845, and its chimney base, from the British Ironworks Colliery.

British Ironworks, 1843	British Ironworks, 1880	British Ironworks, 1901	British Ironworks, 1920
The British Ironworks	The British Ironworks	The British Ironworks	The British Ironworks
Panorama of the Ironworks site	Panorama of the Ironworks site	Panorama of the Ironworks site	Panorama of the Ironworks site

Blast Furnaces and Coke Ovens - SO 2571 0371

Little remains of the ironworks itself but the back wall of the blast furnaces and coke ovens can still be found.

Ironworks blast furnaces, c1960s	Ironworks blast furnaces	Ironworks blast furnaces	Ironworks blast furnaces
Ironworks blast furnaces	Ironworks blast furnaces	Ironworks blast furnaces	Ironworks blast furnaces
Ironworks blast furnaces	Ironworks coke ovens	Ironworks coke ovens	Stonework near the coke ovens
Drainage level and mine shaft

The Engine House - SO 2582 0367

The engine house is probably the most promonent survivor of the ironworks site and dates from 1845. It contained the beam pumping engine for the drainage of the adjacent mine workings.

Engine house and office block	Ironworks engine house	Ironworks engine house, c1960s	Ironworks engine house, c1960s
Ironworks engine house, c1960s	Ironworks engine house, c1960s	Ironworks engine house	Ironworks engine house
Ironworks engine house detail	Ironworks engine house detail	Ironworks engine house detail	Ironworks engine house detail
Ironworks engine house detail	Ironworks engine house interior	Ironworks engine house interior	Ironworks engine house interior
Ironworks engine house interior	Engine house and chimney	Engine house and chimney	Ironworks Engine house
Ironworks Engine house	Engine house and chimney	Ironworks engine house	Ironworks engine house
Ironworks engine house	Engine house chimney base	Engine house chimney base	Engine house chimney base

The Office Block - SO 2572 0361

The office block is slowly crumbling away but still contains some interesting relics. Experiments with a reverbatory air-furnace for re-melting cast iron and electrical apparatus took place and there appear to be the remains of WW2 defences, an anti-aircraft battery perhaps and what appears to be an air-raid shelter complete with metal bunks.

Office block, c1970	Office block, c1970		Office block in 1973
Office block in 1973	Office block in 1973	Office block in 1973	Office block in 1973
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block
Ironworks air furnace site	Ironworks air furnace site	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	Ironworks air raid shelter?	Ironworks air raid shelter?
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block
British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block	British Ironworks office block

The Open-air Swimming Pool - SO 2585 0363

The open-air swimming pool was built by the local council in the 1920s just above the office block. It was still used up to the 1980s but now filled in. Look carefully and you will see the blue tiles of the edge of the pool.

The open-air swimming pool

A tank at the swimming pool

The open-air swimming pool

The open-air swimming pool

Watercourses under the site

Underneath the ironworks site there are a number of watercourses and every so often they need inspection by Mines Surveyors. I've been given these photos of their inspections over the past few years. The air quality is very bad so these inspections are brief and irregular.

British Ironworks watercourses	British Ironworks watercourses	British Ironworks watercourses	British Ironworks watercourses
British Ironworks watercourses	British Ironworks watercourses	British Ironworks watercourses	British Ironworks watercourses

Lower Navigation Colliery

Lower Navigation Colliery - SO 2560 0390

Originally known as Abersychan Big Pit, the colliery was sunk by 1873 or around 1880s. It closed for production on nationalisation in 1947 and completely in 1954 and then demolished. The once prominent tip behind it has been removed leaving an unuseable area of rough ground. The pumping station is a a few hundred yards away and still exists (just).

Lower Navigation Colliery	Lower Navigation Colliery	Lower Navigation Colliery
Lower Navigation Colliery	Lower Navigation Colliery	Lower Navigation Colliery
Lower Navigation Colliery, 1977	Lower Navigation Colliery, 1977

Lower Navigation Colliery pumphouse - SO 2537 0396

Lower Navigation pumphouse	Lower Navigation pumphouse	Lower Navigation pumphouse	Lower Navigation pumphouse
Lower Navigation pumphouse	Lower Navigation pumphouse	Lower Navigation pumphouse	Lower Navigation pumphouse

Around the site

Northern end of a culvert

Southern end of a culvert

Electricity Pole Hill

Shaft on the site of the old tips

Cwmsychan Colliery tramway tunnel - SO 2554 0387

This tunnel carried the tramway from Cwmsychan Colliery to the ironworks under the modern road

Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel	Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel	Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel	Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel
Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel	Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel	Cwmsychan Colliery tunnel	Airshafts at Abersychan House

British Village

British Village - SO 2544 0360

The building of British Village began in around 1825 to provide housing for the ironworks and surrounding collieries. There were grand plans to re-develop and modernise the village in the 1960s but only Elizabeth Row was completed, the rest of the village being demolished.

Walter Clough lived in Talywain whilst working at Girling in the 70's. His photos are from 1977 when he was just 29. He used to walk the dog over the British and became quite interested and tried to imagine what it would have been like in its heyday. The sketch of where the terraces used to be was from talking to older people in the pub on a Sunday lunch time.

British village 1879, South	British village 1879, North	British village, 1901	Plan of British village, 1977
How it might have looked, c1980	British Village in 1950	British Village, c1970	British Village, c1970
British Village, c1970	East View, British Village	The only survivor, Elizabeth Row	A brick box near Elizabeth Row

Big Edge Hill and Edgehill Row - SO 2533 0343

Big Edge Hill, c1970s	Big Edge Hill, c1970s	Big Edge Hill, British village
Big Edge Hill, British village	Big Edge Hill, British village	Big Edge Hill, British village
Big Edge Hill, British village	Big Edge Hill, British village	Edgehill Row, behind Big Edge Hill

John's Row, Kings Parade and Dublin Row - SO 2533 0372

Johns Row spout, British village	Johns Row, British village	Johns Row, British village
Dublin Row, British village		Kings Parade, British village

Monmouth Row and Mount Pleasant Row - SO 2533 0380

Monmouth Row, British village	Monmouth Row, British village	Monmouth Row, British village
Monmouth Row, British village		Mount Pleasant Row, British village

Norfolk Row and Ty Ffynnon, originally Long Row - SO 2537 0354

Ty Ffynnon was a large three-storey property at the North end of Norfolk Row which may wekk have been the under-manager's house.

Norfolk Row, British village, 1977	Norfolk Row, British village	Norfolk Row, British village	Ty Ffynnon, British village c1980
Norfolk Row, British village, 1977	Norfolk Row, British village, 1977
Norfolk Row, British village	Norfolk Row, British village	Norfolk Row, British village	Norfolk Row, British village
Norfolk Row, British village	Ty Ffynnon, British village	Ty Ffynnon, British village	Ty Ffynnon, British village
Ty Ffynnon, British village	Ty Ffynnon, British village	Ty Ffynnon, British village

York Place - SO 2531 0355

York Place c1980, British village	York Place, c1981	York Place, c1981	York Place, c1981
York Place and Big Arch, c1981	General view from Lasgarn, c1981	York Place, British village	York Place, British village
York Place, British village	York Place, British village	York Place, British village	York Place, British village

Abersychan House - SO 2542 0382

Abersychan House may well have been the ironworks manager's house and in 1901 Llewelyn Llewelyn Esq JP lived here. Little remains now but the culvert under the house is a curious survivor. The original road to the village can be followed from the Llanhilleth Road junction, first crossing the Cwmsychan Colliery tramway which is now a stream. Then over a bridge over a watercourse which was the site of the original road junction, before passing the gates to the yard and stables of Aberychan House.

Cwmsychan tramway bridge	The road from tramway bridge	Bridge beside Abersychan House	Bridge beside Abersychan House
Bridge beside Abersychan House	Bridge beside Abersychan House	Abersychan House yard gateway	The site of Abersychan House
Culvert at Abersychan House	Culvert at Abersychan House	Culvert at Abersychan House	Culvert at Abersychan House

Oaktree Cottage and Whitehall Cottage - SO 2531 0369

Oaktree Cottage, British village	Oaktree Cottage, British village	Oaktree Cottage, British village	Whitehall Cottage, British village
Whitehall Cottage, British village	Whitehall Cottage, British village	Whitehall Cottage, British village	Whitehall Cottage, British village

Rock Cottage - SO 2528 0372

Rock Cottage was just below the quarry and was occupied by Edward Clancey and his family when the old photo was taken.

Rock Cottage

Rock Cottage

Rock Cottage

Rock Cottage

British Quarry and incline

British Quarry - SO 2515 0365

British Quarry connected with the British by an incline which can best be seen at SO 2535 0365 where there are two stone-built 'subways' (as their described on the OS map) underneath it. There's a story that the lower subway was low in height for the workers in their caps and the upper one was higher for the managers in their bowlers or toppers.

British Quarry from Lasgarn	British Quarry from Lasgarn	British Quarry	Small Northern quarry
British Quarry incline top	British Quarry incline	Incline and lower subway	Lower subway under the incline
Lower subway under the incline	Lower subway under the incline	Upper subway under the incline	Upper subway under the incline

The Talywain Railway

The Talywain Railway originally served the local collieries as far as Llanerch Colliery (closed c1947) in Cwm Nantddu. Blaenserchan Colliery opened in 1890 and was served by the GWR Cwm Nantddu branch from Pontnewynydd. After a landslip c1947, the Talywain Railway was extended to serve Blaenserchan too. Blaenserchan Colliery ceased coal-winding in 1969 and the railway closed on 3rd April 1970. The locoshed site was used for landsale until 1974.

The last locos to operate the line were :-
    'Illtyd', AB 2331/52, new in 1952, cut up on site in 1975.
    'Llewellyn', HE3817/54, new in 1954, to Hafodyrynys Colliery in 1971.
    'Ebbw', HC 1740/43, from Blaenavon in 1959, cut up in 1971.
    'Islwyn', AB 2332/52, from Tirpentws Colliery in 1960, cut up on site in 1975.
    '7754', NBQ 24042/30, GWR pannier tank from Elliott Colliery in 1968, to Mountain Ash Railway in 1970.

This is a photographic journey up the line from Big Arch to Blaenserchan with grateful thanks to the many people who supplied the photos.

Big Arch and the Exchange Sidings

Early residents of the loco sheds

Some of the older locomotives that used to work the Talywain Railway.

'Blaenserchan', SS 4632 of 1900	'Blaenserchan', SS 4632 of 1900	'Blaenserchan', SS 4632 of 1900
'Victor', SS 2363 of 1873	'Vulcan', HC 768 of 1906

Big Arch loco shed and wagon works

The area in front of the old furnaces became the site of the main loco shed, wagon repair shops and the main engineering facility for the Talywain Railway, which closed in 1970. The last loco to remain was 'Islwyn' which was finally scrapped here in 1975. From Big Arch the line led up to the exchange sidings and the man line to Blaenserchan

Big Arch shed, 'Islwyn', 1967	Big Arch shed, 'Illtyd', 1967	Big Arch shed, 'Islywn', 1968	Big Arch shed, 'Islywn', 1968
Big Arch with '7754' and 'Llewellyn'	Big Arch in the 1960s	Big Arch in the 1960s	Big Arch in the 1960s
Big Arch in 1973	Big Arch in 1973	Big Arch in 1973	Big Arch wagon repair shops, 1973
Big Arch wagon repair shops, 1973	Big Arch wagon repair shops, 1973	Big Arch loco shed, 1973
Big Arch in the 1970s	Big Arch in the 1970s	Big Arch in the 1970s	Big Arch in the 1970s

The Exchange Sidings

The exchange sidings with the BR line at Talywain were at the top of a steep incline from the loco sheds at Big Arch. Luckily only light engines and wagons for the repair shops or the landsale yard used it. A gentler access line ran along 'The Promenade' on the other side of Big Arch.

Exchange sidings, '7754', c1960s	Exchange sidings, c1960s	A mishap at the exchange sidings	Exchange sidings, BR '6878', 1973
Exchange sidings, c1960s	Exchange sidings, c1960s	Exchange sidings, 1972	Exchange sidings, 1972

Up to Lower Navigation Colliery

Originally known as Abersychan Big Pit, Lower Navigation Colliery was sunk by 1873 or around 1880s. It closed for production on nationalisation in 1947 and completely in 1954 and then demolished. The once prominent tip behind it has been removed leaving an unuseable area of rough ground. The pumping station is a few hundred yards away and still exists (just). Castle Wood was the junction of the lines to the exchange siding and down to Big Arch.

Farm Road and Castle Wood

Farm Road bridge abutments	Trackbed towards Castle Wood	Trackbed towards Castle Wood	'7754' near Castle Wood
'7754' near Castle Wood	'7754' near Castle Wood	'7754' near Castle Wood	'Llewellyn' near Castle Wood
Near Castle Wood	'Illtyd' at Castle Wood	Near Castle Wood	'Islwyn' near Castle Wood
'Islwyn' near Castle Wood

Lower Navigation Colliery

By the time these photos were taken, Lower Navigation Colliery had long been demolished but odd walls and arches remained. The prominent tip was removed in the late 1970s.

'Ebbw' at the colliery site, 1967	'Ebbw' at the colliery site, 1967	'7754' at the colliery site	'Ebbw' at the colliery site
'Ebbw' at the colliery site	'Ebbw' at the colliery site	'Islwyn' or 'Illtyd' at the colliery	'Islwyn' or 'Illtyd' at the colliery
'Llewellyn' at the colliery site	'Llewellyn' at the colliery site	'Llewellyn' at the colliery site	'Llewellyn' at the colliery site
'Islwyn' or 'Illtyd' at the colliery	'Islwyn' at the colliery, 1969	'Islwyn' at the colliery, 1969	'Islwyn' at the colliery, 1969
Lower Navigation Colliery tips	Lower Navigation Colliery yard	View through the colliery ruins	'7754' at the colliery ruins, 1969
'Islwyn' or 'Illtyd'' at the colliery ruins	'Islwyn' or 'Illtyd'' at the colliery ruins

British Village to Rhiw Frank

The British and Pant Glas

The railway passes below 'Elizabeth Row', the only surviving row of the 'British' village, once a thriving community of a dozen rows of houses. The incline from Cwmbergwm Colliery ended at a loading bank beside the line here. The line then carried on through relatively open countryside below the Pant Glas slip, an old landslide.

'Llewellyn' approaching the village	Passing 'British' village	'Llewellyn' passing The British	'Llewellyn' passing The British
Passing the British village	Near Cwmbergwm	Near Cwmbergwm	Near Cwmbergwm
Near Cwmbergwm	Near Cwmbergwm

Rhiw Frank level crossing

An ancient road, 'Rhiw Frank', crosses the line to reach the the valley ridgeway. This would have been the main route out of valley before the Industrial Revolution and may even have Roman connections. This is the point at which the railway turns up Cwm Nantddu to get to Llanerch and Blaenserchan.

Railway at Rhiw Frank	Railway at Rhiw Frank	Railway at Rhiw Frank
Railway at Rhiw Frank	Near Rhiw Frank	'Islwyn' near Rhiw Frank, 1969
'Islwyn' near Rhiw Frank, 1969	'Islwyn' near Rhiw Frank, 1969	'7754' near Rhiw Frank, 1970

Cwm Nant Ddu

The railway heads up Cwm Nant Ddu, past Llanerch Colliery and on to Blaenserchan Colliery.

'Llewellyn' in Cwm Nant Ddu	'Llewellyn' in Cwm Nant Ddu	'Llewellyn' in Cwm Nant Ddu	'7754' in Cwm Nant Ddu, 1969
'7754' in Cwm Nant Ddu, 1969	'7754' in Cwm Nant Ddu, c1969	'Illtyd' or 'Islwyn' at Llanerch Colliery	Llanerch Colliery

Acknowledgments, sources and further reading.

Thanks to :- Walter Clough, Andy Coldridge, Chris Down, Dennis Hopkins, Walt Jabsco, Richard Morgan, Random Railways, Alan Murray-Rust, Cliff Shepherd, Mike Roach, Steve Thomas and Dave Wilson for their photos.
Gwyn and Simon Jenkins and Jill Jones for their company.
'Industrial Locomotives of Gwent', Geoffrey Hill and Gordon Green, Industrial Railway Society, 1999.
Gwent Local History Journal Nos 42, 54 and 87