The River Sirhowy runs from Risca to Trefil in the Brecon Beacons, passing through Wattsville, Cwmfelinfach, Ynysddu, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood,
Markham and Tredegar. The Sirhowy Tramway was one of the earliest industrial railways in South Wales and responsible for growth of Newport as a major coal port and
ultimately, a city.
As this page develops, it will be divided into separate pages for each main area.
Wattsville
Full Moon - the LNWR offices and platelayers hut at ST 2102 9128 are used by the Sirhowy Valley Country Park wardens.
Penllwyn Tramway - the bridge crossing the River Sirhowy is at ST 2035 9108 and the tramway embankment can be traced for a few hundred yards to the West.
Cwmfelinfach - Nine Mile Point and Wentloog Collieries
Nine Mile Point Colliery at ST 1930 9130 was developed between 1902 and 1905 with three shafts, West, East and Rock. It was also known as Coronation
or Sirhowy Valley Colliery. Famous for two particular incidents, one was a stay-down strike in 1935 and the other is the threatened engulfing of Capel y Babel by its growing tip,
unusual in that it was on the valley floor. The 'Nine Miles' refers to the distance from Newport along the Penllwyn and Sirhowy Tramways. The colliery closed in 1964, and the site
is now an industrial estate. One abutment of the bridge over the river from the Sirhowy Valley line at ST 1956 9110 still exists and is used for abseiling. The tips are at ST 1775 9060
and were connected to the colliery by an aerial ropeway. A very rusty and partly buried bucket is deep in the woods at ST 1838 9085.One of the towers still stands complete at
ST 1895 9097 beside the Wentloog Colliery tramway.
Wentloog Colliery consisted of two adits an earlier adit at ST 1853 9090 and a later one at ST 1861 9084, both connected by a long, shallow incline and tramway to Ynysddu Brickworks.
The route of the tramway is a forestry track and at the site ther is a brick culvert under the tramway near the earlier adit and a brick pit at the later adit, where an engine house once stood.
An old level at ST 1874 9099, disused by 1901, connected to the Sirhowy Tramway by a short, steep incline past Ynys Hywel.
Cwmfelinfach - Nant-y-ddraenog
A quarry at ST 1860 9210 was open by 1922, probably with the building of the village with a smaller quarry just to the North, at ST 1859 9226, marked 'old' in 1922.
On the opposite bank of the stream is what appears to be a small but well-cut drainage or escape adit, possibly from the old level above it,
at ST 1881 9231. Little remains of this adit but the depression and some ironmongery protruding from the ground in front.
Further up another small adit existed at Ty-Cae-Brith, ST 1917 9262. This is still used as a water supply with a filled but clear, stone-lined entrance and a roof collapse just behind.
There is also signs of an adit and tip on the opposite side of the field.
Nant-y-ddraenog Reservoir is at ST 1890 9350 with two primary and one covered secondary filter bed. The reservoir was built in 1894 before Cwmfelinfach village was built but
closed in 1979. The roof of the main filter house has disappeared but the ironwork and walls remains. Quite a lot of iron and pipe work still remain at this remote site.
Ynysddu
Ynysddu Brickworks opened after 1901 at ST 1803 9172 and closed after 1938. Lots of foundations in the undergrowth and the site is littered with bricks.
This was the end of the tramway from Wentloog Colliery.
Wyllie
Wyllie Colliery's site has been completely cleared and a housing estate is being built there. This modern colliery was constructed between 1924 and 1926 at
ST 176933 and closed in 1968, after a very short and uneventful life. The tips were on Machen Mountain at ST 169925.
On the opposite side of the valley at ST 183936 was MynyddIslwyn (or Caerllwyn) Quarry. Caerllwyn Colliery at ST 183941 was working by 1880 and closed 1921.
Photo Gallery
Many photos of the area are on my photo gallery :- 'Transport and Industry - The Leftovers'
The Sirhowy Valley South from Wattsville to Blackwood at http://philjenkins.fotopic.net/c1395109.html
The Sirhowy Valley North from Pontllanfraith to Tredegar at http://philjenkins.fotopic.net/c1596094.html
Surviving Locations
A comprehensive sortable 'Excel' spreadsheet of all known sites is on the Home page.
ST 203910 Wattsville, Penllwn Tramway bridge.
ST 202910 Wattsville, Penllwyn Tramway embankment.
ST 195911 Cwmfelinfach, abutment of Nine Mile Point Colliery branch from LNWR Sirhowy Valley line.
ST 186922 Cwmfelinfach, water, drainage or escape adit near old quarries.
ST 192926 Cwmfelinfach, adit below Ty-cae-brith in Nant-y-ddraenog.
ST 188934 Cwmfelinfach, Nant-y-ddraenog Reservoir and filter beds.
ST 180917 Ynysddu, brickworks site covered with old bricks.
SO 143090 Tredegar Ironworks.
SO 143101 Tredegar, Sirhowy Ironworks.
SO 119129 Trefil silica quarry.
SO 120130 Trefil limestone quarry.
