Merthyr Town

Georgetown - SO 0445 0665

Georgetown (named after George Crawshay) is one of the few remaining areas from Merthyrs past, dating from the 1820s. It includes Cyfarthfa Chapel, Joseph Parry's birthplace in a row of terraced cottages and an excavated section of the Glamorganshire Canal along with various relics from those times. Jacksons Bridge dates from 1791 and once carried the Dowlais Tramroad.

The Glamorganshire Canal	The Glamorganshire Canal	Cyfarthfa Chapel, Georgetown	Cyfarthfa Chapel, Georgetown
Chapel Row, Georgetown	No. 4 Chapel Row, Joseph Parry	Chapel Row, Georgetown	Jackson's Bridge, Georgetown
Tramroad wagon at Georgetown	Tramroad sleeper at Georgetown	Cast Iron frame at Georgetown
'C C' boundary stone	'C C' boundary stone	'V & P R D C' grit bin	'V & P R D C' grit bin

Ynys-fach Ironworks - SO 0452 0610

Ynys-fach Ironworks was built in 1801 by the Crawshays as an extension of their works at Cyfarthfa. There is a row of four derelict furnaces with the arches present and the blast passage behind next to a stone-built, four-storey blast engine-house of 1836. It was restored as a museum in 1989 and is open to the public.

Ynys-fach blast engine house	Ynys-fach blast engine house	Ynys-fach blast engine house	Ynys-fach blast engine house
Ynys-fach blast engine house	Ynys-fach blast furnaces	Ynys-fach blast furnaces	Ynys-fach blast furnaces
Ynys-fach Ironworks	Tramroad from Ynys-fach	Tramroad from Ynys-fach

The Vale of Neath Railway and other bridges

The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal
The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal
The VoNR bridge over the canal	The VoNR bridge over the canal		An ironstone level near Merthyr
TVR Ynysfach branch bridge	TVR Ynysfach branch bridge	TVR Ynysfach branch bridge

Plymouth Ironworks - SO 0560 0500

Plymouth Ironworks has long gone and little remains to mark it. The Merthyr (Penydarran) Tramroad ran in a tunnel under the site and one portal has been reconstructed to mark the 'oldest railway tunnel in the world'. The footbridge is typical but probably not original.

Merthyr (Penydarran) Tramroad tunnel	Merthyr (Penydarran) Tramroad tunnel	Merthyr (Penydarran) Tramroad tunnel	Merthyr (Penydarran) Tramroad tunnel
Dowlais Railway incline bridge	Footbridge above tramroad tunnel	Tramroad wheel beside tramroad

Pont-y-Cafnau - SO 0376 0713 (The bridge of troughs)

This bridge is the world's oldest known iron railway bridge, built in 1793. The deck was a cast-iron tube for the Gurnos leat with the Gurnos tramroad laid on it. Above was a wooden trough carrying the Taff Fawr leat. From 1929 to 1953 the leat was used to generate hydro-electricity, originally for the Corporation tram network, in the turbine house next to the bridge. The miniature railway in the Castle grounds seems a little incongruous amongst all this industrial dereliction.

Pont-y-Cafnau Bridge	Pont-y-Cafnau power station	Footbridge to Cyfarthfa Ironworks	Footbridge to Cyfarthfa Ironworks
Pont-y-Cafnau bridge	Pont-y-Cafnau bridge	Hydro-electric power station	Castle Miniature Railway

Gurnos Tramroad and leat - SO 0358 0784
Gurnos Quarry - SO 0355 0835

The Gurnos Tramroad connected Cyfarthfa Ironworks with the Gurnos Quarry. It opened in c1793, also supplying limestone to the Plymouth Ironworks. A connection up the present exit drive to Cyfarthfa Castle was added in 1825 and use of the tramroad seems to fizzle out in the 1870s. The tramroad and leat run side by side from Pont y Cefn, on the corner of Cyfarthfa Castle to the quarries and weir at Gurnos. An excellent walk with many old sleeper blocks along the way. Up above them is a tower which could be a folly or a watchtower, no-one really knows.

Gurnos tower	Gurnos Tramroad dram	Gurnos Tramroad and leat	Gurnos Tramroad and leat
Gurnos Tramroad and leat	Gurnos Tramroad	Gurnos Tramroad	Longitudinal sleeper
Gurnos leat	Gurnos leat	Gurnos Quarry	Gurnos Quarry

Cyfarthfa Ironworks

Coke Ovens - SO 0370 0678

The Cyfarthfa coke ovens site was open to the public on the 7th September 2013 ('for one day only' as they say), courtesy of GGAT and the site developers. It turned out to be quite expensive as the Wife wanted feeding and some trinket or other to recompense for being dragged to Merthyr for the day. I couldn't resist a quick look at the amazing blast furnaces whilst I was there, could I? Johnny Crawford of GGAT has kindly supplied accurate details for each photo (far better than my memory or imagination) and a link to the full report of the excavations can be found in the 'Sources' section at the bottom of the page. The 'Thorne Electrical' works was built on this site after WW2 and demolished in 1993.

Ironworks coke ovens, 1897	Coke ovens, panorama left	Coke ovens, panorama middle	Coke ovens, panorama right
Foundations of north oven battery	Northern coke rammer	Foundation of coal elevator	Main heat flue, south battery
Main heat flue, south battery	Main heat flue, south battery	Southern coke oven battery	Hopper for Feldspar washer
Thorne Electrical works pipe	Steam engine base	High pressure water pipe	Recovered scrap ironwork
Cyfarthfa tub boat canal	Cyfarthfa tub boat canal	Cyfarthfa tub boat canal	Cyfarthfa tub boat canal
Foundations of the coal washery	Foundation for a coal conveyor	Foundations of Feldspar washer	Base of the settling tank

Blast Furnaces - SO 0383 0678

Vast structures, arches and tunnels of this great ironworks

Cyfarthfa furnaces air supply	Cyfarthfa furnaces air supply	Cyfarthfa furnaces air supply
Cyfarthfa furnaces side wall	Cyfarthfa furnaces side wall	Cyfarthfa furnaces side wall	Site of Cyfarthfa brickworks
Calcining Kiln	Calcining Kiln	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces
Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces
Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces
Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces
Cyfarthfa furnaces	Cyfarthfa furnaces

Cefn Coed and Morlais

Cefn-coed-y-cwmmer

The Brecon and Merthyr Railway heads to Pontsticill

Cefn Coed Viaduct	Cefn Coed bridge abutment	Pont Sarn Station	Pont Sarn Viaduct
Pont Sarn viaduct	Pont Sarn viaduct	Morlais Junction signal box	Morlais Junction bridge
Morlais Tunnel, Northern portal	Morlais Tunnel, inside the Northern portal

Danydarren Quarry - SO 0242 0904

Danydarren Quarry is a modern quarry at the site of an old limekiln. It appears to have been active in the 1960s with a system of chutes and conveyors over the top of two kilns which may be slightly older than the quarry, possibly the 1940s as there are some workings in 1948.

Danydarren Quarry, 1885	Danydarren Quarry, 1948	Danydarren Quarry, 1964
Danydarren limekilns in 1880	Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry
Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry
Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry
Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry
Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry
Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry	Danydarren Quarry

Vaynor Quarry - SO 0370 0975

Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry
Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry
Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry	Vaynor Quarry

Morlais Castle Quarries and tramroads

The Western Quarries Tramroad

The Western Quarries Tramroad connected both the Penydarran and Plymouth Ironworks with their quarries on Morlais Mountain. It appears to have been open by 1801 and, following the closure of Penydarran Ironworks 1859 and Plymouth ironworks in 1875, traffic had ceased completely by 1888. Most of the route can still be followed through the local streets.

Penydarran to Morlais tramroad	The first Western quarry, 1875	The second Western quarry, 1875
Western Tramroad from Merthyr	Western Tramroad from Merthyr	Western Tramroad from Merthyr
Western Tramroad from Merthyr	Western Tramroad from Merthyr	Western Tramroad from Merthyr
Western Tramroad from Merthyr	Western Tramroad from Merthyr	Western Tramroad from Merthyr

The First Western Quarry - SO 0490 0945

All three quarries here were open by 1813 when they are shown on the draft OS map. They were worked by Dowlais, Plymouth and Penydarran Ironworks at one time or another but closed with Penydarran in 1859.

The first Western quarry	The first Western quarry
The first Western quarry	The first Western quarry	The first Western quarry

The Second and Third Western Quarries - SO 0475 0985

These later quarries were working by 1830. Quarrying began on the West side and progressively moved round to the North, apparently finishing in 1875.

Tramroad branches in the quarry	Tramroad branches in the quarry	Tramroad branches in the quarry	Morlais Castle Quarries
The second Western quarry	The second Western quarry	The third Western quarry	The West quarries from the BMR

The Eastern Quarries (Dowlais Ironworks) - SO 0530 0995

The Eastern Tramroad connected the Dowlais Ironworks with the Eastern quarries, opening in c1825 and linked by a 4'2" gauge tramroad by c1833 which was soon converted to a railway.

The Eastern quarries

The Eastern quarries

The Eastern quarries

The Eastern quarries

Twynau Gwynion - SO 0650 1060

The extensive limestone quarries at Twynau Gwynion were originally connected to Dowlais Ironworks until 1825 when Morlais East quarries became the ironworks main source of limestone. The various Rhymney ironworks took over these quarries and the Rhymney Limestone Railway was opened. As these quarries connected far more with the Rhynmey Valley than Merthyr, their story is told on the Northern Rhymney Valley page here :-
'The Northern Rhymney Valley'

Pant and Pontsticill

Pant

Pant Quarries

Pant Quarries	Pant Quarries	Pant Quarries	Pant Quarries
Pant Quarries	Pant Quarries	Pant Quarries	The railway to Dowlais

Ponsticill Sandpits - SO 0595 1070

A tramway ran down to sandpits near Pontsticill shown in full in 1875. By 1895 it had been cut back to the siding on the Pant - Pontsticill road though the sandpits are still shown. The sandpits are marked 'old' in 1919 but the curtailed tramway is still shown as 'old tramway' right up to 1952. Most of the route can be followed as a footpath.

Pant to Pontsticill tramway	Pant to Pontsticill tramway
Pant to Pontsticill tramway	Pant to Pontsticill tramway	Pant to Pontsticill tramway

The Brecon Mountain Railway

Morlais Tunnel ventilation shaft 1	Morlais Tunnel ventilation shaft 1	Morlais Tunnel ventilation shaft 2	Morlais Tunnel ventilation shaft 3
New station at Torpantau	New station at Torpantau	'1698' from Seda peat works	'1698' from Seda peat works
Chasing the train in 1985	Chasing the train in 1985	Chasing the train in 1985	Chasing the train in 1985
Chasing the train in 1985	Chasing the train in 1985	'Graf Schwerin-Lowitz'	'Graf Schwerin-Lowitz'
'Graf Schwerin-Lowitz'	'Graf Schwerin-Lowitz'	'Santa Ana', HC640 of 1903	'Santa Ana', HC640 of 1903
From the carriage window	From the carriage window	From the carriage window	Looking down the line

On to Pontsticill

Pontsticill B&MR road bridge

B&MR ticket for a Pant train

Tyle Haidd Quarry - SO 0620 1045

Tyle Haidd Quarry

Tyle Haidd Quarry

Tyle Haidd Quarry

Tyle Haidd Quarry

Tyle'r-bont Limekilns and Baltic Quarry - SO 0614 1119

Tyle'r-bont limekilns (Odynau Tyle'r-bont) were in business by 1869 fed by a tramway from Baltic Quarry. It appears to have been owned by J H Williams of Battle. Latterly owned by the 'Tylerybont Lime and Limestone Co Ltd' which was dissolved in 1944. The quarry, kilns and tramway were shown as disused by 1948.

Odynau Tyle'r-bont c1915	Baltic Quarry, 1915	Odynau Tyle'r-bont	Odynau Tyle'r-bont
Odynau Tyle'r-bont	Odynau Tyle'r-bont	Baltic Quarry winding drum

Torpantau

Torpantau Forestry

The nearest modern equivalent to an aerial ropeway. This is a log hauler in use at Torpantau in the Brecon Beacons. It was actually hauling a log down the hillside when I first saw it but was on its way back up and then stopped working !!

Log hauler at Torpantau Station

Log hauler at Torpantau Station

Log hauler at Torpantau Station

Torpantau Station and tunnel

The nearest modern equivalent to an aerial ropeway. This is a log hauler in use at Torpantau in the Brecon Beacons. It was actually hauling a log down the hillside when I first saw it but was on its way back up and then stopped working !!

The remains of Torpantau Station	The remains of Torpantau Station	The remains of Torpantau Station	The remains of Torpantau Station
The remains of Torpantau Station	Torpantau tunnel, South approach	Torpantau tunnel, South portal	Torpantau tunnel, South portal
Torpantau tunnel, South portal	Torpantau tunnel, South portal	Torpantau tunnel, North portal	Torpantau tunnel, North portal
Inside Torpantau tunnel	Inside Torpantau tunnel	Inside Torpantau tunnel	Inside Torpantau tunnel
Inside Torpantau tunnel	Inside Torpantau tunnel	Inside Torpantau tunnel	Inside Torpantau tunnel
Inside Torpantau tunnel

Neuadd Reservoir railway, Torpantau - SO 0385 1700

The Neuadd Reservoir railway was built to Lower Neuadd reservoir in 1882-84 from a siding at Torpantau Station on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway. It seems to have been taken up when the reservoir was completed but relaid and extended to build Upper Neuadd Reservoir in 1896-1902. Again it was lifted when the reservoir opened and now forms part of the Taff Trail. The branch from Torpantau was standard gauge but 3ft lines are believed to have existed at the reservoir site.

Neuadd Reservoir railway	Neuadd Reservoir railway	Neuadd Reservoir railway	Neuadd Reservoir railway
Neuadd Reservoir railway	Upper Neuadd Reservoir	Upper Neuadd Reservoir	Upper Neuadd Reservoir

Dowlais

Dowlais

From two walks in the Summer I found a vast amount of interesting sites around Dowlais.

Ivor Works ammonia plant	Ivor Works ammonia plant	Ivor Works ammonia plant	Ivor Works ammonia plant
Brecon & Merthyr Railway bridge	Brecon & Merthyr Railway bridge	Brecon & Merthyr Railway trackbed	Dowlais Cae Harris Station
Dowlais blast engine house	Dowlais blast engine house	Dowlais blast engine house	Single story workers housing
Dowlais Central Station	Dowlais Central Station	Dowlais Central Station	Dowlais Central Station
Ivor Works railway	Ivor Works railway	Ivor Works, Dowlais	Ivor Works ingot mould, Dowlais
Ivor Works, Dowlais	Ivor Works, Dowlais	Ivor Works, Dowlais	Ivor Works, Dowlais
Ivor Works, Dowlais	Ivor Works, Dowlais	LNWR bridge abutments, Dowlais	LNWR bridge abutments, Dowlais
LNWR trackbed, Dowlais	Dowlais Ironworks stables	Dowlais Ironworks stables	Ffos-y-Fran silhouette
Dowlais Ironworks Goat Mill bridge	Dowlais Ironworks Goat Mill bridge	Ivor Works railway, Dowlais	Ivor Works railway, Dowlais
Ivor Works railway, Dowlais	Dowlais High Street Station bridge	Dowlais High Street Station bridge	Dowlais High Street Station bridge

Pengarnddu bridge and aqueduct - SO 0710 0882

The Brecon and Merthyr Railway around Pengarnddu bridge and aqueduct

The BMR looking South	The BMR looking North	Pengarnddu bridge	Pengarnddu bridge
Pengarnddu bridge	Pengarnddu bridge	Pengarnddu bridge	Pengarnddu bridge leat

Dowlais Top Station - SO 0799 0845

The Brecon and Merthyr Railway Dowlais Top Station house sits beside the Heads of the Valleys road in splendid isolation from any railway at all.

Dowlais Top Station, 1897

Dowlais Top Station House

Dowlais Top and A465

Merthyr Common

Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine - SO 0737 0735

Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine emerged from the depths of the Ffos-y-Fran opencast pit in December 2017 and Colin Roach took these aerial photos a few months later. The mine started in the early 1800s. By 1875 it was a large undertaking but was greatly diminished by 1900, fading slowly until the 1940s when tipping began to cover it over.

Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine, 1875	Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine	Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine	Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine
Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine	Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine	Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine	Tyle Dowlais Ironstone Mine

Merthyr Common - SO 0750 0600

Bogey Road bridge	Sarn Howell reservoir aqueduct	Sarn Howell reservoir aqueduct	Sarn Howell reservoir aqueduct
Pen-y-darren Pits tramroad bridge	Taff Bargoed branch trackbed	Taff Bargoed branch bridges	Taff Bargoed branch culvert
Sarn Howell reservoir leat	Sarn Howell reservoir leat	Sarn Howell reservoir leat	Sarn Howell reservoir
Sarn Howell reservoir	Ffos-y-Fran opencast mine	Merthyr Common opencast tips

Pen-y-darren Pits - SO 0820 0510

Pen-y-darren Pits was one of many supplying the various ironworks via an intricate web of tramways and inclines. Surprisingly, given it's name, this supplied the Dowlais Ironworks.

Merthyr Common, Old Pit tips

Pen-y-darren Pits

Pen-y-darren Pits

Pen-y-darren Pits

Cwm Bargoed Disposal Point - SO 0876 0612

Cwm Bargoed Disposal Point is the loading point for the Ffos-y-Fran opencast mine and the site of Cwm Bargoed station.

Dowlais Free Drainage System leat	Cwm Bargoed Station with 66090	Cwm Bargoed Station with 66090	Cwm Bargoed Station
Cwm Bargoed loading point	Cwm Bargoed loading point	Cwm Bargoed tips	Cwm Bargoed disused works yard

Taff Bargoed GWR / RR joint line - SO 0942 0426

Ffynnon Duon to the South

Ffynnon Duon to the North

Nant-y-ffin bridge

Nant-y-ffin bridge

Ffynnonau Duon Colliery, No 3 level - SO 0945 0395

Ffynnonau Duon Colliery, No 3 level, was open from 1970 to 1998. The site was generally cleared and the level sealed in 2008. Geoff Palfrey says "The machine in the photos is a late 1970's Atlas Copco GA 208 standard compressor with the motor stator and alloy cooler robbed for copper and aluminium, it’s an oil flooded rotary screw type, I installed and serviced dozens back in the day in Wales and the borders."

General view some time ago	General view	Haulage engine house	Main buildings
Haulage cable	Atlas Copco GA 208 compressor	Atlas Copco GA 208 compressor	Storage bins
Ffynnonau Duon Colliery, Hearth	Rear of main buildings	Drainage sink	Site of downcast level
Site of downcast level	Downcast level to haulage engine	Tramway turning circle	Tippler and grader
Tippler and grader	Tippler and grader drive	Grading chute	Grading chute
Grading chute	Tippler stairway

Acknowledgments, sources and further reading

Thanks for photos and information to :- Johnny Crawford, Philip Cumpstone, GGAT, Sian Herron, Phil Morgan, Geof Palfrey
Further Reading :- 'Merthyr Tydvil tramroads and their Locomotives' by Gordon Ratternbury and M J T Lewis
'Early Limestone Railways' by John van Laun, The Newcomen Society.
'Reservoir Builders of South Wales' by Harold Bowtell and Geoffrey Hill.
'Cyfarthfa Coke Works', a report by GGAT at this link to the report