South Wales valley lines, Spring 1989
A trip up the Valleys at the end of the coal era
(Article © urban75, March 2008)

The scourge of Thatcherism had decimated much of the south Wales coal industry and very few mines were still in business by the late 80s.

After the 2008 closure of Tower Colliery in the Cynon Valley there are now no deep coal mines are left in the valleys, and the scenes pictured below have vanished forever.


Ornate signal box.


Standard GWR signal box at Llandaf - previously known as Llandaff (for Whitchurch).




Signal gantry and platform mounted signal box at Abercynon station.


The old Aberdare railway station building on the single line freight track to Tower Colly. The station closed in 1964, with the building being used as a train crew depot up to about 1984. A rubbish new station has been opened 100m from the original site.


Close up showing the derelict roof. Apparently, it still survives to the present day (May 2008).




Some photos grabbed from the train window as we passed the old coking plant that stood between CwmBoi and Penrhiwcieber in the Cynon Valley.






Coal wagons.


Bargoed station. Since this picture was taken the second platform has been brought back into use.


End of the line. Treherbert railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taff is the northern terminus of the Rhondda Line, and stands 37 km (23 miles) north east of Cardiff Central.

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