Hafodyrynys Colliery · AditNow Community

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ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

This structure rather fascinated me on a my trip to Sth Wales... it is a coal slime thickener installed during the NCB post war re-vamp of the place and is I think pretty unique... Has anyone seen this type of structure before and where?? Its the only real survivor of the mine!

🔗Hafodrynys-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-34823[linkphoto]Hafodrynys-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-34823[/linkphoto][/link]

A nice description of the mine is....
http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/Gwent/Hafodyrynys.htm

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

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Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

Never come across anything similar, most washeries seemed to have thickeners at ground level without the roof. Conical concrete water towers seemed to be very common..

ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

My thoughts exactly... hence the post.. lovelely relic an as Gwyn remarked to me earlier .... NO vandalism... 😉

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

"ICLOK" wrote:
NO vandalism... 😉

You must have visited on a day when the horsey type was not burning his/her rubbish in the basement room. :lol: :lol: :lol:

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

This is just down the road from the Glyn pits engine houses.

'Learning the ropes'

ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

I know but couldn't find anywhere to park... problem was I was I was on "a see Sth Wales in a day trip"!!!

It was just a bit to much time wise to visit, have they done anything yet or is it still scaffolded and roof sheets?

🙂

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

ICLOK

I had exactly the same problem.

I pulled up in the various lay-bys along that stretch and then was defeated by the stream and fence where the "landscaping" was done.

I have checked on google earth and it looks so simple! but alas, i will have to try again and take my wellies this time.

Cant comment on scaffolding and sheets as the road was as close as i got.

'Learning the ropes'

ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

I did 26 sites in 1 day.... just as a look see.... It took from 06:00 to 20:00 finishing up at Neath... what a superb day.... My £60 worth of diesel to do this was, I decided, my entrance fee to the vast Sth Wales Industrial Archaeology park!!!
(Yet another refund from EON!!!)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

There is still (despite the efforrts of many to erase the industrial past) tons to see right across the region.

26 site though - that is a sterling effort.

Anywhere of particular note?

'Learning the ropes'

ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

#10

Cyfarthfa Ironworks furnace bank was stunning.... basically original bank of furnaces, not over conserved, no access restriction and basically there to be looked at....

Hetty Pit was lovely classical Welsh Coal mine in a wooded valley.... Lovely brick remains...

More pics on way of various sites..... to be honest it was all brilliant and I only did mining/ironworks related sites!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#11

As soon as i posted my last post, i checked the updates below and could see some of the places you had ventured.

A lot has been lost, redeveloped etc but so much is still about and access is usually not difficult.

Did you get to the Clydach gorge area? Some great stuff there.

Some of the first blast furnaces constructed, great tramways, quarries, tunnels....a real treasure trove in a small area for those of us with an interest in IA.

'Learning the ropes'

ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

#12

Did clydach at 6:30 in AM.... wonderful... especially Smarts tramway bridge! i was saying to Simonrl that I could do a week of just tramways!

The British Ironworks was a very enigmatic place too.. the engine house just stood on its tod and the offices were a nice discovery...

The working winder at Elliot's was lovely.... excellent staff as they were obviously enthusiastic about the engine...

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#13

ICLOK, where did you have difficulty with access, Glyn Pits or the washery?

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#14

not wishing to jump in but I think ICLOK had the same problem as me. finding somwehere to park and then walk to glyn pits.

i tried to park in several lay bys on the main road but the stream and fence got in the way

'Learning the ropes'

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#15

Last time I visited, (15 years ago) I parked on the old road laybye and walked up the long way.
Just checked the map and it appears one could park a lot closer, quarter mile and less than 200 feet ascent, (looks OK on GoogleEarth).
[photo]Personal-Album-1695-Image-34889[/photo]

ICLOK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

16 years ago

#16

Yep i thought of that but the time taken walking up there would have mean't less sites looked at.... but I'll do that next time! That back road is used as a rat run, when i was at the Slime Thickener people were driving at lunatic speeds up there... Life in your ands job....

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#17

yep in full agreement. it looks very straightforward however reclamamtion work on the engine house side of the main road means a fence and stream to cross.

I will head up there in the next couple of weeks armed with os map (that has the engine house marked on it!) and wellies.

For those that know the area (post reclamation), the engine houses are pretty much in line with the cascade type feature (20 metre long artificial waterfall thing)that appears to be some kind of overflow on the banking.

'Learning the ropes'

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#18

"viewer" wrote:
yep in full agreement. it looks very straightforward however reclamamtion work on the engine house side of the main road means a fence and stream to cross.

I visted the Slime Thickener yesterday but did not go up the valley as I wanted to look at the railway tunnel route.
Has the track altered from this possibly out of date FlashEarth view?

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.696252&lon=-3.061066&z=18.4&r=0&src=msl

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#19

That is one possibility. the other is my ineptitude.

certainly i couldnt see any access up the reclaimed slope between the junction of the road that goes up behing the engine house and the area on the opposite side of the road to the thickener. i.e. the entire length of the reclaimed land

'Learning the ropes'