I am going to a meeting of the Rhondda Tunnel Society next Tuesday:

http://travel.aol.co.uk/2014/12/04/plan-to-dig-out-reopen-wales-longest-rail-tunnel/ 

Google

rhondda tunnel

for pictures

Where?

Hendrewen Hotel at 7.30

Google Hendre-Wen Road for directions. It is in Blaencwm near Treherbert.

Does anybody know of a recent visit to the tunnel? I could not find anything.

---

There was an article on Radio Wales about the proposed opening of the tunnel last weekend,
It was mentioned it would cost £10million to tarmac the whole length.

Looks like the last visit may have been 2010.
Nothing will have changed since it was buried.:)

http://www.tunnelsuk.com/site_visits/2010/june/06_s_wales_01/rhondda.html 

Rhondda Tunnel, that looks fantastic!!

I went to the meeting last night. It was very well attended. The backroom of the Hendrewen Hotel was crowded with standing room only. With out a single shovel full of earth being dug, they were already planning a cycle track, a narrow gauge railway and a mini bus route! There is a rival tunnel group being formed at the other end at Blaengwynfi. Perhaps they will put up a turn stile in the middle? A "Bat Man" [not me] claimed all this would distub the bats in the tunnel. As far as I am aware, the only entry is a well fitting man hole cover. Completely bat proof. Also he did not take into consideration that the turnnel was too warm for bats in winter. The society is flourishing with nearly a thousand members. Subs are £10 a year and they are on Twitter and Facebook. They also have a website.

---

It would appear that hibernation roost temperatures vary widely.

http://www.cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/cavelife/wales/bats.html 

It would appear that hibernation roost temperatures vary widely.

http://www.cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/cavelife/wales/bats.html 

Horseshore bats are found as far south as Cornwall.

---

Rhychydwr mentions only access is a well fitting manhole cover,
From them photos there seems to be a fair bit of water entering the tunnel,
So presume there is an outlet as no such standing water to be seen there,
And with that water entering in the winter,surely that would keep the temp down if anything,
As i`ve not worked a wet warm Colliery before.

Their range is much further south than Cornwall, the Lesser going as far south as 16 degrees latitude.:smartass:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_horseshoe_bat 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_horseshoe_bat 

Rhychydwr mentions only access is a well fitting manhole cover,
From them photos there seems to be a fair bit of water entering the tunnel,
So presume there is an outlet as no such standing water to be seen there,
And with that water entering in the winter,surely that would keep the temp down if anything,
As i`ve not worked a wet warm Colliery before.

I could be wrong [I have never been there] but with no ventalation, I would expect a temperature of 10 C or higher. Too high for bats to hibernate.

---

from a free newspaper "Just up your Street!"

THE RHONDDA TUNNEL
Many people, have thought about it in the past, many people
have discussed it in the past, but there has been a small group of people with enough passion and commitment to establish a Society or group that could and indeed would do all they could to re-open the "Rhondda Tunnel"
I know that there are many people out there who have travelled on the train that went through the tunnel to Blaengwynfi and on to Aberavon, that I am sure would love to see this great little tunnel open again.
This time, the tunnel would be used as a cycle route for the
many tourists that enjoy travelling around Wales, and of course the local people who would find opening up this tunnel such a great opportunity.
Ideally it would be fantastic for cyclists to use the mountain
road route, and travel through the tunnel on the way back.
Camp sites and touring caravan sites could flourish, bed and
breakfasts, guest houses, restaurants, pubs and takeaways
would see the benefit.
It is a brilliant opportunity to bring the community together to
support and recognise the possibilities of this project. Like
everything else however, it needs support, financial and
general, with ideas and suggestions from everyone. If you
would like to come to one of the meetings that are being held
regularly, just go onto The Rhondda Tunnel Facebook page or
contact Stephen Mackey on 01443 777200.
If you want to join this society, there is an annual subscription, of £10 per person, to keep the organisation ticking over.
Boyd Clack of "Satellite City" fame and "High Hopes", fully
supports the enterprise, and has offered to get some poetry
together to help promote the society, and' is looking for
anecdotes that he could use to work with.
You can get onto the website on: www.rhonddatunnelsociety.com
The meetings are held at The Hendrewen in Blaencwm and The Tunnel Hotel in Blaengwynfi. Other venues will be included to spread the word.
The Treorchy Cycle Centre has donated a bike for the The Rhondda Tunnel Societies Logo Competition for Schools. We would like to give a big thank to the guys at TREORCH Y CYCLE CENTRE.

---

I tried to add an event but the system would not let me, so here it is:

What - Meeting of the Rhondda Tunnel Society

Where - The Tunnel Hotel, Blaengwynfi

When Tuesday 17 February 2015 at 6.30 pm.

---

"The Rhondda Tunnel Society was formed in the summer of 2014 with the initial aim to site the long-lost tunnel stone in a suitable location as near as possible to the entrance of the disused Rhondda Tunnel at Blaencwm."

I don't think they are starting off with a lot of foresight as regards security of the stone, much better if it were kept safe 'till needed?