A rare opportunity to see inside The Great Western Colliery winding house - 'The Hetty'. See the restored steam winding engine in operation. A grade I listed building located between Hopkinstown and Trehafod in the Rhondda Valley this building is only open occasionally. The Hetty pit was one of the four pits of the Great Western Colliery, which supplied coal for the locomotives of the Great Western Railway.The winding-engine was built in 1875 by Barker and Cope of Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, and re-built in 1910 by Worsley Mesnes of Wigan. It is the oldest engine of its type in the UK and the only large steam-engine in Wales that is still workable, though it now runs on compressed air.
Dates: 24th September, 10.00am to 16.00pm 25th September, 10.00am to 14.00pm
Access
The site can only be accessed by steep steps and good, flat walking shoes are advised.
Location
Take the A470 to Pontypridd from M4 J32. At Pontypridd take the A4058 north. Visitors can park opposite at Barry Sidings Country Park, between Hopkinstown and Trehafod.
Cutting coal in my spare time.