When I went a few weeks ago I must admit the stonework and quality of restoration is lovely and if you are going to save something as big as that then its good it has a public purpose... better restored re-used than restored and locked up.

Dowlais blowing engine house was also superb (Fabulous brick architecture) also now in use as an indoor sports court.
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Gadlys engine House as offices and a cafe but again tastefully done and in keeping with its past.
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The Ynysfach engine house was again perfect and happily in use as a visitors centre in connection with iron making.
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Tondu Engine house is part of the Ironworks tourist attraction there and is well preserved, talking to a local alot of time was spent in deciding how 'NOT' to over restore what was left... now theres an idea!
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I have to say these five engine houses are a shining example of what can be done with old industrial buildings... the nicest thing being they are still in use serving a purpose.

Each has its own architectural merits and I think a trip to Sth Wales to see the industrial landscape would be much sadder without them... These coupled to the superb furnace remains down there are worth a trip on their own.

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A number of other ironworks blowing engine houses survive in south Wales besides the well cared-for examples shown:

(listed west to east)

Kilgetty/Stepaside - conserved but roofless.

Banwen - ruin.

Briton Ferry - ruin. 1900s reinforced concrete - possibly now the earliest suriving reinforced building in south Wales; Mouchel, a UK pioneer of reinforced concrete and local resident, was a partner in the works at the time.

Cefn Cribbwr - conserved but roofless; interstingly, a coal slant was driven through the engine house after the ironworks was abandoned - the rails are still in position through the building.

Dowlais - red brick, 1900s; reused.

Abersychan/British - the engine house on the ironworks site housed a mine pumping engine; the blowing engine house has long vanished.

Blaenavon (Old Side) - footings, including large flywheel pit conserved as part of Cadw-owned site.

Have I missed any?

Briton Ferry's a bit rough but not quite a ruin. 🙂

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Nice tho... I had some of those sites considered but ran out of time.. the briton ferry one looks nice! I did the British engine house and it seemed odd stood there on its ownsome in the middle of nowhere... a pic of the site all working would be nice to give it some context... :flowers:
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I omitted the blowing engine house at Venallt - roofless but substantially intact.

For compleness, the blowing engine house at Margam / Abbey / Port Talbot Works, still in use, should also be mentioned. I presume this dates from 1956 when the first no.4 blast furnace was blown-in; it may have been extended when the first no.5 blast furnace was blown-in in 1959.