Well known on the scene and somewhere ive wanted to visit for ages. Visited with the illustrious Clebby,we wanted to see the older,often overlooked parts of the site.But you cant help yourself being taken in by the huge structures everywhere.
This place still has over 30 million tonnes of coal underground and has reserve seams not even tapped into,its just too expensive in the current climate to extract it.In the event of a national fuel emergency the Port Talbot area has been earmarked for use-its 130 million tonnes of coal can be open cast,the town evacuated and people relocated elsewhere.
HISTORY
Originally four farm settlements meeting at crossroads (Beddau means 'graves' so possibly this place got its name from the hangings which usually took place at crossroads.The skum of the day would be hung and left,giving a warning to others.) In the 1860's coal pits were sunk,by 1909 it had grown into a colliery.
1958 the coke works opened,coke is a solid fuel made by heating coal in sealed,airtight ovens for 26 hours.Cwm coke had a very low sulphur content making it suitable for foundry work.In its day,this place could produce 1500 tonnes a day.
People don't realise how big this place is,its huge and you can only see whats above ground. Over 4 miles of conveyors,13 miles of roadway and 6 locomotives were all underground.
Two shafts 'Mildred' and 'Margaret' were built, (would have been better if they'd called them George and Mildred,no?) both 25 foot diameter,brick lined and 2250 ft deep. A 2 inch thick rope connected the lift to the 2'400 hp winding engine.
In 1918 it employed 603 men,by the 1970's that had grown to 1500.
The works in 1916
TODAY
Planning has been given for a £17m building proposal-850 new houses,school,sports hall etc with a promise to redevelop Beddau too-with the average price of a 3-bed semi round here now creeping upwards of £100,now might be a good time to property invest.
Only the grade 2 listed,uber rare wooden cooling towers will be saved.
THE EXPLORE
Windblown,desolate,forgotten about and discarded.Wales is all these and more,but lets press on with the explore.Shuttering banging,wind howling,suicidal stairs,oil soaked concrete,this place assaults the senses in more ways than one. When the Clebster crumbled an apparently solid looking piece of iron with his bare hands I knew we were in for a good explore.
Metal thieves,arson attacks and the weather have all taken their toll,but still I loved it. Its truly immense,dangerous and epic.
The site today
Some of the 109 coke ovens...
Outside of the ovens,bring a wide angle lens..
This 'Larry Car' was pulled along receiving the red hot coke straight from the ovens
The labs
Some arty stuff
Bevin Boys
As more and more miners answered the call-up of war,one man Ernest Bevin (hence the name,) saw the short fall of men problem.He was Minister of Labour and National Service at the time and implemented a scheme where young men were conscripted into the job.They wore their own clothes,worked alongside the miners and earned a pittance. Over 48'000 served during the war years.
Mel Harris,Bevin Boy,Cwm Colliery 1944-47
From a time when work was hard and health and safety was your own common sense,working here must have been a cacophony of noise,heat,dirt and vibration.Time has not been kind here,it looks like it was abandoned 100 years ago.The structures still stand tall and proud,a testament to the men who worked here.
Those with a deep love for heavy corrosion should visit before it really is too late.
Thanks for looking.
This place still has over 30 million tonnes of coal underground and has reserve seams not even tapped into,its just too expensive in the current climate to extract it.In the event of a national fuel emergency the Port Talbot area has been earmarked for use-its 130 million tonnes of coal can be open cast,the town evacuated and people relocated elsewhere.
HISTORY
Originally four farm settlements meeting at crossroads (Beddau means 'graves' so possibly this place got its name from the hangings which usually took place at crossroads.The skum of the day would be hung and left,giving a warning to others.) In the 1860's coal pits were sunk,by 1909 it had grown into a colliery.
1958 the coke works opened,coke is a solid fuel made by heating coal in sealed,airtight ovens for 26 hours.Cwm coke had a very low sulphur content making it suitable for foundry work.In its day,this place could produce 1500 tonnes a day.
People don't realise how big this place is,its huge and you can only see whats above ground. Over 4 miles of conveyors,13 miles of roadway and 6 locomotives were all underground.
Two shafts 'Mildred' and 'Margaret' were built, (would have been better if they'd called them George and Mildred,no?) both 25 foot diameter,brick lined and 2250 ft deep. A 2 inch thick rope connected the lift to the 2'400 hp winding engine.
In 1918 it employed 603 men,by the 1970's that had grown to 1500.
The works in 1916
TODAY
Planning has been given for a £17m building proposal-850 new houses,school,sports hall etc with a promise to redevelop Beddau too-with the average price of a 3-bed semi round here now creeping upwards of £100,now might be a good time to property invest.
Only the grade 2 listed,uber rare wooden cooling towers will be saved.
THE EXPLORE
Windblown,desolate,forgotten about and discarded.Wales is all these and more,but lets press on with the explore.Shuttering banging,wind howling,suicidal stairs,oil soaked concrete,this place assaults the senses in more ways than one. When the Clebster crumbled an apparently solid looking piece of iron with his bare hands I knew we were in for a good explore.
Metal thieves,arson attacks and the weather have all taken their toll,but still I loved it. Its truly immense,dangerous and epic.
The site today
Some of the 109 coke ovens...
Outside of the ovens,bring a wide angle lens..
This 'Larry Car' was pulled along receiving the red hot coke straight from the ovens
The labs
Some arty stuff
Bevin Boys
As more and more miners answered the call-up of war,one man Ernest Bevin (hence the name,) saw the short fall of men problem.He was Minister of Labour and National Service at the time and implemented a scheme where young men were conscripted into the job.They wore their own clothes,worked alongside the miners and earned a pittance. Over 48'000 served during the war years.
Mel Harris,Bevin Boy,Cwm Colliery 1944-47
From a time when work was hard and health and safety was your own common sense,working here must have been a cacophony of noise,heat,dirt and vibration.Time has not been kind here,it looks like it was abandoned 100 years ago.The structures still stand tall and proud,a testament to the men who worked here.
Those with a deep love for heavy corrosion should visit before it really is too late.
Thanks for looking.
