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0:00:35 > 0:00:37- Welcome again to Cledrau Coll.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- This week is a little different - as we focus on the coal lines.
0:00:43 > 0:00:49- These were independent lines, - separate from GWR, LMS and so on.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55- In fact, you probably had to be - a collier to travel on these lines.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03- Joining me as usual is - the rail expert Gwyn Briwnant Jones.
0:01:05 > 0:01:12- Gwyn, why didn't the likes of GWR - enter into the mining industry?
0:01:13 > 0:01:17- They would have been busy enough, - but their standards were different.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22- GWR had quite a clear notion of - the way they wanted to run things...
0:01:22 > 0:01:26- ..and the collieries were - more relaxed and less stringent.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32- They would transport the coal - to wherever GWR would pick it up.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38- Did every colliery - have its own line?
0:01:38 > 0:01:43- Yes, some long and others short, - some simple, others complicated...
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- ..but there were plenty of them.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47- Can we still see their remains?
0:01:47 > 0:01:49- Can we still see their remains?- - Yes, some are still visible.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51- Let's get looking, then.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53- Let's get looking, then.- - Yes, away we go.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- Barely a hundred yards from - the old coal mine in Blaenafon...
0:02:21 > 0:02:23- ..there are ample remains, Gwyn.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28- Too many, in fact. It's surprising - to find so much in one place.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- Here we have what's - left of the line...
0:02:34 > 0:02:39- ..connecting the mine - to the original line from Brynmawr.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- Down in that cutting, - you can see where it ran...
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- ..from Blaenafon - to Aberserchan and Talywain.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55- Our journey starts in - the valleys of south-east Wales...
0:02:55 > 0:02:59- ..at Talywain and Blaenserchan, - not far from Pontypool.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16- On this higher level, we have - some old and rusted remains.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Would they have used - these old wooden wagons?
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- Wagons like these made of wood - are unusual today...
0:03:25 > 0:03:29- ..and British Rail got rid of them - some twenty-five years ago.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- Today, you have larger wagons - made of iron.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38- I'm surprised these have survived.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43- They were probably used - within the mine's network.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46- Let's take a closer look.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10- Cars travel along this route today, - but once it was coal trains...
0:04:11 > 0:04:16- ..that passed beneath this bridge - near Aberserchan and Talywain.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40- The valleys have been transformed - over the last twenty-five years.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46- Coal mines have almost disappeared - as green woodland has returned...
0:04:46 > 0:04:50- ..and the coal tips have either - been flattened or transformed.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- Gwyn, having walked - the Blaenserchan line...
0:04:58 > 0:05:03- ..do you think it was different - to any other colliery lines?
0:05:04 > 0:05:07- There was one unusual feature.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Very few of these lines - were allowed to carry colliers.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17- Most colliers went to work on foot, - or perhaps travelled by bus.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24- But Blaenserchan - is such a remote mine...
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- ..the colliers were brought here - on a special train.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33- They didn't ride in carriages - of any usual description...
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- ..but arrived at work - in ordinary wagons.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43- Many of those wagons were previously - used to carry goods such as bananas.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- The train eventually became known - as the Blaenserchan Banana Train.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54- Others called it - the Blaenserchan Donkey!
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- Having walked a mile, - I must admit that further back...
0:06:00 > 0:06:05- ..it was hard to imagine a railway - or a colliery ever having been here.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10- There is so much greenery here now.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15- To one side I'm reminded of views - in Merioneth or Montgomeryshire.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20- But round the corner you're reminded - at once that this is South Wales.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25- The signs that this was once - a coal mine are still evident.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31- It's very exposed here in the wind, - even on this fine summer's day.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- We're certainly feeling the cold.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- We're certainly feeling the cold.- - Let's walk to warm up.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47- On today's programme, we'll take - a leap from one location to another.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53- Across the mountain - from Blaenserchan is Hafodyrynys.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- There's nothing left today - apart from the water tower.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13- The gorge is so narrow it's hard - to believe the main line to Neath...
0:07:14 > 0:07:20- ..and the old road shared - this valley with a coal mine.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48- Moving further west - to the Cynon Valley...
0:07:48 > 0:07:52- ..Mountain Ash was once - an important and busy centre.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58- Space was at a premium, with the - Taff Vale line along one side...
0:07:58 > 0:08:02- ..and the old GWR line along - the other side of the valley.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07- Between them ran the private lines - from the coal mines.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Save for the Valleys Line, - everything has disappeared.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33- Mountain Ash in the rain - - nothing unusual in that this summer!
0:08:34 > 0:08:39- But here's the site where three - separate company lines converged.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- To our right, across the river, - was the old Taff Vale company.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51- On this side, to our left, - was the Great Western.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- We're actually walking where - the colliery line tracks ran.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01- The mines in this part of - the valley were Penrhiwceiber...
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- ..and then Middle Duffryn, - and things did get very busy here.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11- The colliery lines - were extremely busy here...
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- ..not to mention the - other two lines on either side.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21- Two bridges crossing the river - connected everything...
0:09:23 > 0:09:27- ..and you would have heard tireless - whistles and shunting going on here.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31- There was an engine shed here - - it really was busy.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- Imagine three lines. - Did they have two stations here?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39- Yes, two stations. The Taff Vale - had its Cardiff Road station...
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- ..and GWR had - its Oxford Road station.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- GWR were a little more posh - with Oxford Road!
0:10:29 > 0:10:35- Gwyn, one of the Rhondda's most - famous collieries was the Maerdy.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40- Or Little Moscow - as it used to be known.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- The remains of the colliery - are still clearly visible.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52- The original Taff Vale line - came up as far as those trees.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57- Then the colliery line carried on - along the valley floor...
0:10:59 > 0:11:03- ..and on to the pit itself - at the head of the valley.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09- Another line went back further up, - leaving its refuse along the way.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17- I suppose both lines would have had - trucks constantly moving along them.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22- Yes, there was a lot of movement, - but nature has reclaimed the land.
0:11:23 > 0:11:30- But beneath the surface - there are still rich coal seams.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40
0:11:51 > 0:11:55- We continue along the colliery lines - to the west...
0:11:56 > 0:12:01- ..starting in Horeb - with the Llanelli-Mynydd Mawr line.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06- The route of the old line - is now a cycle path.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10- Here I met an old line worker, - John Edmonds.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17- My father was a ganger, - as was his father before him.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22- Then my brother was a fireman, - and I followed him.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28- My other brother - worked as a shunter in Llanelli.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31- What was a ganger's work?
0:12:32 > 0:12:36- The ganger was responsible for - the track and the men working on it.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42- He was responsible for maintenance - and was answerable to the company.
0:12:45 > 0:12:51- During the time the line from - Mynydd Mawr was run by the GWR...
0:12:52 > 0:12:57- ..you had nothing but ashes - underneath the sleepers.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03- When Cynheidre colliery opened - they renewed the track...
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- ..bringing in ballast stone and - even altering parts of the route.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- They tidied up and straightened it.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- What did the fireman's day involve?
0:13:21 > 0:13:27- You'd start off in the engine, - cleaning the ash from the smoke box.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38- When the ash was thrown out, you'd - have to brush it off the footplate.
0:13:41 > 0:13:47- Now, if you had a small engine - you had to prepare the fire...
0:13:47 > 0:13:52- ..and make sure you didn't have - pieces of coal that were too big.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00- Then you'd fill the water tank - and get on with your work...
0:14:00 > 0:14:06- ..out on the shunters, the main line - or the passenger services.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18- If life was hectic - in the days of steam...
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- ..it's no less busy today.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- And no less dangerous!
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- The most recent colliery to open - on the Llanelli-Mynydd Mawr line...
0:14:33 > 0:14:34- ..was here at Cynheidre.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39- Several local mines were closed and - considerable investment was made...
0:14:39 > 0:14:43- ..yet despite the colliery's success - there is nothing left of it now.
0:14:44 > 0:14:50- My earliest memory dates back to - the late '20s and the early '30s.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56- We lived at Bryn near Llangennech - at the time.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00- My father used to walk - from Bryn to Felinfoel...
0:15:00 > 0:15:06- ..and catch the loco at Adulam - and go to work at Sylen.
0:15:07 > 0:15:13- Sometimes, if the tracks were wet, - the loco couldn't go.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18- He'd have to walk all the way to - work and back whatever the weather.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23- That's how hard it was - on the colliers at that time.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- How many people worked at Cynheidre?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- How many people worked at Cynheidre?- - As many as 1,500 at one time.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34- Blaendderwen and Carway collieries - were closed...
0:15:34 > 0:15:39- ..as were Mynydd Mawr near Tumble - and Pentre Mawr.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44- The colliers from those works - fed Cynheidre.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49- In my opinion, they would have been - better to keep those mines open.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56- They ploughed all that money into - Cynheidre and what do we have left?
0:15:56 > 0:15:58- Nothing but cattle grazing.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- The wagons came full from Tumble.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12- It was a pleasure to see them.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14- There was quality there.
0:16:15 > 0:16:21- They'd come past - thirty wagons - at least, with one engine.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27- You had three engines - that came down in the morning...
0:16:27 > 0:16:33- ..each one of them - with at least thirty wagons.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- There were a few places near Tumble - where coal could be found cheaply.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45- They'd go and cross over the line...
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- ..down the lane near Ty Isa farm.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- You'd see the men and women there.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- They knew the train - was coming from Llanelli.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02- We had a police sergeant here then - and he was alright with it.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- Good old Sergeant Thomas!
0:17:07 > 0:17:11- Everyone knew him around here - and he knew everyone too.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15- The women had - their baskets or buckets.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20- The empty trains - would come back from Llanelli.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25- The lads who had been working - would head over to the Cwm works...
0:17:27 > 0:17:33- ..but I remember once how one of - them lost a leg falling off a truck.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38- Everyone knew how the lads - used to climb into the trucks...
0:17:38 > 0:17:42- ..and the trucks were - never completely cleaned out.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46- So they'd take a look inside - for leftover lumps of coal...
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- ..and when they threw them out - the women would gather them up!
0:17:58 > 0:18:03- The weather on the other side of the - world could affect things in Wales.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08- They'd be out in all weather - and the cold of winter.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- It's strange to think that - that's when I learned my geography.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16- In the cold of winter, - in January or February...
0:18:16 > 0:18:20- ..you'd have somewhere like the - St Lawrence in Canada freezing over.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24- When that happened, it meant - we didn't have any trucks here.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28- There'd be no empty or full trucks - to move between here and Swansea.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32- So I learned of the St Lawrence - in Canada freezing over...
0:18:32 > 0:18:36- ..and I'd be idle for four or five - days until the trucks were moving.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- It's clear that such collieries - as Caer Bryn and the Emlyn...
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- ..produced high quality anthracite.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14- But Annie Owen has memories of - other things apart from the coal.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- We sometimes rode on the step of - the guard's van...
0:19:21 > 0:19:23- ..which we weren't supposed to do.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28- But when the train started off, - slowly we could jump on the step.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33- I was quite nimble as a child - in those days.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37- When the train slowed down - to pull into the station...
0:19:37 > 0:19:41- ..it gave us children - a chance to jump off.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47- Then we'd innocently - walk past Tir Dail station.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54- I remember once how the first one - among us jumped and fell...
0:19:54 > 0:20:00- ..and it had a domino effect - until we were all piled in a heap.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11- We got up and dusted ourselves off - before heading to school.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17- We counted ourselves lucky - that no one had seen us falling.
0:20:17 > 0:20:23- But the very next day, our - schoolmaster George Owen Williams...
0:20:24 > 0:20:28- ..who was the son of Watcyn Wyn, - and a very kind man...
0:20:29 > 0:20:34- ..he said, "I want to see you - Penygroes children".
0:20:36 > 0:20:41- He called us in to tell us - the station master at Tir Dail...
0:20:41 > 0:20:47- ..had told him we were putting our - lives at risk on the guard's van.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55- He had heard that - we'd all fallen in a heap.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02- He asked those who had fallen - to raise their hands but no one did!
0:21:08 > 0:21:13- The last colliery we'll look at - today is the famous Graig Merthyr.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19- This line was nearly - three miles in length...
0:21:19 > 0:21:24- ..winding its way from Pontarddulais - to the head of the Dulais valley.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32- There were nearly a hundred coal - mines in Wales when this line ran.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37- Some 60,000 men - worked underground...
0:21:37 > 0:21:41- ..mining 20 million tons of coal - each year.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50- We're here at Graig Merthyr, some - ten minutes from Pontarddulais...
0:21:50 > 0:21:56- ..and it's hard to imagine a busy - colliery in this beautiful spot.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- That was only about 20 years ago.
0:22:01 > 0:22:07- It really is hard to imagine the - toil of mining here over the years.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- There are still - some tell-tale signs.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- You can see where - the old track was...
0:22:16 > 0:22:21- ..and the slopes have been cleared - away on the far side of the valley.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- Now the tips have gone, - the valley is green again.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- And this rhododendron pontica - looks wonderful.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- This is the best time - to see it in all its glory.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36- Let's take a closer look.
0:23:14 > 0:23:20- Today, as nature reclaims the land - and erases every sign of industry...
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- ..it's easy to forget the past.
0:23:23 > 0:23:29- But it has been a joy to walk along - some of these unusual old tracks.
0:23:31 > 0:23:38- We've been reminded of the hard work - to free the riches from this land...
0:23:39 > 0:23:44- ..and were it not for coal these - lines would never have existed.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50- Without them neither would the - major railway lines have prospered.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26- S4C subtitles by- Testun Cyf