Aberdare Canal
Encyclopedia
The Aberdare Canal was a canal in Glamorganshire, Wales
which ran from Aberdare
to a junction with the Glamorganshire Canal
at Abercynon
. It opened in 1812, and served the iron and coal industries for nearly 65 years. The arrival of railways in the area did not immediately affect its traffic, but the failure of the iron industry in 1875 and increasing subsidence due to coal mining led to it becoming uneconomic. The Marquess of Bute
failed to halt its decline when he took it over in 1885, and in 1900 it was closed on safety grounds. The company continued to operate a tramway until 1944. Most of the route was buried by the construction of the A4059 road
in 1923, although a short section at the head of the canal remains in water and is now a nature reserve. The company was wound up in 1955.
. The Act also empowered the company to build tramroads to any mines, quarries or works within 8 miles (12.9 km) of the route of the canal and railway. To complete this task, it had powers to raise an initial £22,500, and a further £11,000 if required.
Although construction of the canal was authorised, it was not deemed to be viable at the time, as the Hirwaun
Ironworks was the only potential user. Instead, the company leased some limestone quarries at Penderyn, and conveyed the stone by tramroad to the Hirwaun Ironworks and to their own lime kilns. However, the opening of two further ironworks by 1806 led to the company resolving to build the canal at a meeting held in September 1809. Edward Martin from Morriston
was employed to re-survey the route, which was completed by 9 January 1810, and Thomas Sheasby junior was employed as engineer.
Construction of the 6.75 miles (10.9 km) of canal began, with the Glamorganshire Canal
Company agreeing to waiving tolls on all stone and lime cargoes which were for the new canal. Thomas Sheasby resigned as engineer in August 1811, and was replaced by George Overton, who worked for two days each week. The canal level dropped by 13 ft (4m) over its length, and this was accommodated by building two locks, one at Cwmbach and the other at Dyffryn. A feeder from the Afon Cynon
supplied water to the canal at Canal Head, an aqueduct carried the canal over Nant Pennar, and a stop lock was built at the bottom end, where the canal joined the Glamorganshire Canal just below lock 17. There was a dispute with Richard Blakemore, who owned the Pentyrch ironworks and the Melingriffith tinplate works, and who wanted surplus water to be returned to the river, but he was ultimately ignored, and the water supplied the Glamorganshire Canal. The canal was open for traffic by May 1812, although some outstanding work was completed over the following months.
The economy began to recover in 1818, and William Crawshay
leased the Hirwaun ironworks. Having reconstructed and expanded it, he gradually bought out the Aberdare Canal Company, to ensure the route for his goods, and owned 96% of the shares by 1826. Between 1823 and 1826, the banks were raised, in order to allow the capacity of boats to be increased from 20 tons to 25 tons. This was financed by selling eleven shares, with additional costs being met from revenue, with the result that no dividend was paid in 1826.
In 1837, the first pit for the extraction of steam coal was sunk at Abernant-y-Groes by Thomas Wayne and his family. Wayne had previously been the Clerk for the canal company. An entrepreneur called Thomas Powell started another pit at Tyr Founder in 1840, and hit the Four Foot seam two years later. Fifteen more pits were sunk in the Cynon Valley between 1840 and 1853, and a number of basins and tramways were constructed to facilitate export of the coal. Thomas Powell negotiated the right to carry coal in boxes in the boats, as a way to reduce breakage and ease handling of the product, with the empty boxes not incurring tolls on the return journey.
With the increasing traffic, more water was needed, and the ponds on Hirwaun Common, which were owned by the Tappendens, were converted into a reservoir, covering 47 acres (19 ha), from which water was supplied to the canal via the Afon Cynon and the feeder at Canal Head. In 1845, the company decided to build a pumping engine at Tyr Founder, to supply water from the Afon Cynon to the canal just above Cwmbach lock. The Glamorganshire Canal Company were approached to share the cost, on the basis that they would benefit from the extra water, and they agreed to pay two thirds of the cost, providing that they owned the installation.
's line from Cardiff to Merthyr Tudful
at Abercynon, and running up the valley to Aberdare. Many of the collieries were linked to the railway by branch lines and sidings, but the canal company withheld consent to build bridges over the canal, and it was not until 1851 that a court ruling allowed the Wyrfa Coal Company to build the first, after which others followed. A second railway, the broad gauge Vale of Neath Railway
, reached Aberdare in the same year. Despite the competition, the canal continued to carry a good volume of coal, rising from 159,653 tons in 1848 to 216,704 tons in 1858.
In 1864, the Great Western Railway
built a line to Middle Duffryn (later renamed Mountain Ash
), and further depleted the trade in coal on the canal. The iron trade collapsed in 1875, when the Aberdare ironworks stopped production due to a strike, and the canal was increasingly affected by subsidence, caused by mining, but was unable to get any compensation from the mine owners. In 1885, both the Aberdare Canal and the Glamorganshire Canal were obtained by the Marquess of Bute
, who bought the shares from the Crawshay family. Despite his efforts, the canal was no longer profitable. In 1888, 102,805 tons of goods were carried, but the rates were low in order to encourage use of the canal, and the income did not cover the running expenses.
The canal lay unused and derelict until 1923, when it was bought by Aberdare Urban District Council and Mountain Ash District Council. The Aberdare Canal Act was passed in 1924, authorising the purchase, and most of the canal bed was buried under the A4059 and B4275 roads. The Aberdare Canal Company was finally wound up in 1955.
Road building has obliterated most traces of the canal, but the top section from Canal Head to Ynyscynon House is in water and is now a nature reserve. Canal Head house, the original residence of the clerk of the canal also remains as a private dwelling. The junction with the Glamorganshire Canal was close to Lock Street in Abercynon.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
which ran from Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
to a junction with the Glamorganshire Canal
Glamorganshire Canal
The Glamorganshire Canal was a canal in south Wales, UK, running from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff. Construction started in 1790, and the 25 miles of canal was fully opened by 1794. Its primary purpose was to enable the Merthyr iron industries to transport their goods, and it later served the coal...
at Abercynon
Abercynon
Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering...
. It opened in 1812, and served the iron and coal industries for nearly 65 years. The arrival of railways in the area did not immediately affect its traffic, but the failure of the iron industry in 1875 and increasing subsidence due to coal mining led to it becoming uneconomic. The Marquess of Bute
Marquess of Bute
Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute.-Family history:...
failed to halt its decline when he took it over in 1885, and in 1900 it was closed on safety grounds. The company continued to operate a tramway until 1944. Most of the route was buried by the construction of the A4059 road
A4059 road
The A4059 road is a single-carriageway north-south road that runs between the A470 at Brecon Beacons National Park and the A470 at Abercynon.Southbound, the A4059 begins by turning right off the A470 to the south of Storey Arms, just after passing the Beacons Reservoir...
in 1923, although a short section at the head of the canal remains in water and is now a nature reserve. The company was wound up in 1955.
History
The Aberdare Canal Company was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1793, which authorised the company to build a canal from Aberdare to Abercynon (at the time called Navigation) and a railway from Aberdare to Glyn Neath, on the Neath CanalNeath and Tennant Canal
The Neath and Tennant Canals are two independent but linked canals in South Wales that are usually regarded as a single canal. The Neath Canal was opened from Glynneath to Melincryddan, to the south of Neath, in 1795 and extended to Giants Grave in 1799, in order to provide better shipping...
. The Act also empowered the company to build tramroads to any mines, quarries or works within 8 miles (12.9 km) of the route of the canal and railway. To complete this task, it had powers to raise an initial £22,500, and a further £11,000 if required.
Although construction of the canal was authorised, it was not deemed to be viable at the time, as the Hirwaun
Hirwaun
Hirwaun is the name of a village at the northwest end of the Cynon Valley in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The village of Hirwaun is from the town of Aberdare, and comes under Aberdare for postal reasons...
Ironworks was the only potential user. Instead, the company leased some limestone quarries at Penderyn, and conveyed the stone by tramroad to the Hirwaun Ironworks and to their own lime kilns. However, the opening of two further ironworks by 1806 led to the company resolving to build the canal at a meeting held in September 1809. Edward Martin from Morriston
Morriston
Morriston is a community in the City and County of Swansea, Wales and falls within the Morriston ward. Morriston is sometimes referred to as a distinct town , however Morriston never had a town charter, and is now part of the continuous urban area around Swansea, the centre of which lies three...
was employed to re-survey the route, which was completed by 9 January 1810, and Thomas Sheasby junior was employed as engineer.
Construction of the 6.75 miles (10.9 km) of canal began, with the Glamorganshire Canal
Glamorganshire Canal
The Glamorganshire Canal was a canal in south Wales, UK, running from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff. Construction started in 1790, and the 25 miles of canal was fully opened by 1794. Its primary purpose was to enable the Merthyr iron industries to transport their goods, and it later served the coal...
Company agreeing to waiving tolls on all stone and lime cargoes which were for the new canal. Thomas Sheasby resigned as engineer in August 1811, and was replaced by George Overton, who worked for two days each week. The canal level dropped by 13 ft (4m) over its length, and this was accommodated by building two locks, one at Cwmbach and the other at Dyffryn. A feeder from the Afon Cynon
River Cynon
The River Cynon is a river in South Wales and is one of the larger tributaries of the River Taff.It arises within Cwm Cadlan in the Brecon Beacons National Park as the Nant Cadlan and is supplemented by a number of small streams arising from springs in the Carboniferous Limestone and Twrch...
supplied water to the canal at Canal Head, an aqueduct carried the canal over Nant Pennar, and a stop lock was built at the bottom end, where the canal joined the Glamorganshire Canal just below lock 17. There was a dispute with Richard Blakemore, who owned the Pentyrch ironworks and the Melingriffith tinplate works, and who wanted surplus water to be returned to the river, but he was ultimately ignored, and the water supplied the Glamorganshire Canal. The canal was open for traffic by May 1812, although some outstanding work was completed over the following months.
Trade
The four main carriers on the canal were given wharf space at Canal Head, Ty Draw, where four 80 feet (24.4 m) wharves were constructed and the Glamorganshire Canal Company also allocated them wharf space at the pound at Cardiff Sea Lock. Trade in iron began well, but a disastrous depression began in 1813, resulting in the bankruptcy of the Hirwaun and Abernant ironworks, and the Llwydcoed ironworks ceasing production. With no sources of income, the canal effectively closed, and the tramway to the Neath Canal was abandoned.The economy began to recover in 1818, and William Crawshay
William Crawshay II
William Crawshay II was the son of William Crawshay I, the owner of Cyfarthfa Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil, south Wales....
leased the Hirwaun ironworks. Having reconstructed and expanded it, he gradually bought out the Aberdare Canal Company, to ensure the route for his goods, and owned 96% of the shares by 1826. Between 1823 and 1826, the banks were raised, in order to allow the capacity of boats to be increased from 20 tons to 25 tons. This was financed by selling eleven shares, with additional costs being met from revenue, with the result that no dividend was paid in 1826.
In 1837, the first pit for the extraction of steam coal was sunk at Abernant-y-Groes by Thomas Wayne and his family. Wayne had previously been the Clerk for the canal company. An entrepreneur called Thomas Powell started another pit at Tyr Founder in 1840, and hit the Four Foot seam two years later. Fifteen more pits were sunk in the Cynon Valley between 1840 and 1853, and a number of basins and tramways were constructed to facilitate export of the coal. Thomas Powell negotiated the right to carry coal in boxes in the boats, as a way to reduce breakage and ease handling of the product, with the empty boxes not incurring tolls on the return journey.
With the increasing traffic, more water was needed, and the ponds on Hirwaun Common, which were owned by the Tappendens, were converted into a reservoir, covering 47 acres (19 ha), from which water was supplied to the canal via the Afon Cynon and the feeder at Canal Head. In 1845, the company decided to build a pumping engine at Tyr Founder, to supply water from the Afon Cynon to the canal just above Cwmbach lock. The Glamorganshire Canal Company were approached to share the cost, on the basis that they would benefit from the extra water, and they agreed to pay two thirds of the cost, providing that they owned the installation.
The Coming of the Railways
With the increasing coal production, railways were attracted to the area. The Aberdare Railway was the first in 1846, branching off from the Taff Vale RailwayTaff Vale Railway
The Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
's line from Cardiff to Merthyr Tudful
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
at Abercynon, and running up the valley to Aberdare. Many of the collieries were linked to the railway by branch lines and sidings, but the canal company withheld consent to build bridges over the canal, and it was not until 1851 that a court ruling allowed the Wyrfa Coal Company to build the first, after which others followed. A second railway, the broad gauge Vale of Neath Railway
Vale of Neath Railway
The Vale of Neath Railway was a broad gauge railway line from Neath to Merthyr Tydfil, in Glamorgan, Wales, and also operated the Swansea and Neath Railway which gave it access to the docks at Swansea...
, reached Aberdare in the same year. Despite the competition, the canal continued to carry a good volume of coal, rising from 159,653 tons in 1848 to 216,704 tons in 1858.
In 1864, the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
built a line to Middle Duffryn (later renamed Mountain Ash
Mountain Ash railway station
Mountain Ash railway station is a railway station serving the town of Mountain Ash in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Aberdare branch of the Merthyr Line...
), and further depleted the trade in coal on the canal. The iron trade collapsed in 1875, when the Aberdare ironworks stopped production due to a strike, and the canal was increasingly affected by subsidence, caused by mining, but was unable to get any compensation from the mine owners. In 1885, both the Aberdare Canal and the Glamorganshire Canal were obtained by the Marquess of Bute
Marquess of Bute
Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute.-Family history:...
, who bought the shares from the Crawshay family. Despite his efforts, the canal was no longer profitable. In 1888, 102,805 tons of goods were carried, but the rates were low in order to encourage use of the canal, and the income did not cover the running expenses.
Decline
By 1897, the volume of traffic had dropped to 7,855 tons, and passage along the canal was extremely difficult, as a result of bridges and towpaths sinking. Maintenance costs kept increasing, and the decision was taken to close the canal in November 1900 on safety grounds. The company continued to operate the tramroad between Penderyn, Hirwaun and Aberdare, with the Penderyn to Hirwaun section being converted to standard gauge and linked to the Great Western Railway in 1904, and the remaining section being sold to the owners of the coal pits in 1944.The canal lay unused and derelict until 1923, when it was bought by Aberdare Urban District Council and Mountain Ash District Council. The Aberdare Canal Act was passed in 1924, authorising the purchase, and most of the canal bed was buried under the A4059 and B4275 roads. The Aberdare Canal Company was finally wound up in 1955.
The route
The Cynon Valley is a narrow valley, and the canal followed the course of the northern bank of the Afon Cynon for most of its length. Water was supplied to the top pound by the feeder from the Afon Cynon, and later by the pumping engine at Tyr Founder. The Cwmbach lock had a fall of 9.2 feet (2.8 m), after which the middle pound crossed the Nant Pennar stream on an aqueduct to arrive at the Dyffryn lock, which lowered the level by another 3.8 feet (1.2 m). There were a total of seven overflow weirs, to allow surplus water to return to the river, and a stop lock before the junction with the Glamorganshire Canal.Road building has obliterated most traces of the canal, but the top section from Canal Head to Ynyscynon House is in water and is now a nature reserve. Canal Head house, the original residence of the clerk of the canal also remains as a private dwelling. The junction with the Glamorganshire Canal was close to Lock Street in Abercynon.
Points of interest
See also
- Canals of Great Britain
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...
- WaterscapeWaterscapeWaterscape was set up in the summer of 2003 and is British Waterways leisure website, supported by the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority as an official information and leisure resource for inland waterways within the UK....