Penallta Colliery
Encyclopedia
Penallta Colliery was a coal mine, located close to Hengoed
in the Rhymney Valley
in the South Wales Valleys
. A coal mine
which in 1935 held the Europe
an record for coal wound in a 24-hour period, it is now the site of an original redevelopment project which will make use of the former pit head buildings.
, in 1905 Powell Duffryn
began the sinking of Penallta colliery, and had employed 291 men by 1908. The two shafts Nos.1 (downcast 783 yards (716 m)) and 2 (upcast 750 yards (685.8 m)), and at the time were the deepest in the South Wales Coalfield
. The first coal was raised in 1909, with the railway served by the Cylla branch which connected it to both the Rhymney Railway
from the Ystrad Mynach north junction
, and the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
. By 1923 there were 2,395 men employed, producing from the Six Feet seam, and at peak production during the 1930s
, there were in excess of 3,200 men employed. In 1930 it produced 975,603 tons, and in 1935 it held the European record for coal winding.
regeneration scheme, and became owned by the National Coal Board
. Investment was made, and in the late 1940s
a Meco-Moore Cutter Loader
was installed, one of the first power loaders to be used in British mines, and as a result the Minister of Fuel and Power Hugh Gaitskell
made a visit in December 1949. The colliery formed a rugby union
club in 1952 called Penallta RFC
, and in 1954 produced 500,000 tonnes of coal. During 1960 the shafts were extended to reach 800 yards as part of a scheme, which also included electrification of the shaft winding engines.
But access to coal was becoming more difficult, and by the 1970s
only 700 men were producing 210,000 tons yearly from the Lower Nine Feet and Seven Feet seams - both 20% of the figures at the height of production. The colliery survived the 1984-1985 miners strike
, and made impressive gains in production after the return to work. But it was closed by British Coal
on November 1, 1991 with the last shift led out by a brass band
, the last deep mine working in the Rhymney Valley
.
In 1996, a vision for Penallta was put forward by Caerphilly County Borough Council
, in partnership with Groundwork Wales and various local community, statutory and voluntary agencies. Stage1 of the project converted 180 hectares of derelict land transformed into a community park. Stage2 created more access, through the installation of a bridle path
and cycle tracks, and a stone footpath
.
To complete redevelopment of Penallta, the council developed a business park
on the site, and have now agreed a development project which will result in a housing estate on part of the site, where by the listed building status of the headgear of the two shafts are proposed to be part of a pioneering housing development scheme.
Hengoed
Hengoed ) is a village on the west side of the Rhymney Valley - between Ystrad Mynach to the South and Cefn Hengoed to the North. Across the valley it looks towards Maesycwmmer...
in the Rhymney Valley
Rhymney Valley
The Rhymney Valley is a valley encompassing the villages of Abertysswg, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, Tirphil, New Tredegar, Aberbargoed, Rhymney, and Ystrad Mynach, and the towns of Bargoed and Caerphilly, in south-east Wales, formerly famous for its coal mining and iron industries.-Geography:Created as a...
in the South Wales Valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
. A coal mine
Mining in Wales
Mining in Wales provided a significant source of income to the economy of Wales throughout the nineteenth century and early twentieth century....
which in 1935 held the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an record for coal wound in a 24-hour period, it is now the site of an original redevelopment project which will make use of the former pit head buildings.
History
Situated near HengoedHengoed
Hengoed ) is a village on the west side of the Rhymney Valley - between Ystrad Mynach to the South and Cefn Hengoed to the North. Across the valley it looks towards Maesycwmmer...
, in 1905 Powell Duffryn
Powell Duffryn
PD Ports is a Middlesbrough-headquartered British ports operator.Formerly known as Powell Duffryn, it dug its first coal mine in South Wales in 1840, and later expanded into various sorts of manufacturing...
began the sinking of Penallta colliery, and had employed 291 men by 1908. The two shafts Nos.1 (downcast 783 yards (716 m)) and 2 (upcast 750 yards (685.8 m)), and at the time were the deepest in the South Wales Coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
. The first coal was raised in 1909, with the railway served by the Cylla branch which connected it to both the Rhymney Railway
Rhymney Railway
The Rhymney Railway was virtually a single stretch of main line, some fifty miles in length, by which the Rhymney Valley was connected to the docks at Cardiff in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales.-History:...
from the Ystrad Mynach north junction
Ystrad Mynach railway station
Ystrad Mynach railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ystrad Mynach, south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line of the Valley Lines network.There is a dedicated rail linc bus that links with the train...
, and the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
The Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway was a railway line connecting the Welsh port city of Newport via Abergavenny, to the major English market town of Hereford.Sponsored by the LNWR, it opened on 6 December 1853...
. By 1923 there were 2,395 men employed, producing from the Six Feet seam, and at peak production during the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
, there were in excess of 3,200 men employed. In 1930 it produced 975,603 tons, and in 1935 it held the European record for coal winding.
Nationalisation
In 1947, the mine was nationalised as part of the governments post-World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
regeneration scheme, and became owned by the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
. Investment was made, and in the late 1940s
1940s
File:1940s decade montage.png|Above title bar: events which happened during World War II : From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching "Omaha" Beach on "D-Day"; Adolf Hitler visits Paris, soon after the Battle of France; The Holocaust occurred during the war as Nazi Germany...
a Meco-Moore Cutter Loader
Meco-Moore Cutter Loader
The Meco-Moore cutter loader was an early twentieth century British mining machine. It was invented by Mr M. Moore, and developed by the Mining Engineering Company of Worcester. It was a heavy machine and was first used in a coal mine in Lancashire, England 1934...
was installed, one of the first power loaders to be used in British mines, and as a result the Minister of Fuel and Power Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
made a visit in December 1949. The colliery formed a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club in 1952 called Penallta RFC
Penallta RFC
Penallta Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Ystrad Mynach in the county borough of Caerphilly. Penallta RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.-History:...
, and in 1954 produced 500,000 tonnes of coal. During 1960 the shafts were extended to reach 800 yards as part of a scheme, which also included electrification of the shaft winding engines.
But access to coal was becoming more difficult, and by the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
only 700 men were producing 210,000 tons yearly from the Lower Nine Feet and Seven Feet seams - both 20% of the figures at the height of production. The colliery survived the 1984-1985 miners strike
UK miners' strike (1984–1985)
The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement...
, and made impressive gains in production after the return to work. But it was closed by British Coal
British Coal
thumb|right|British Coal company logoThe British Coal Corporation was a nationalised corporation in the United Kingdom responsible for the extraction of coal...
on November 1, 1991 with the last shift led out by a brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
, the last deep mine working in the Rhymney Valley
Rhymney Valley
The Rhymney Valley is a valley encompassing the villages of Abertysswg, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, Tirphil, New Tredegar, Aberbargoed, Rhymney, and Ystrad Mynach, and the towns of Bargoed and Caerphilly, in south-east Wales, formerly famous for its coal mining and iron industries.-Geography:Created as a...
.
Redevelopment
Caerphilly County Borough Council
Caerphilly County Borough Council is the governing body for Caerphilly , one of the Principal Areas of Wales.- Current composition :- Historic results :-Electoral divisions:...
, in partnership with Groundwork Wales and various local community, statutory and voluntary agencies. Stage1 of the project converted 180 hectares of derelict land transformed into a community park. Stage2 created more access, through the installation of a bridle path
Bridle path
A bridle path is a thoroughfare originally made for horses, but which these days serves a wide range of interests, including hikers, walkers and cyclists as well as equestrians. The laws relating to permissions vary from country to country...
and cycle tracks, and a stone footpath
Footpath
A Footpath is a thoroughfare intended for by pedestrians but not by motorized vehicles. The term is often for paths within an urban area that offer shorter quieter routes for pedestrians, they may also provide access to the surrounding countryside or parks...
.
To complete redevelopment of Penallta, the council developed a business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
on the site, and have now agreed a development project which will result in a housing estate on part of the site, where by the listed building status of the headgear of the two shafts are proposed to be part of a pioneering housing development scheme.