# Gyfylchi Tunnel, Tonmawr - September 2012



## cunningcorgi (Sep 3, 2012)

*HISTORY*

The Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed and built 1,109 yard long Gyfylchi tunnel was the only tunnel on the South Wales Mineral Railway, a mere 12 mile stretch of track that ran down from Glyncorrwg, via Tonmawr to the docks at Briton Ferry, in Neath. Work on the line started in 1853, and it was opened in sections between 1861 and 1863. When opened it was a broad 7′ 1/2″ gauge, but in 1872 the line was adjusted to standard gauge. This allowed junctions with the Great Western Railway, just north of the Cymmer tunnel, and the Port Talbot Railway at Tonmawr junction. There is evidence on the 1:25,000 scale OS map, that just south of the tunnel there was a junction built that saw a track running back down the valley side to connect with the Rhondda and Swansea bay Railway at Pontrhydyfen.

The 5 locomotives served the mines, collieries and quarries around Glyncorrwg and the mines in the Pelenna valley, taking the minerals (for example, limestone, dolomite, coal) to the docks at Briton Ferry. Although there was never a passenger service on the line, people from the isolated Glyncorrwg valley commonly were allowed to ride in the empty wagon or in the brake carts for free, to visit Neath in order to trade. The line was single track apart from 2 passing places, one at Cymmer and one at Tonmawr; it was standard practice fro trains to pass at Cymmer unless special instructions had been given. On August 16th 1902 the train leaving Glyncorrwg intended to pass at Tonmawr, but without the proper authorisation. Due to this, the train leaving Briton Ferry was expecting to pass at Cymmer as normal and the two trains collided head on inside the tunnel, both drivers suffering injuries and many of the villagers who were riding in the wagons were injured, 2 of them fatally. Following the report on this incident, a telegraph system was set up between Tonmawr and Cymmer to stop a repeat occurrence.

In 1910 the section of track between Tonmawr and Briton ferry was dismantled, and all traffic went now to Port Talbot. In 1925 the Glyncorrwg colliery closed, although the line still served quarries in other parts of the valley. In 1947 the Tonmawr end of the tunnel collapsed and it was never reopened.

*THE VISIT*

Gyfylchi Tunnel is a very dark tunnel in more ways than one. With the northern portal buried, the southern portal breeze blocked up and the southern cutting akin to a jungle, very little air enters the tunnel. As a result, most of the soot deposits from the locomotives are still present giving the tunnel a very dark feel. From halfway in to the northern portal, the tunnel is flooded with a very still, black water. The water level rises and falls depending on the season / weather.

A number of visitors to the tunnel have noted a definate feeling of great sadness and despair in the tunnel and have gone as far to say it was a tunnel where they have been contstantly on edge and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Whether this is due to the turbulent past of the tunnel when it was open or evidence of drug taking when it closed (plenty of solvents, bongs and crap dating from the 80's / early 90's still in there), who knows but we didn't experience anything out of the ordinary.

Visited with wokycows.

1. End of the line and start of the flooding




2. View back south




3. Addional supporting wall




4. Supporting collar




5. Unlined walls, lined roof




6. Forgotten mileage marker




7. Yogurt bong




8. Southern portal appears




9. Breeze blocked




10. Southern cutting




Thanks for looking.


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## godzilla73 (Sep 3, 2012)

Vaairy nice. Good history too. Thanks for sharing


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## PaulPowers (Sep 4, 2012)

Nice one 

Do love a good tunnel


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## flyboys90 (Sep 4, 2012)

Interesting tunnel,thanks for sharing.


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## Captain-Slow (Sep 28, 2012)

Good to see this place getting some attention 

I went looking for it about 4 years ago. When I got back to where my car was parked there was a Jellymould space left in the (visitors centre) carpark and a mangled Ford doorlock on the floor  

Not been back since

Not been back to look for the Tonmawr Tunnel that is, not to the ENTIRE Afan Argoed. And I can confirm that the walk to Port Talbot took fookin ages.


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