# Penallta Colliery South Wales 2016



## Jon6D (Feb 22, 2016)

Not a great deal left here to see, most of it has been knocked down and other parts redeveloped in to office and stuff, just walking around in this part or the building you could see how big the place was and scale of the operation, there was one or two other room to go in but we didn't have and light with us and this place was extremely dangerous so didn't risk it. 

History
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 European 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.

Situated near Hengoed, 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 (690 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.

In 1947, the mine was nationalised as part of the governments post-World War II 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.[2] The colliery formed a rugby union club in 1952 called Penallta RFC, and in 1954 produced 500,000 tonnes of coal.[3] 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.[3] But it was closed by British Coal on 1 November 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, whereby the listed building status of the headgear of the two shafts are proposed to be part of a pioneering housing development scheme.

Several of the colliery buildings and structures are Grade II listed, including the colliery baths, engine hall and the pit's head frame.


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## Vertigo Rod (Feb 22, 2016)

Nice one Jon! Have loads of photos from this area - but have never been inside the buildings, amazing to finally see what is in there. Really enjoyed this post


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## rockfordstone (Feb 22, 2016)

if that's the one i'm thinking of, there is a lovely park not far away with a big bank of coal shaped like a pony in dedication to the pit ponies. "sultan" i believe it's called


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## krela (Feb 22, 2016)

Haven't seen this place for an age. 

The park is lovely, but I have bad memories of it by association with something else.


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## Mikeymutt (Feb 22, 2016)

That's a lovely post jon..it's one thing I have never been too is a colliery.always wanted too.we were going to one in Belgium but never got time..and there ain't to many around my area.in fact I would have to travel several hours to the nearest one.


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## Jon6D (Feb 22, 2016)

Mikeymutt said:


> That's a lovely post jon..it's one thing I have never been too is a colliery.always wanted too.we were going to one in Belgium but never got time..and there ain't to many around my area.in fact I would have to travel several hours to the nearest one.



Well if your ever down this way Id be more than happy to take you to a few


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## Mikeymutt (Feb 22, 2016)

Jon6D said:


> Well if your ever down this way Id be more than happy to take you to a few



Thank you jon.that would be lovely


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## Rubex (Feb 22, 2016)

Nice one Jon6D


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## tazong (Feb 22, 2016)

Some cracking photos there bud - i really love that first one - the one thing that struck me was how beautiful the decoration was inside - The tiling on the wall was fantastic.
Those welsh lads obviously had a lot of pride in there buildings as well as there work.


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## UrbanX (Feb 23, 2016)

Mikeymutt said:


> That's a lovely post jon..it's one thing I have never been too is a colliery.always wanted too.we were going to one in Belgium but never got time..and there ain't to many around my area.in fact I would have to travel several hours to the nearest one.



Lol the Belgium one may even be closer to you than this one! 

What s stunning space, absolutely beautiful. 
Excellent photos too, thanks for sharing


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## smiler (Feb 23, 2016)

I like the shots of the winding gear, lovely pics Jon, Thanks


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## flyboys90 (Feb 23, 2016)

Fantastic write up and images.


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## scribe (Feb 23, 2016)

Really liked this. What a fantastic and atmospheric place. Nice shots.


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## HelenMarie (Feb 26, 2016)

Lovely to see these photos. I grew up there, my Grandfather, uncles and many more members of my family worked there. Great pictures, I remember it in use.


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