Cwm Coke, Beddau, Wales, Dec 2010

tom46 · Dec 15, 2010

Visited with Kent Urbex (his photos, probably better, to come later).

A great explore. I have to thank KU entirely for this one as without his persuasion I wouldn't have gone.
We tried to hit this after Talgarth, and got thrown out literally within 2 minutes by two rather nice guys who I suspect were members of Goldie Lookin' Chain, who said something about axes and hammers and dogs.
Next day, we returned, greeted by the sound of the local yoof on dirt bikes and unnerving dog barks. I felt pretty sick at this point and didn't really fancy getting busted again, but with some persuasion and a leg-up we were in.
Despite my protestations about feeling queasy and paranoia about being mauled by a German Shepherd we managed some nice photography.
I like to think of this place as a part of the Soviet Bloc that got blown sky-high by Chernobyl and landed about 4 miles from Pontypridd.
Brief history (courtesy of the Rhonnda Cynon Taf site):

Cwm Colliery developed throughout the inter war years and after World War II, both manpower and production increasing significantly. An underground railway linking the Maritime Colliery, Pontypridd with Cwm was completed in 1931. In 1957 a similar railway linked Cwm with Coedely Colliery. The merger of these two pits created the largest colliery in the South Wales Coalfield. Production and manpower reached a peak in 1960 as Cwm Colliery employed 1,470 men and produced 324,794 tons.
Cwm coke works opened in 1958. It was designed to centralise and maintain the production of South Wales foundry coke. The coal mined at Cwm was very suitable for foundry coke given its low sulphur content. Cwm Colliery was closed by the NCB in 1986 and the coke works ceased production in June 2002.