Rhymney tram tunnel.
The trams were for the Evan Jones pit in Rhymney, one of the earlist mines in the area. It took quarried stone from Trefil Quarry to Talybont canal wharf, this was opened in 1815. The extension was designed to connect the Bryn Oer Collieries and Rhymney Ironworks with the wharf.
The one entrance is just yards from a side street, while the other end is now buried and grassed over, this end served by a manhole cover in another side street (see pics) The tunnel itself seems pretty wet on the day we visited, with a good few inches of mud in large areas of the tunnel, I'd suggest welly boots for this one, it's not very long, maybe 200 yards and curving. The tunnel has a good few small staligtights.
The open entrance.
Staligtights
Looking back towards the entrance
A view along the tunnel showing some of the mud
The far (closed) end of the tunnel with steps up to manhole
The manhole from in the tunnel
An "arty" shot of Carries torch lighting the tunnel
.
The grassed over end of the tunnel (note the manhole here isn't the other entrance)
The manhole cover ffrom above.
The trams were for the Evan Jones pit in Rhymney, one of the earlist mines in the area. It took quarried stone from Trefil Quarry to Talybont canal wharf, this was opened in 1815. The extension was designed to connect the Bryn Oer Collieries and Rhymney Ironworks with the wharf.
The one entrance is just yards from a side street, while the other end is now buried and grassed over, this end served by a manhole cover in another side street (see pics) The tunnel itself seems pretty wet on the day we visited, with a good few inches of mud in large areas of the tunnel, I'd suggest welly boots for this one, it's not very long, maybe 200 yards and curving. The tunnel has a good few small staligtights.
The open entrance.
Staligtights
Looking back towards the entrance
A view along the tunnel showing some of the mud
The far (closed) end of the tunnel with steps up to manhole
The manhole from in the tunnel
An "arty" shot of Carries torch lighting the tunnel
The grassed over end of the tunnel (note the manhole here isn't the other entrance)
The manhole cover ffrom above.