A very British scene ? 1968

Image: © Alan Murray-Rust Taken: 1 Jan 1968

This is not to disparage the Welsh – British is the name of the small mining/ironworking community from which the view is taken. Despite appearances, this is a passenger train, not a freight train. Known as the 'paddy', it is waiting take miners up to the remote Blaenserchan Colliery, deep in a side valley above Talywain. The extent of waste ground indicates the extent to the which the local mining and ironworking industry had declined even by the 1960s, with only Blaenserchan Colliery remaining of local pits. The area above the train was once occupied by the British Iron Works, which had ceased operating as early as 1900, with the site partly filled out with spoil from the neighbouring Lower Navigation Colliery, which itself ceased operation in 1947. The building to the right of the train is the locomotive shed – known as Big Arch - for the network of non-BR lines which had served the area, and its size indicates how important it had been. At the back of it can be seen the beam engine house of 1845, which survives in roofless condition. By this stage the shed only had 3 locomotives left, with only two in active use. The locomotive is 'Llewellyn' built by Hunslet Engineering works no.3817 in 1954 and is the standard 'Austerity' design used extensively by the National Coal Board. Above the train can be seen the goods shed and signal box at Abersychan and Talywain Station, originally the terminus of the LNWR Abersychan Extension south from Blaenavon, later met by a GWR from the south. This closed to passengers in 1941 and to goods in 1954, although the line remained open to serve Blaenavon Big Pit until 1980. This site http://www.industrialgwent.co.uk/a42-british/index.htm has an excellent overview of the local industrial history.

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