South Wales and Somerset coalfields

Being not far away from Gloucestershire, the South Wales coalfields were a favourite destination in the late 1960s and 1970s, with a a goodly number of steam locos at work in various National Coal Board establishments. The workhorse of NCB steam was the 'Austerity' 0-6-0ST, the wartime designed shunter which, post-war, could be seen at many UK collieries.

How green - albeit on a grey day - was this valley between Aberaman and Mountain Ash, with the latter's Austerity 0-6-0ST hard at work on 21 March 1971. There were usually three steamers working in and around Mountain Ash on my visits.

Maerdy had a large, modern Peckett 0-6-0ST, but I never was lucky enough to see it working, an Austerity was always in use when I visited, plus sometimes ex GWR 0-6-0PT 9792. This is RSH 7099 on 4 April 1969 taking a break between duties.

Both Maerdy and Mountain Ash were in the NCB Aberdare Area.

At Treorchy in the NCB Rhondda Area on 4 April 1969 is an Austerity with a decent length rake of coal trucks.

Three Austerity tanks were stabled in the shed, seen behind the loco, they worked to and from Ocean Colliery.

All had British Transport Commission cast registration plates showing they were authorised to work over BR tracks.

A visit here on 19 April 1970 was somewhat different - empty shed with all rails in the yard leading to the colliery lifted. Engines gone, two transferred, one scrapped.

It wasn't all Austerity tanks. At Penllwyngwent Colliery, in the NCB Maesteg Area, 'Ton Phillip', an 0-6-0ST built by Avonside Engine Co, 1848 of 1920, passes its predecessor, 'Antonia' an old Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST, 618 of 1902. The picture dates from 4 April 1969 when the Avonside was a relatively recent transfer from Maesteg shed, having been replaced by, yes, an Austerity - Maesteg was now all 'Austerity' tanks, six of them. Though Penllwyngwent Colliery had closed at the end of February 1969, the loco was engaged on shifting coal between stockpile and landsale yard from about 10am to 12.30pm, as in the picture below.

Monmouthshire had collieries and this is Celynon South - there was also Celynon North - near Abercarn. On 21 March 1971 the loco in use was a modern Robert Stephenson  & Hawthorns 0-6-0ST, 7800 of 1954, seen shunting the colliery yard. It had been built for the Richard,Thomas & Baldwins steelworks at Ebbw Vale; when that went diesel, it was sold to the NCB.

Note the aerial ropeway on the hillside, transporting coal. Did the lever frame ever have a signal cabin over it, don't know.

One thing I remember about Celynon South is the thump, thump, thump which reverberated around the valley from the big steam engine used to raise coal; it went electric during 1971.

Meanwhile, back at Aberaman, this view on 31 January 1971 emphasises the steam, smoke and grime of heavy industry, with the Phurnacite plant working flat out.

The loco will be familiar to GWR enthusiasts, being 0-6-0PT 7754, shedded at Mountain Ash and purchased by the NCB in 1959. 7754 was a transfer from NCB Talywain, where I saw it working on 27 March 1970, which may have been the last day of railway operations there. Apparently 7754 was not popular with loco crews at Mountain Ash, who preferred their industrial saddle tanks.

My notes about 7754's activities this day: Off shed at 12.15, light engine to Washery, collect loaded wagons, propel them to Aberaman. Run round and haul wagons into the Phurnacite plant for unloading. Come back for more wagons to take to the plant. Return light engine to shed around 14.00.

Another Mountain Ash loco, and a favourite with most enthusiasts, was SIR JOHN, an Avonside Engine Co 0-6-0ST, 1680/1914, seen on Sunday 31 January 1971 arriving back from duties at Deep Duffryn pit. There was rail activity seven days a week.

Overview at Maesteg on another Sunday, with an 'Austerity' steaming along.

South Wales collieries were in the NCB's South Western Division which also included Somerset. There was steam working at Kilmersdon Colliery, Radstock, a delightful operation which included a self acting cable-worked incline connecting the colliery to BR's Radstock - Frome line, ex GWR North Somerset line. Only one full wagon at a time was lowered down the incline with a balancing empty wagon coming up.

The loco, 0-4-0ST Peckett 1788/1929, is about to shunt some internal user wooden bodied wagons.

Below, the loco at work near the incline head returning empty wagons to the colliery, five being the limit for the headshunt there.

Further information can be found here - https://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/18/Kilmersdon.htm

and here https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-the-last-load-from-kilmersdon-1973-online

Apart from the National Coal Board, the steel industry had huge establishments in South Wales, but virtually all were dieselised.

An exception in the late 1960s was Llanelly Steelworks, which had several locos in steam up to seven days a week.

The works had five oil fired Peckett 0-4-0STs, two are in steam on this occasion. Four were built in the 1950s.

The main attractions at Llanelly were four inside cylinder cabless Barclay 0-4-0ST, cut down for working inside

the melting shop. This one 'Christopher' was built as late as 1956; with two others dating from 1912, the type

obviously stood the test of time.