Rhondda Tunnel

Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway
Legend
Taff Vale Railway to Pontypridd Treherbert Treherbert Junction Blaenrhondda Taff Vale Railway to Rhondda Fawr Collieries Rhondda Tunnel 3443 yd 3148 m Blaengwynfi Gelli Tunnel 174 yd 159 m Croeserw Viaduct Llynvi and Ogmore Railway to Abergwynfi Sth Wales Mineral Rly to Glyncorrwg Cymmer Afan Llynvi and Ogmore Railway to Maesteg Sth Wales Mineral Rly to Tonmawr Duffryn Rhondda Halt Cynonville Halt Port Talbot Railway to Tonmawr Pontrhydyfen Cwmafan Port Talbot Railway to Bryn Aberavon Town East Junction South Wales Railway to Swansea South Wales Railway to Cardiff Port Talbot Railway to Port Talbot Old Dock Port Talbot New Dock Aberavon (Seaside) Baglan Sands South Wales Railway to Port Talbot Briton Ferry Dock Briton Ferry East Briton Ferry Sth Wales Mineral Rly to Tonmawr Court Sart South Wales Railway to Neath Court Sart Junction Neath Canalside Neath Harbour Junction Swing Bridge over River Neath Vale of Neath Railway to Neath Abbey Swansea District Line to Llandarcy Jersey Marine South Jn Cardonnel Junction Great Western Railway to Briton Ferry Road Cape Platform Jersey Marine Baldwins Halt Danygraig Halt Landore High Level Great Western Railway to Swansea East Dock Swansea East Docks Swansea Riverside Swansea Harbour Trust

The Rhondda Tunnel is an abandoned railway tunnel that runs between the Rhondda Valley and the Afan Valley in South Wales It is 3,443 yards (3,148 m) long (the second longest railway tunnel in Wales, and the seventeenth longest in the United Kingdom),^[1] and was built by the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway.

Construction

Engineered by S W. Yockney, Construction started in June 1885 from both Blaencwm in the Rhondda Valley and Blaengwynfi in the Afan Valley. Completed on 2nd July 1890 it features a single 58-foot ventilation shaft around 105 yards from its western end. It's almost 1,000 feet below ground at its deepest point. The single-line tunnel split into double track on emerging from ether portal.

History

Underground springs ensured that The Rhondda Tunnel was very wet in places, this was channelled away via a drainage system. Coal working caused the lining to bulge and a series of reinforcement ribs were erected in 1938. Eleven years later, an inspection found the tunnel to be in excellent condition except for two sections where distortion was severe. More ribs were installed.

Further deterioration resulted in the tunnel being closed 'temporarily' on safety grounds in 1968, though it never reopened - the cost of repairs being prohibitive but this also conveniently coincided with the Beeching cuts and the two stations etherside of the tunnel (Blaenrhondda railway station & Blaengwynfi railway station) were closed at the same time.

Following years of disuse, both of The Rhondda Tunnel's portals were finally covered over and landscaped in 1979.

The Rhondda Tunnel Society

The Rhondda Tunnel Society ^[2] was formed in September 2014. The short-term goal of the society is to replace the tunnel's original portal stone above the entrance of the tunnel at Blaencwm. The Blaengwynfi portal stone is housed at the Afan Forest Park (formally and locally known as Afan Argoed Country Park). The society eventually hopes to raise enough money to reopen the tunnel as a cycle path.^[3] They are currently waiting for a verdict on the tunnel's condition before the plans can go ahead.

References

External links