Cynheidre Colliery layout + pictures?

[Ralf]

Hi all, 

 

So I've developed an (probably) unhealthy obsession with Cynheidre Colliery after seeing this picture on another thread about Colliery Loco Sheds.

JUL 74 25. Standard and narrow gauge shunters at Cynheidre Colliery, July 12 1974 by Andy Kirkham, on Flickr

 

 

So the question was can I build a model of shed and including some std gauge shunting with some narrow gauge also in use... Thus I delved into the internet thing and found two 3 main resources...

 

1, Paul B's site which has 2 marvellous collections of pictures mostly of the rolling stock - https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/?q=Cynheidre

2, Old-Maps have a 1:2500 map from 1971  - see here: https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/249500/207500/12/100955

3, An photograph taken from above 

Cynheidre 9 by sapper537, on Flickr

 

So taking all this I've turned the map round to match the orientation of the photograph and traced over the track layout on the map so clearly show it. The question is can anyone provide any more details of the traffics on either gauge - I'm not really interested in the main colliery screens and associated marshalling yard being way too large to contemplate at the moment. Its the loco shed and the larger building on the left (large and bottom left in the photograph) that I'm most interested in, I'm guessing it's some sort of workshop / store area where wagons of pits props etc could be stored and transhipped into the NG wagons. On Pauls site there's pictures of NG Tubs with all sorts of purposes - Pit Props, Methane, Explosives, Misc Bolsters and of course Coal.

 

If anyone could fill in some details that'd be great, I can't imagine a huge quantity of coal coming out by rail rather than conveyor in a large modern colliery (although 2 shafts have 3 or 4 lines vanish inside)  but the narrow gauge certainly did move coal as well as other things to construct / maintain the mines as you can see rakes of coal wagons on the photo. Were all of things things loaded in the one shed? How were wagons sorted / marshalled / arranged as there's not really any fans of NG sidings (unless they're inside the mystery building??

 

What about the Std gauge shed, such a shed surely only provided a loco for the track work on left hand of the plan? But I see 4 different sidings on the left but know not of their purpose (1 far left, 1 into the dual gauge stores?, 1 into the Shed and 2 further up the map - 1 to the area marked "Tanks" and the one further up... 

 

Hope all that makes sense and someone can answer my questions! 

 

Many thanks - and now I'd best scarper as I've been putting off my real (as in I get paid for) work as this is far more interesting - sadly 'real' works needs done for tomorrow morning!  

Ralf

Edited October 11, 2018 by Ralf

[hmrspaul]

Isn.t there a conservation project for the area? https://www.facebook.com/llanellirailway/ there were some conserved stock when we were there all those years ago (30 unbelievable)!  As you say the marshalling area was considerable. https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/cynheidre/e398f978b

 

Have you looked through the Railway Bylines index on the Irwell site http://www.irwellpress.com/acatalog/MAGAZINE_INDEX_BYLINES.html

 

Paul

[Ralf]

Isn.t there a conservation project for the area? https://www.facebook.com/llanellirailway/ there were some conserved stock when we were there all those years ago (30 unbelievable)!  As you say the marshalling area was considerable. https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/cynheidre/e398f978b

Have you looked through the Railway Bylines index on the Irwell site http://www.irwellpress.com/acatalog/MAGAZINE_INDEX_BYLINES.html

 

Thank Paul, there is an embryonic preservation group hoping to create a railway and heritage centre on the site but no info on the colliery to be found on their website (fb link didn't work for me) but I will e-mail them and ask if anyone there can help or if they have info on site available during open days etc. 

 

I've flown through the Bylines indecies and quickly searched for Cynheidre but of course that may not be mentioned it may say "NCB Super pits NG" or about anything else without mentioning the place by name in the article title. 

 

Thanks

Ralf

[Michael Edge]

Looking at your photo it would seem that the downcast shaft (on the left) brought up most of the coal, with a covered conveyer to the screens. The upcast shaft (on the right, with two fans) may have been mostly used for men and materials.

[Ralf]

Looking at your photo it would seem that the downcast shaft (on the left) brought up most of the coal, with a covered conveyer to the screens. The upcast shaft (on the right, with two fans) may have been mostly used for men and materials.

 

 

Thanks for the Michael, all insight very welcome. Ah so rakes of NG wagons would always be 'empty' when viewed on the surface as on their way out they'd have been emptied in the tippler seen here https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/cynheidre/h353C703B#h31bde3d7

 

 

 

Have found sound photographs on the National Museum Wales website, which has some superb views from the air and of miners and indeed of NG goings on underground! Going to have to spend an afternoon admiring that lot then aren't I. 

 

Also spotted someone has produced a booklet on Cynheidre colliery so one of those is on order too... -

 

Ralf 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Ralf

[Michael Edge]

I didn't say that no coal could come up the upcast shaft but it could be that the tubs were on a circuit, loaded up from the downcast shaft and returned empty down the other one.