Report - Cefn Glas (Quakers Yard) Tunnel, Abercynon - March 2025

[GRONK]

March 2025​

Thanks to a pointer from @Acid-reflux I managed to tick this one off whilst on a solo trip to South Wales, I arrived at the tunnel pretty late in the day as daylight began to diminish, the Cefn Glas Tunnel opened in 1851. It carried the GWR line onward from Pontypool to Neath. The southern entrance was at Quakers Yard. This area got its name from a Quaker burial ground close by. This single-track railway shut on 15 June 1964. The tunnel runs for 645 metres and is mostly straight. Close to the western end, it curves slightly to the north. Inside, there are several safety refuges. The tunnel's structure changes along its length. It's mainly dry, but the tunnel is not in great condition. Sections of the inner wall have crumbled near the centre. The tunnel has a brick roof and stone walls. Its patchwork look shows many past repairs. A coal seam goes through the tunnel's south wall. It is rumoured that locals mined coal here during the 1984 miners' strike.

[1] - West Portal

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[12] - East Portal​

Fujifilm X-T5, 10-24mm f4 R OIS WR​

 

[dansgas1000]

Not bad at all that 👍

 

[Lenston]

Its a nice old tunnel, apparently the locals would reverse a car into the tunnel during the miners strike and remove coal from the seam inside.

 

[Bugsuperstar]

That’s a lovely colourful tunnel. Nice one!

 

[GRONK]

Not bad at all that 👍

Its a nice old tunnel, apparently the locals would reverse a car into the tunnel during the miners strike and remove coal from the seam inside.

That’s a lovely colourful tunnel. Nice one!

Thanks folks

 

[Mikeymutt]

That's a really nice one, well shot.

 

[stranton]

nice work m8

 

[Midnight Odyssey]

Really like the colours in pics 4 and 8, in particular.