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Report - - Cefn Glas (Quakers Yard) Tunnel, Quakers Yard, South Wales - February 2019 | Underground Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Cefn Glas (Quakers Yard) Tunnel, Quakers Yard, South Wales - February 2019

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cunningcorgi

28DL Regular User
Regular User
HISTORY
Cefn Glas Tunnel carried the Taff Vale Extension of the Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway which was absorbed into the Great Western empire in 1863, a year before the line opened. The route made an end-on connection with the Aberdare Valley Railway at Middle Duffryn Junction; the southern end was at Quakers Yard, named after a local burial ground. The last train trundled through the tunnel on 14th June 1964.

The 703-yard tunnel is straight except for a slight northerly curve close to the western portal. It is amply equipped with refuges and its profile changes at various points. Although mostly dry, the tunnel is not in great condition - towards its centre, sections of its lining have come away. Comprising a brick roof with masonry walls, its patchwork nature suggests that, even during operational times, much repair work was needed.

The tunnel is famous / infamous locally for a coal seam that was worked through one of the refuges during the 1984/5 Miners Strike. Three striking miners from Penrhiwceiber Colliery with a Mark 3 Cortina Estate and timbering courtesy of the Forrestry Commission used to reverse in from the Abercynon end of the tunnel to the point of the refuge. The coal was poor quality and full of sulpher which produced yellow smoke that could be seen for miles !

PHOTOS
Not a planned visit but finding myself carless on a shitty, wet Sunday afternoon, the choice to get home was go over the mountain or through the tunnel. The tunnel won. Sorry for some of the skewiff photos...no tripod on this occasion.

1. Abercynon portal

46973172571_983d7a74b2_b.jpg


2. Light

46973170151_8ca6369d7f_b.jpg


3. Refuge

46973168301_fd6b87260e_b.jpg


4. Rock

46973164471_bee649b097_b.jpg


5. Strike

46973161991_7bbbae1514_b.jpg


6. Falls

46248740104_aec7d3a68e_b.jpg


7. Collar

46059376905_73b9ae7471_b.jpg


8. Back

46248734884_8e4e26be94_b.jpg


9. Quakers Yard portal

46248729944_a3c7bc0021_b.jpg


Thanks for looking.
 

LittleOwl

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Chwarae teg, great shots. Especially without a tripod. I refuse to be parted from mine
 

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