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‘End of an era’: Last coal train travels through the borough



The last train carrying coal from a controversial mine has passed through Caerphilly County Borough.

The train transported coal from Cwmbargoed Disposal Point to Port Talbot on February 23.

It travelled down the Taff Bargoed valley and through Ystrad Mynach.

It was carrying a load from the UK’s last opencast mine, Ffos y Fran, which closed in November 2023.

The mine caused controversy before it closed after its owner, Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd, continued digging despite planning permission expiring.

Coal in south Wales valleys
The south Wales valleys have a rich history of coal production that dates back to the 18th century.

Coal helped to fuel production as the local iron and steel industries boomed.


Demand increased throughout the 19th century and Welsh coal became a key product with towns and villages shaped in its shadows.

By 1913, the Welsh mines produced 36 million tonnes of coal – more than any other time in the country’s industrial history.

Caerphilly played its part in mining history, with collieries in towns and villages across the borough.


The Welsh Government have been in negotiations with Tata Steel at Port Talbot for the past twelve months over the fact that the Steel works were losing vast sums of money the Welsh government could of extended the Licence for extracting coal at Ffos Y Fran but they didn't Tata now have to in-port coal from overseas to produce steel where was the Welsh Governments sense I know we have to reduce the burning of fossil fuels the is a economic issue here as well as protecting jobs.
Convivial · 26-30, F
Things change..
But thanks for the post..
Convivial · 26-30, F
@senghenydd I can appreciate both points of view... The passing of an era, but hopefully the start of a new one... No more giant tailings heaps collapsing on to schools being one ..
senghenydd · M
@Convivial No certainly not, the Ffos y fran Open Cast Mine didn't have a slag-heap, coal was removed from the ground and put into rail wagons and sent to Port Talbot Steel Works, they still burn coal and will continue to do so until they switch to Electric Arc furnaces.

I am a rail enthusiast and I am saddened by the fact there is now no future for the nine miles of track from Ystrad Mynach to Cwm Bargoed it could now be a heritage railway however to looks to be doomed.
Convivial · 26-30, F
@senghenydd hopefully they won't happen... If enough people are interested
ninalanyon · 61-69, T
Tata blast furnaces in the UK to be idled

Steelmaker will move forward with its plans in the United Kingdom to shift from blast furnace to electric arc furnace technology.

https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/tata-steel-uk-port-talbot-blast-electric-furnace-conversion-recycling-2024/

The UK doesn't need iron ore refining capacity, it has a surplus of scrap iron.
Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M
Welsh industries of the past are no longer profitable nor sustainable.

Sad but indicative of a complete lack of admission of that fact by generations of politicians.
Welsh; English and European.
senghenydd · M
@Picklebobble2 In my opinion steel made using the Blast Furnace process is very good steel my previous car was made from steel made using the Blast Furnaces in India the car lasted sixteen years from new there wasn't any rust on it re-cycled steel isn't so good that's my opinion.

The Welsh politicians could of ex-tended the life of this Open Cast Mine it would of saved Tata Steel from buying coal from abroad whilst the works changes to Electric Arc such a simple thing and yet Welsh Government didn't do that, Tata are in-fact reducing their operation in Port Talbot but not their Steel making operations in main land Europe.

Steel making saved our country in both World Wars we needed Steel then and will sadly need Steel in the future or be over-run.
Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M
@senghenydd sadly we live iñ a global world these days.
Nobidy can produce iron and steel cheaper than China or India except maybe places in Africa.
Steel is a rare component in vehicle manufacture these days.
Aluminium and carbon based materials favoured more as they're lighter and more fuel efficient.
Steel is most used in building and railway construction and on the even rarer occasion ship building.
But we don't use it in the same quantity anymore
senghenydd · M
@Picklebobble2 I agree we simply can't produce Steel as cheap as China India and parts of Africa that is concerning.

My current car is all steel made in Korea I think the writing is on the wall for many industries like Ship Building Steel producing as someone previously stated "Things Change".
RedBaron · M
*IMPORT coal.

Amazing that this didn’t happen at least 15 years ago.
senghenydd · M
@RedBaron This was a Open-Cast Mine I believe it was a great deal cheaper to obtain than deep coal mining.

I live in the Rhymney Valley not far from the railway line I will certainly miss the Coal Train passing just after 7.00 am each morning a sad end to a railway line which has existed one hundred and sixty six years..
RedBaron · M
@senghenydd This is what Pete Seeger was singing about 60 years ago
[media=https://youtu.be/B0HEXdKXSaY]
senghenydd · M
@RedBaron I enjoyed listening to that recording, I'm marking an end of an era.
Thank you for this snapshot in history. The end of an era that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
senghenydd · M
@Majorlatency It's not unnoticed in my valley we will miss the Cae Harris railway all nine miles of it and respectfully mark the end of an era the last coal train, coal made South Wales it provided prosperity to South Wales, however times change we have to move on.
Bet Mike Wilcock videoed this…if he did I’ll post it
[media=https://youtu.be/e5m4gdW64QA]
senghenydd · M
@TheSirfurryanimalWales Well thank you for posting that video and also thank Mike Wilcox, as a railway enthusiast I really enjoyed watching that video last coal train in the Rhymney valley and last coal train passing through Cardiff - end of an era.
SW-User
About time too
senghenydd · M
@Barny52 I am marking an end of an era, Tata are changing the Steel works operation at Port Talbot from Blast Furnaces to Electric Arc Furnaces, for the time being they need to burn coal as long as they produce steel using blast furnaces, they were in talks with Welsh Government about the loss making at Port Talbot for twelve months, surely Welsh Government could of kept that Open Cast Mine open by extending the Licence to extract coal until the transition was completed, now Tata has to pay more by getting coal from abroad. There is a suggestion Welsh Government will re-consider giving Ffos Y Fran Open Cast Coal Mine a new Lease of life whilst Tata change from Blast to Electric Arc Furnaces.

I've always had a open-mind about politics I will certainly look into the Reform Party manifesto, I think George Galloway has endorsed the Reform Party in the past Rochdale made a wright choice they showed the other parties it was time for a change.

I've looked up the Reform Party I see they were previously called the Brexit Party I previous voted for them I and others that's why we left the EEC yes I think they might get my vote at the next General Election.
Barny52 · 56-60, M
@senghenydd coke ovens closed yesterday
senghenydd · M
@Barny52 Yes I believe it wasn't cost effective to keep them running they needed repairs carried out, oh it looks bad I feel sorry for those men who will lose their jobs.

I have watched that series of programmes recently titled "War Factories" let's be honest during both World Wars our country needed Steel works, as stated wars are won by factories it's a shame nobody seems to care about Steel anymore.
GeniUs · 56-60, M
Thatcher out! Thatcher out!
senghenydd · M
@GeniUs Thatcher wasn't very popular in South Wales even before Pit Closures were on the agenda. I met her on one occasion and was pleasantly surprised on how well we got on.
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LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
I just wish there was a reusable, non-polluting alternative.
ninalanyon · 61-69, T
@LordShadowfire For Port Talbot there is: electric arc furnaces. The UK has a surplus of scrap steel that can be used as raw material.

 
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