Historic pictures of life in  the Cynon Valley South Wales.

Landscape dominated by coal mines and the Phurnacite  processing plant at Aberdare

making 'clean ' smokeless fuel. Thousands of terraced houses.

Train lines carrying coal to Cardiff  for export. 

All the  valleys of the south  produced millions of tons of perfect quality coal for industry and power.

 The air pollution  was astronomical  causing  lung disease and short lives for the miners.

The smoke from the plant scarred nature for decades.

Now its all gone, the Aberdare valley is back to  a natural delight with reclaimed land and a Country Park 

 

Tower Colliery in Hirwaun was the last mine to close.

The Miners portraits page

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