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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