Contents Listing - Articles & Features in this issue
Contents: Bugsworth Basin by Alan J. Findlow, p. 2; J. Harris ÃÃ
Article Snippets
From 'The Quaker's Yard & Merthyr Joint Railway': A view of Mwethyr Vale Colliery, also sometimes locally referred to as Nixon's Navigation Colliery after the company which developed and owned it. Having commenced sinking operations on 23 August 1869, coal was finally found when the Four Feet seam was struck at a depth of 1,485 feet on 1 January 1875. Two shafts were sunk and the first coal was wound on 4 December 1875. In 1930, Nos. 1 and 2 shafts were deepened to 1,626 and 1,608 feet respectively. Prior to nationalisation, the working of the colliery was taken over by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Ltd. A number of different seams were worked during the pit's life, including Gellideg, Yard, Nine Feet, Seven Feet and Five Feet, the colliery finally closing in 1989. The 1966 Aberfan disaster was caused by the slippage of waste from Merthyr Vale's spoil tips. At the time of these photographs ÃÃ