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110-713: The Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company (PTR&D) was formed in 1894 to secure the means of bringing minerals, chiefly coal, to the harbour in South Wales . It took over the docks at Port Talbot that had been operated by the Port Talbot Company. It opened its main line in 1897 and reached a connection with the Great Western Railway Garw Valley line the following year. A branch line to collieries near Tonmawr also opened in 1898. The lines were extremely steeply graded and operation

220-486: A coal mining area, the last pit closed in 1985. With the decline of the coal industry and, more recently, the closure of one large factory producing cosmetics and another manufacturing vehicle components, the valley has become a residential/dormitory area for the Port Talbot, Bridgend and Cardiff journey to work areas. 11% (1,867 out of 20,702) of the town's population speak Welsh with 27.9% of 3-15 year olds speaking

330-416: A 0-8-2T wheel arrangement they had flangeless wheels on the central two axles with only an inch clearance, likely due to difficulty in inserting the changed wheel arrangement into a standard frame design. They had a tractive effort of 25,490 lb. At the end of January 1900 a joint test of the engines with thirty loaded wagons and a 20-ton brake van was undertaken (the existing limit was 24 loaded wagons), It

440-476: A Board meeting, and the resignation of a director. Construction was fairly straightforward, and the first revenue traffic was conveyed on 30 August 1897, entering the Port Talbot North Dock lines via Copper Works Junction, that is, the southern route. The line opened as far as Lletty Brongu for mineral traffic the following day, 31 August 1897. In the middle of January 1898 the mineral working

550-614: A London and South Wales Railway. This was to by-pass the Great Western Railway by building a new line from Cogan , near Cardiff , to the Metropolitan Railway north of London. The motivation in this was dissatisfaction with the Great Western Railway, which had a monopoly of rail transport from South Wales to London and Salisbury . Swansea was not to be left out: the Vale of Glamorgan Railway , controlled by

660-535: A defensive measure against competitive incursion, and it led from Margam Junction towards Tondu . When the mineral activity in the area declined after 1960, so did the PTR&;D system, and the OVE lines (dormant in 2017) and the dock lines at Port Talbot are the only remaining tracks in use. The controlling shareholder in the company for many years was Emily Charlotte Talbot (1840-1918), an unusually powerful woman for

770-613: A free weekly, printed in Cowbridge , and The Llynfi News , a free monthly paper, based in Maesteg. Maesteg is home to Maesteg Park A.F.C. an association football team founded in 1945 and affiliated to the Football Association of Wales . There are four Welsh Rugby Union teams in Maesteg. The oldest is Maesteg RFC , founded in 1877, while Maesteg Harlequins RFC was formed in the 1920s. Other rugby union teams from

880-583: A heritage with other ex- anthracite mining areas in eastern Carmarthenshire , as much as with the Glamorgan valleys. The local slang , dialect and phrases of the South Wales Valleys communities have been referred to as ' Wenglish ', and are often used with comic effect. The dialect is found in such coastal towns as Barry , as featured in the BBC comedy series, Gavin & Stacey . Welsh

990-473: A majority of Labour members for over forty years. Following mass resignations from the local Labour Party as a result of an internal row over candidate selections, several Councillors resigned from the party and now sit as independents. The make-up of the council as of June 2019 is 9 Labour and 8 Llynfi Independents members. The largest religion in the valley is Christianity; the majority of denominations are Nonconformist . There are many churches and chapels in

1100-681: A new site, at a cost of £17,000,000. The Welsh-medium Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd then relocated to the former school's previous premises. The pupils of St. Mary's and St. Patrick's pursue their secondary education in Archbishop McGrath Catholic Comprehensive School, located in Brackla , a few miles to the south. Maesteg Town Council has seventeen representatives covering the four electoral wards of Maesteg East (5), Maesteg West (5), Nantyffyllon (3) and Caerau (4). Until recently, there had been

1210-431: A population of about 400 in 1821 into a growing township with a population of 4,000 by 1841. The Cambrian/Llynfi Works attracted investment capital from a number of prominent figures of the early Victorian period, including the poet William Wordsworth , who was a Cambrian shareholder in the early 1840s, the gin distiller Sir Felix Booth , and the writer and radical politician Dr John Bowring . Bowring invested heavily in

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1320-485: A railway connection to the South Wales Railway was constructed, and improved appliances for the loading of coal to ships were installed. The branch line opened formally on 1 September 1864. As time went, on Christopher Talbot became a major creditor of the company, as it failed to honour rent and debenture payments. When the company proposed improvements to the harbour in 1876 he obstructed most elements of

1430-475: A series of cycle tracks and other outdoor amenities. Large areas of forestry and open moorland also contribute to the amenity of the landscape. Merthyr Tydfil ( Welsh : Merthyr Tudful ) grew around the Dowlais Ironworks which was founded to exploit the locally abundant seams of iron ore , and in time it became the largest iron-producing town in the world. New coal mines were sunk nearby to feed

1540-575: A tractive effort of 31,200 lb. These locomotives were much more reliable. By February 1906, it had become clear that the boilers and fireboxes were defective in the American engines, and in 1908 they went to Swindon to be fitted with Standard No. 4 boilers with modified Belpaire fireboxes and a raised pressure of 200 psi. These modifications improved their reliability. Emily Charlotte Talbot died on 21 September 1918; her fortune passed to her nephew Andrew Fletcher and her niece Eveline Fletcher. In

1650-429: A veto. However Talbot had died on 17 January 1890 at the age of 86, and his unmarried daughter Emily Charlotte Talbot (1840 – 1918) inherited his considerable wealth, nearly £6 million. From this time, two major attempts were made to achieve a negotiated working arrangement between industrial promoters and Emily Talbot. The second would have involved the formation of a Port Talbot Docks and Railway company (as opposed to

1760-542: Is Maesteg ; the other two stations are the most recently built Maesteg (Ewenny Road) , and Garth station which serves the Garth and Cwmfelin villages situated just outside Maesteg. The Rail linc bus service used to replace a withdrawn rail service from Maesteg to Caerau , but it was removed in January 2012 due to council cutbacks. In the past, there were other railway stations in Maesteg. Llangynwyd Station used to lie on

1870-411: Is a Welsh-speaking minority. The 2011 census reported that 11% of people over the age of 3 spoke Welsh. However, there were large discrepancies between age groups. 27.9% of 3-15 year olds spoke Welsh, 8.6% of 16-64 year olds spoke Welsh, and the lowest proportion was among the over 65s at 5.3%. Primary and secondary education is available through the medium of Welsh, there are Welsh-language chapels, and

1980-541: Is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough , Wales . Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley , close to the border with Neath Port Talbot . In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English translation of Maesteg is 'fair field'. Historically a part of Glamorgan , the growth of the town started with the opening of ironworks in the 1820s and 1830s. Once

2090-824: Is always capitalised on motorway signs. Between the Statute of Rhuddlan of 1284 and the Laws in Wales Act 1535 , crown land in Wales formed the Principality of Wales . This was divided into a Principality of south Wales and a Principality of north Wales. The southern principality was made up of the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire , areas that had previously been part of the Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth ('the southern land'). The legal responsibility for this area lay in

2200-1340: Is now a compulsory language up to GCSE level for all students who start their education in Wales. Several secondary schools offering Welsh medium education operate in this area, for example Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari in Pontyclun , Ysgol Gyfun Y Cymmer in Porth in the Rhondda , Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun in Penywaun in the Cynon Valley , Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Pontypool , Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni in Blackwood , Ysgol Gymraeg Plasmawr in Cardiff and Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg in Church Village . A significant number of people from ethnic minority communities speak another language as their first language, particularly in Cardiff and Newport. Commonly spoken languages in some areas include Punjabi , Bengali , Arabic , Somali and Chinese , and increasingly Central European languages such as Polish . In

2310-627: Is overprinted with urban regeneration, tourism and multi-national investment. Large factory units, either empty or turned over to retail use, bear witness to the lack of success in replacing older industries. The native language of the majority of people in South Wales is English , but there are many who also speak Welsh . In western parts of Glamorgan , particularly the Neath and Swansea Valleys , there remain significant Welsh-speaking communities such as Ystradgynlais and Ystalyfera , which share

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2420-524: Is the most successful MVC in the Llynfi Valley and Bridgend County Borough Council area. There is also a women's choir: Harmony Ladies Choir. There are two mixed groups, Noteworthy Choir and Take Note contemporary vocal group. Maesteg Musical Theatre Society (previously Maesteg Amateur Operatic Society) is a multi-award winning society which performs a musical and concert every year in Maesteg. Maesteg Children's Choir hosts many concerts throughout

2530-558: Is whether the first element of the name should be capitalised: 'south Wales' or 'South Wales'. As the name is a geographical expression rather than a specific area with well-defined borders, style guides such as those of the BBC and The Guardian use the form 'south Wales'. In a more authoritative style guide, the Welsh Government , in their international gateway website, Wales.com, state that it should always be capitalised. It

2640-531: The Dyffryn Llynfi and Porthcawl Railway (DLPR); it was extended to the Coegnant district near the head of the valley in 1830. The railway opened up the district and led to the formation of an iron company, which began building a works on Maesteg Uchaf Farm, near the site of the present-day town centre, in 1826. The company took its name from the farm, and by 1831 two blast furnaces were in operation and

2750-586: The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and the tin mines of Cornwall such as Geevor Tin Mine , as a large but experienced and willing workforce was required. Whilst some of the migrants left, many settled and established in the south Wales Valleys between Swansea and Abergavenny as English-speaking communities with a unique identity. Industrial workers were housed in cottages and terraced houses close to

2860-616: The National Coal Board . These industries have since largely been replaced by service sector industries. The cities along the M4 corridor are home to a number of high-profile blue-chip companies such as Admiral Insurance , Legal & General and the Welsh-based Principality Building Society . A large number of telephone call centres are located in the region and in particular in

2970-623: The Presbyterian Church of Wales ), whose distinctive grey stone chapels can be seen in many parts. These were mainly Welsh-language congregations. Anglicanism in South Wales became autonomous from the Church of England with the Welsh Church Act 1914 , but the immediate demise of the denomination feared at that time has not taken place in the Church in Wales . There are a number of Brethren Assemblies in Cardiff and in

3080-636: The South Wales Main Line and associated branches such as the Valley Lines . Radio stations include: The Welsh national media is based in Cardiff where the BBC and ITV have their main studios and offices. 51°41′N 3°23′W  /  51.683°N 3.383°W  / 51.683; -3.383 Maesteg 51°37′N 3°39′W  /  51.61°N 3.65°W  / 51.61; -3.65 Maesteg ( / ˈ m aɪ ˌ s t ɛ ɡ / Welsh pronunciation )

3190-527: The furnaces and in time produced coal for export. By the 1831 census, the population of Merthyr was 60,000—more at that time than Cardiff, Swansea and Newport combined—and its industries included coal mines , iron works , cable factory , engine sheds and sidings and many others. The town was also the birthplace of Joseph Parry , composer of the song Myfanwy . The Heads of the Valleys towns, including Rhymney , Tredegar and Ebbw Vale , rose out of

3300-478: The 1870s, coal was transported by rail transport networks to Newport Docks , at the time the largest coal exporting docks in the world, and by the 1880s coal was being exported from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan . The Marquess of Bute , who owned much of the land north of Cardiff , built a steam railway system on his land that stretched from Cardiff into many of the South Wales Valleys where the coal

3410-523: The 1920s. The Abbey Steelworks followed in 1952, becoming the largest steelworks in Europe. In 1960, connections were installed between the OVE lines and the former GWR main line where they intersected at Newlands, south-east of Port Talbot, and Margam Marshalling Yard was built between there and Port Talbot itself. This became the main staging point for general freight in West Wales. The reduced use of

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3520-517: The 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a vigorous literary and musical culture centred round eisteddfodau . Despite a few timid attempts to emulate this literature in English, it can be argued that few writers seem to connect with either the landscape or the literary tradition. The one exception, to some extent, can be considered to be Dylan Thomas. The South Wales landscape is marked by numerous chapels, places of worship (past and present) of

3630-620: The Barry Railway, proposed a westward extension from their line, through Porthcawl to join the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway. Together the two schemes would provide a new line from Swansea to London. The VoGR part would bisect Emily Talbot's lands and put the PTR&D at a disadvantage. Accordingly, a defensive scheme was proposed by her advisers. A railway (it became the Ogmore Valleys Extension Railway)

3740-569: The Bracchi, Italians in the café and catering trades often from Bardi in the Apennines. Post-war diversity has brought mosques , especially in Cardiff and Newport, Sikh gurdwaras , including one on the mountain near Abercynon and a growing number of Evangelical and Pentecostal congregations. These often add a strongly international element into local life, such as the "Pont" twinning project between Pontypridd and Mbale , Uganda , and

3850-563: The Cefn and Pyle Railway, a horse tramroad leading from ironworks at Cefn to Pyle GWR station. This was to be converted to main line standards as a locomotive line. The OVE line, the property of the PTR&D, was probably opened on 19 December 1898, for goods and mineral traffic only. Notwithstanding the wording of the Company title, Railway and Docks, the dock activity was clearly more important and more demanding of directorial time, and in 1902

3960-535: The GWR acquired the docks at Port Talbot. Statistics for the final full year of PT&RD independence included the capital issued at £1.69 million and income for 1921 at £121,737; the final year dividend had been 9%. There were 22 route miles of network, and 22 locomotives were absorbed into the Western Group (the new GWR). There were 738 staff, reflecting the dominance of the dockside activity. Duffryn Mills Halt

4070-416: The Great Western Railway had enquired whether the PTR&D would wish the GWR to work the railway for them. This was not considered appropriate at the time, but towards the end of 1907 the idea found more favour. Running powers and the working arrangements were agreed on 24 January 1908, but for financial calculation were considered to have been operative from 1 January 1907. At first the railway operation in

4180-534: The Llynfi Works in the mid-1840s and, for a number of years, that part of the valley around his works was known as Bowrington. During his association with the Maesteg district, he campaigned in Parliament for a decimal system of coinage and was largely responsible for the introduction of Britain's first decimal coin, the florin or two shilling piece (now the ten pence piece). John Bowring lost his capital in

4290-482: The Llynfi site could not be adapted for the production of steel, iron making ceased in the Maesteg area in 1885. During the mid-1880s, with the closure of the Llynfi Works and its associated collieries, the Maesteg district, with a population of about 10,000, faced an uncertain future. However, the local coal industry then began to expand with the formation of North's Navigation Collieries Ltd in 1889. The colliery company

4400-538: The London and South Wales Railway scheme. The London and South Wales Railway proposal was withdrawn when the GWR gave certain undertakings, but the OVE was considered to be worthwhile in its own right, and it was authorised on 20 July 1896 as the Port Talbot Railway and Docks (Ogmore Valleys Extension) Act 1896 ( 59 & 60 Vict. c. cxlv). As well as the new construction the powers included acquisition of

4510-508: The Maesteg area, several of which have been converted into flats because they are no longer used for religious purposes. There is a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in one of Maesteg's villages, Nantyffyllon. Maesteg has a tradition of music and theatre, including a rich tradition of singing. At present, there are two male voice choirs – Cor Meibion Maesteg A'r Cylch (Maesteg and District Male Voice Choir) and Maesteg Gleemen Male Voice Choir. Regarding competitions and awards, Maesteg Gleemen

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4620-458: The Maesteg line a few miles east of where Garth Station is today, and Maesteg (Neath Road) was on the old Port Talbot Railway Line, but these are now closed. The original Maesteg station was situated a few yards west of the terminus that is there today. Remains of the original station remain behind the Asda supermarket, including the platforms and the bridge joining the two platforms. The old track

4730-462: The PTR&D access to the docks without running over R&SBR tracks. From 1 June 1898, the PTR&D passenger trains started running to the disused R&SBR Aberavon station. There were four return services a day, with an additional Saturday afternoon return trip, and from 5 March 1898 a Saturday evening return trip as well. In 1895, promoters associated with the Barry Railway proposed

4840-540: The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway opened its main line up the Cwmavon valley, but passed some distance to the south of the pits. Nonetheless the R&;SBR became involved in discussions about connections to the pits, but in the end declined to assist. After considerable negotiation, the PTR&D agreed to build a line up Cwmavon from Tonygroes, paralleling much of the R&SBR line, but then turning north to run parallel to

4950-591: The SWMR line a new PTR&D branch to Whitworth Colliery was made, taking over the existing private railway of the Whitworth Colliery estate as part of the scheme. All of this, after much argumentation in Parliament, received royal assent on 7 August 1896 as the Port Talbot Railway and Docks (South Wales Mineral Railway Junction) Act 1896 ( 59 & 60 Vict. c. ccxii) and probably opened in June 1898, and

5060-561: The South Wales Mineral Railway. At what became Blaenavon Junction the new line forked, continuing on one arm to Blaenavon (Glamorgan) where there were pits. The other arm continued a short distance to Tonmawr, making a junction there with the SWMR. By this time the Tonmawr Colliery branch of the SWMR (from the site of the junction running back to Tonmawr Colliery) had closed. A short distance further on along

5170-703: The Swansea area and Free Presbyterian Churches in Rhiwderin , near Newport and at Merthyr Tydfil . The Roman Catholic community, despite systematic persecution, survived in the 17th to 19th centuries, especially in Brecon and among minor gentry such as the Vaughans of Welsh Bicknor , on the Monmouthshire–Herefordshire border. Among members of foreign origin of later urban Catholic congregations were

5280-448: The UK where Japanese knotweed was spotted in the wild, sometime before 1886. The origins of the present-day community in the Llynfi Valley date from the late 1820s, when the area's considerable coal and iron ore resources were developed on an industrial scale for the first time. In 1828, a 15-mile horse-drawn railway was completed between Porthcawl and Garnlwyd in the Llynfi Valley. This was

5390-478: The Valleys area. Merthyr Tydfil is home to the principal UK call centre for German mobile telephone company, T-Mobile . Many jobs are also provided in small-scale and family businesses. One site of note on the M4 corridor is Port Talbot Steelworks – the largest steel producer in the UK and one of the biggest in Europe. The television and film sectors are fast becoming a major industry in South Wales. In 2021,

5500-486: The Welsh language, although the interests of the latter lay more in society and culture than in the evocation of natural scenery. This natural environment changed to a considerable extent during the early Industrial Revolution when the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire valley areas were exploited for coal and iron . By the 1830s, hundreds of tons of coal were being transported by barge to ports in Cardiff and Newport . In

5610-437: The Welsh screen sector saw a turnover of £575 million. Prominent film studios have been established in Cardiff (Wolf Studios Wales, Seren Stiwdios, Enfys Studios) as well as Bridgend (Dragon Studios) and Swansea (Bay Studios). Great Western Railway operate services from Swansea , Cardiff Central and Newport to London Paddington with Class 800s . Most services in South Wales are operated by Transport for Wales Rail on

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5720-480: The actual, later Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company). Neither of the schemes came to reality. The mineral development of the area above Port Talbot demanded action of some kind, and in the 1894 session of Parliament, opposing Bills were considered. One was by the Great Western Railway , and one was by the Port Talbot Company. They were for railways from Port Talbot to Maesteg , and improvements of

5830-569: The area include Nantyffyllon RFC and Maesteg Celtic RFC . For a time, Maesteg was also home to the now-defunct rugby league team South Wales Scorpions . The town is home to two cricket clubs. Maesteg Cricket Club was founded in 1846 and won the South Wales Cricket Association League Cup in 2016. Maesteg Celtic Cricket Club is based at Garth Welfare Park; they have won the Welsh Cup three times and

5940-443: The bodywork was metal, that covering the engine fashioned to match the carriage. Retractable steps were fitted under each of the four recessed passenger doors, although the steps were later fixed in position. The locomotive was six-coupled with 3 ft diameter wheels; it had a conventional boiler with the firebox leading, 12 by 16 inch cylinders and a boiler pressure of 170 psi and a tractive effort of 9,792 lbs. A trailing load

6050-558: The buoyant coal industry and the success of the new factories during the years 1950–75, the population of Maesteg and district stabilised at about 20,000, roughly the figure today. With the creation of more jobs in the Bridgend and Port Talbot districts, the Llynfi Valley gradually became a residential area, a process which speeded up with the terminal decline of the coal industry during the period 1977 to 1985. Llynfi Valley metal-working centres Llynfi Valley collieries Maesteg Market

6160-479: The coal to remote locations for its vessels. The PTR&D main line was very steeply graded, and some of the gradient was against the load. Assistant engines were always used on heavy mineral trains, and for braking purposes had to be switched from rear to front when descending. The whole process was expensive and caused delays. In April 1899, the Board asked locomotive manufacturers to present designs that might work

6270-475: The condition of the harbour deteriorated and ships' masters were unwilling to trade there because of the poor conditions. In frustration, the R&;SBR obtained an authorising act of Parliament, the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Act 1890 ( 53 & 54 Vict. c. cxlv), permitting development of the harbour. Naturally the Port Talbot Company, as owners who were against the improvements, were given what amounted to

6380-524: The creation of "Fairtrade" relationships with primary producers worldwide. The former heavy industries of coal and iron production have disappeared since the economic struggles of the 1970s, with the closures of that decade continuing sharply into the 1980s, and by July 1985 just 31 coal pits remained in the region. Further closures left the region with just one deep mine by the early 1990s, and this finally closed in January 2008, by which time it had transferred to private ownership after being sold off by

6490-425: The crew cost. It was decided to retender the whole process and later Sharp, Stewart and Company were given an order for two large locomotives, soon increased to three. The supplier proved much more responsive to the PTR&D requirements, and this time delivery was to be in a more realistic fourteen months. They were delivered in November 1901, and were given numbers 17 to 19; they had a boiler pressure of 180 psi and

6600-408: The development of the coal industry, the local population increased from about 10,000 in 1891 to almost 30,000 in 1921. Between 1890 and 1925, the valley gained a worldwide reputation as a producer of Admiralty-grade steam coal, high quality coking coal and what was regarded as the best house coal in South Wales . Due to the quality of the steam coal, North's Imperial Navigation coal was included on

6710-417: The first decade of the twentieth century, steam railmotors came into use on certain railways. They were passenger vehicles with a small steam engine integrated into it. Their advantage was as a cheap way of serving passenger stopping points in lightly used areas, although they required a crew of three like a conventional train. The GWR adopted the system enthusiastically, and the PTR&D were persuaded to try

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6820-433: The first rows of workers' housing had been completed near the Maesteg Ironworks. Around the same time, one of the first zinc smelters in Wales was set up on Coegnant Farm near the northern terminus of the DLPR. In 1839, work on a second, larger, ironworks commenced at Nantycrynwydd Farm on a site now largely occupied by the Tesco store and car park. The works, which became known as the Llynfi Ironworks (or "The New Works"),

6930-470: The giant coal tip unstable, resulting in the Aberfan disaster . The recent dumping of small particles of coal and ash known as 'tailings' seems to have been partly responsible. A 30-foot-high (9 m) black wave tore downhill across the Glamorganshire Canal and swept away houses on its path towards the village school. 114 children and 28 adults were killed. The Rhondda Valleys (Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr) housed around 3,000 people in 1860, but by 1910

7040-446: The hands of the Justiciar of South Wales based at Carmarthen . Other parts of southern Wales were in the hands of various Marcher Lords . The Laws in Wales Acts 1542 created the Court of Great Sessions in Wales based on four legal circuits. The Brecon circuit served the counties of Brecknockshire , Radnorshire and Glamorgan while the Carmarthen circuit served Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire . Monmouthshire

7150-450: The harbour at Port Talbot, and they were clearly mutually exclusive. The PT scheme was to extend its railway beyond Maesteg to join the GWR Blaengarw branch at Pontyrhyll, and to acquire running powers over the Blaengarw line and also the GWR main line from Port Talbot into Swansea. It was this scheme that was approved, with the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Act 1894 ( 57 & 58 Vict. c. cxli) gaining royal assent on 31 July 1894, but

7260-430: The headquarters of Menter yr Iaith Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is based in the town. The Welsh-language author and Welsh-medium education campaigner Norah Isaac was born and raised in Caerau. She was described as 'the most influential individual in the history of Welsh-medium education' by Iolo Wyn Williams in his book Our Children's Language: The Welsh-Medium Schools of Wales, 1939-2000 . Wales' first ever Welsh-language nursery

7370-614: The immediate docks area at Port Talbot was excluded, but this proved to raise practical difficulties and on 9 August 1911 it was agreed that the GWR would work all the railways activity; the agreement was backdated to 1 January 1911. From the GWR's point of view, this was advantageous because of the rival Barry Railway's ambitions to expand to the west; the GWR's domination west of Porthcawl effectively suppressed that intention. In 1906, Elder Dempster Shipping Limited (later restructured into Elder Dempster Lines ), adopted Port Talbot docks for bunkering coal worldwide, loading there and shipping

7480-399: The industrial revolution, producing coal, metal ores and later steel . Aberfan : The Merthyr Vale colliery began to produce coal in 1875. Spoil from the mine workings was piled on the hills close to the village which grew nearby. Tipping went on until the 1960s. Although nationalised, the National Coal Board failed to appreciate the danger they had created. In October 1966, heavy rain made

7590-419: The language. It is one of the few areas of Wales where the traditional Mari Lwyd is still celebrated during Christmas. The community of Maesteg had a population of 17,580 in the 2011 census and includes Nantyffyllon . The built-up area having a population of 21,000. Before the development of industry in the 1820s, the Llynfi Valley was a sparsely populated area of scattered farms. The nearest settlement

7700-422: The line opened on 14 November 1898. The company wanted to start passenger operation and Lieutenant Colonel Yorke made the Board of Trade inspection in January 1898 and sanctioned the running of passenger trains on the main line. They started running on 14 February 1898. A portion of line at Port Talbot between Duffryn Junction and Copper Works Junction in the new dock area was opened on 10 August 1898. This gave

7810-399: The mines and foundries in which they worked. The large influx over the years caused overcrowding which led to outbreaks of Cholera , and on the social and cultural side, the near-loss of the Welsh language in the area. The 1930s inter-war Great Depression in the United Kingdom saw the loss of almost half of the coal pits in the South Wales Coalfield , and their number declined further in

7920-473: The opening of the broad gauge, steam-hauled Llynfi Valley Railway in 1861, the Llynfi Works had a reputation for producing high-quality iron. In the mid-Victorian period there was a flourishing export trade to Southern Italy and Turkey ; rails were exported to the United States and Llynvi "Navy Quality" No.3 Cable Iron was highly regarded by the makers of Admiralty -tested anchor chains. However, as

8030-467: The passenger service in the face of economic decline resulted in withdrawal beyond Maesteg on 12 September 1932, and between Port Talbot and Maesteg from 11 September 1933. The reduced use applied to the mineral traffic as well and the line between Lletty Brongu and Celtic Colliery was closed to revenue traffic from March 1939; traffic from Celtic Colliery was worked out via Pontyrhyll until it closed in 1942. South Wales A point of some discussion

8140-546: The population had soared to 160,000. The Rhondda had become the heart of a massive South Wales coal industry. Mining accidents below ground were common, and in 1896 fifty-seven men and boys were killed in a gas explosion at the Tylorstown Colliery . An enquiry found that the pit involved had not been properly inspected over the previous 15 months. Ebbw Vale, the valley of the Ebbw River which stretches from

8250-651: The population of the Llynfi Valley decreased by almost a third as many left the district to seek employment in the new light industries growing up in areas such as West London and the English Midlands . For many years after the Second World War , the local coal industry employed well over 2,000 workers and new jobs were created in local government-built factories and in new industries in the Port Talbot and Bridgend journey-to-work areas. Due to

8360-603: The prestigious Admiralty List of the twenty–six best Welsh steam coals. In 1908, the Cunard liner Mauretania was entirely fired by Llynfi coal when the ship established a new record for crossing the Atlantic. By the early 1920s there were over 7,000 miners at work in the valley. However, as the area depended to such a large extent on the coal export trade, it was seriously affected by the trade depression of 1928–38 . During that period of acute poverty and large-scale unemployment,

8470-557: The railways were seriously run down, and the Government decided to restructure most of the railways of Great Britain. Four new larger companies would be created, the so-called "groups". The legislation was the Railways Act 1921 . The western group was to be called the Great Western Railway, and the old GWR was naturally the largest component of it. The Port Talbot Railway and Docks was to be a subsidiary. Negotiations proceeded on

8580-554: The running powers into Swansea were not included. The Port Talbot Company was restructured into the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company. The authorised capital was £600,000, of which Emily Talbot was entitled to over 20% by virtue of shares, and money owed to her by the old company. A contract for the work was let to S. Pearson and Son in the amount of £527,000. The firm had been selected in advance, and no competing tenders were sought; this fact led to some controversy at

8690-486: The scheme, especially those involving major expenditure, and continued in that attitude to most proposals. The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway was building its line, destined to connect the Rhondda Fawr with Swansea Bay; the R&SBR wanted to develop Aberavon but Talbot resisted that. The matter continued without any progress, and as Talbot became older, he became even more difficult to negotiate with. Meanwhile

8800-629: The status of Breconshire or Carmarthenshire, for instance, is more debatable. In the western extent, from Swansea westwards, local people might feel that they live in both south Wales and west Wales . Areas to the north of the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains are generally considered to be in Mid Wales. The valleys and upland mountain ridges were once a very rural area noted for its river valleys and ancient forests and lauded by romantic poets such as William Wordsworth as well as poets in

8910-618: The supply contract followed. In March 1900, the Directors were still in need of additional locomotive power and were considering whether to exercise the option for 3 or 5 more of the US engines, this time with performance specifications properly fixed. While the Board were considering the matter, in May it was reported that the locomotives had materially reduced operating cost, coal consumption being much less than with double-headed trains quite apart from

9020-402: The system. On 26 July 1905, the directors agreed to invite tenders for a "steam motor car". Fifteen tenders were received, and a joint tender from Hurst, Nelson & Co. Ltd and R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company was accepted and the vehicle was delivered in early 1907. This was the largest steam rail motor ever to run in the UK. it was 76 ft 10 in (23.42 m) in long, and

9130-498: The terms, in fact before the structure of the legislation had been determined. The PTR&D was financially successful, and demanded a good price for its company; the agreed terms included £81 of 5% GWR Guaranteed Stock for every £10 PTR&D ordinary stock. Delayed by the need to wait for the Act, the terms were finalised for absorption in January 1923, but the transfer was considered to have been effected on 1 January 1922. By this process,

9240-529: The theological innovations of some trained ministers, and created new congregations such as that at Hengoed near Ystrad Mynach . In the same century, churches were sometimes involved in the Methodist movement, especially at Groeswen and Watford near Caerphilly , which both received frequent visits from John Wesley The largest denomination, however, became the Calvinist Methodists (later

9350-703: The times. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot inherited the Penrice and Margam estates in West Glamorgan in 1813. The Margam estate straddled the outcrop of the South Wales Coalfield , and had considerable mineral potential. Transport of coal and other minerals away to market was hampered by the poor conditions at the nearby Aberavon harbour, and after a false start, the Aberavon Port and Harbour Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 . c. xcviii)

9460-575: The town hall. As part of Bridgend County Borough , the local commercial radio station is Bridge FM . Maesteg is also on the fringes of the broadcast area of the Swansea -based local commercial radio stations Hits Radio South Wales and Swansea Bay Radio . The town is also served by three local newspapers: The Glamorgan Gazette , published weekly, has its main office in Bridgend , but prints news related to Maesteg; The Gem , formerly The Recorder ,

9570-417: The town of Ebbw Vale to Newport, includes the mining towns and villages of Newbridge , Risca , Crumlin , Abercarn and Cwmcarn . The Carboniferous Black Vein coal seams in the area lay some 900 feet (275 metres) below the surface and the mining activity associated with it was responsible for many tragic subsurface explosions, roof collapses and mining accidents . Now the Valleys' heavy industrial past

9680-476: The trade depression of the late 1840s, although the iron company continued trading. After his Llynfi venture, John Bowring became British Consul in Canton , China , and was Governor of Hong Kong from 1854 to 1859. The iron industry in Maesteg continued, with varying degrees of success, until wrought iron making was replaced by the manufacture of cheaper, mass-produced steel during the 1870s. In its heyday, after

9790-621: The train service was operated by conventional trains from this time. It ended its working life on the Millwall Extension Railway in 1926. In 1915, the Baldwin company asked the GWR to operate workmen's trains from Margam steelworks to the Newlands and Cribbwr Fawr collieries. This was not agreed to at the time, but from 6 May 1918 such a service started operation. It was discontinued by July 1928. Following World War I ,

9900-481: The trains alone. At the time the UK locomotive building industry was overworked and the PT&;RD wanted quick supply, so American manufacturers were included. The specification was to haul a trailing load of 300 tons up a gradient of 1 in 40 for 4 miles at a speed of 12 miles per hour. Several suppliers provided quotes, and the offer from the American company of Cooke Locomotive and Machine Co through their London agents

10010-599: The various Christian Nonconformist congregations. The Baptist congregation at Ilston , Gower , moved to Swansea, Massachusetts , but after the restoration of the Anglican worship with the issue of the Book of Common Prayer in 1662, several "gathered" churches survived belonging to the Baptist, Independent and Presbyterian denominations. In the 18th century members of some of these congregations became dissatisfied with

10120-503: The year, and Curtain Up Youth Theatre has been performing musicals since the turn of the millennium. The rock band Funeral for a Friend originates from Maesteg. The Welsh national anthem " Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau " was first performed in Maesteg, in the vestry of the original Capel Tabor which is now Maesteg Workingmen's Club. The artist Christopher Williams was born in Maesteg in 1873: seven of his paintings are on display in

10230-724: The years following World War II . This number is now very low, following the UK miners' strike (1984–85) , and the last 'traditional' deep-shaft mine, Tower Colliery , closed in January 2008. Despite the intense industrialisation of the coal mining valleys, many parts of the landscape of South Wales such as the upper Neath valley, the Vale of Glamorgan and the valleys of the River Usk and River Wye remain distinctly beautiful and unspoilt and have been designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest . In addition, many once heavily industrialised sites have reverted to wilderness, some provided with

10340-569: Was accepted on 17 May 1899, on the basis of extremely limited information. Two locomotives were to be delivered in July 1899, with an option for three or five more for delivery in September. However the dubious contractual details (the wheel arrangement was changed and vacuum brake equipment added after acceptance of the offer) and the remarkably short building period led to grave difficulty. The engines, Nos. 2492 and 2493, arrived early in 1900. With

10450-773: Was attached to the Oxford circuit for judicial purposes. These seven southern counties were thus differentiated from the six counties of north Wales. The Court of the Great Sessions came to an end in 1830, but the counties survived until the Local Government Act 1972 which came into operation in 1974. The creation of the county of Powys merged one northern county ( Montgomeryshire ) with two southern ones (Breconshire and Radnorshire). There are thus different concepts of south Wales. Glamorgan and Monmouthshire are generally accepted by all as being in south Wales. But

10560-459: Was being found. Lord Bute then charged fees per ton of coal that was transported out using his railways. With coal mining and iron smelting being the main trades of south Wales, many thousands of immigrants from the Midlands , Scotland , Ireland , Cornwall and even Italy came and set up homes and put down roots in the region. Very many came from other coal mining areas such as Somerset ,

10670-509: Was contemplated. It was given the number 1. The long wheelbase meant that the facing point locking bars on the line had to be lengthened. It went into service in April or May 1907, and the rail motor gradually took up the majority of the passenger traffic, and by July 1907 was working the ordinary passenger trains four days per week, at a daily saving of £3 6s 6d. The rail motor was moved to Swindon Works in 1915, and never returned to South Wales;

10780-474: Was designed to traverse her lands broadly giving the alignment sought by the VoGR scheme, and running powers on it would be offered to them, enabling the PTR&D to retain control locally. The proposal extended to building as far as Tondu , and after negotiation the GWR agreed to facilitate traffic from its L&OR lines to the OVE route. This plan was submitted for the 1896 session of Parliament in parallel with

10890-559: Was difficult and expensive, but the company was successful. Passenger operation on the main line started in 1898, but this was never a principal part of the business. For some time most of the passenger train service was operated by a railmotor that was the largest ever to work in the United Kingdom. Also in 1898 the Ogmore Valleys Extension (OVE) line, a part of the PTR&D, was opened. It had been projected as

11000-463: Was extended to the Garw at Pontyrhyll Junction. Even as the PTR&D main line was under construction, controversy had arisen over access to pits further north, in the vicinity of Tonmawr . The South Wales Mineral Railway had been built, passing the area since 1863, but connected collieries complained that the inconvenience of the rope worked Ynysmaerdy incline on that line limited their trade. In 1885

11110-409: Was immediately clear that performance was far below that specified. Some faults were corrected, after which they were able to take thirty loaded wagons plus van totalling about 500 tons up a 1 in 75 gradient, but this was still far short of that specified. Notwithstanding the shortfall in performance the directors resolved to keep the engines in use and to record their performance, and negotiations over

11220-481: Was led by Colonel North , the "Nitrate King". In 1900, another company, led by Sir Alfred Jones of the Elder Dempster shipping line, also developed collieries in the valley. Due to the expansion programme set in motion by the two mining companies, two of the local, former iron company collieries (Coegnant and Garth) were modernised, and two new large collieries were sunk at Caerau and St John's (Cwmdu). With

11330-461: Was obtained to carry out improvements, and to call the harbour Port Talbot . The works included straightening out the course of the River Avon towards the sea. In fact the scheme was grossly undercapitalised and there appear in addition to have been financial irregularities; the Port Talbot Company went into receivership in 1858, which lasted until matters were regularised in 1863. In that year,

11440-514: Was opened a short distance up the line from Duffryn Junction on 14 February 1931. It was provided to serve Goitre cemetery and stops, in the down direction only, were made on request. As early as 1902, the Port Talbot Steelworks entered production, and its location alongside both the PTR&D and the Great Western Railway encouraged a symbiotic relationship. The steelworks grew in importance and size, becoming Margam Steelworks in

11550-564: Was opened in Maesteg in 1949. Maesteg has six English language state primary schools : Cwmfelin, Plasnewydd, Caerau, Nantyffyllon, Llangynwyd and Garth. Plasnewydd is one of the biggest primary schools in the Llynfi Valley , with just over 400 pupils, and is an Eco-School . There is also a Catholic primary school, St. Mary's and St. Patrick's, and a Welsh-medium school, Ysgol Cynwyd Sant. There are two comprehensive schools in Maesteg. The English-medium Ysgol Maesteg School , previously known as Maesteg Comprehensive School, recently moved to

11660-520: Was removed in 2007 during a land reclamation project. The present stations were reopened by British Rail in 1992. Maesteg bus station is situated to the rear of the town hall . First Cymru operate the majority of the services from this station. Services run to Bridgend , Swansea via Port Talbot , Caerau Park , Llangynwyd and Cymmer . In common with the rest of Wales, the town has two official languages, English and Welsh . The majority of people in Maesteg are native English speakers, but there

11770-587: Was set aside as a hunting reserve by Robert Fitzhamon , Earl of Gloucester, the Norman conqueror of Glamorgan. Up to the 18th century, many of the farms of the Llynfi Valley were centres of local culture. For example, Llwydarth, the home of the influential Powell family, was a centre for writers and poets in Glamorgan in the 17th century. According to the Daily Telegraph , Maesteg was the first place in

11880-613: Was situated at the ground floor level of Maesteg Town Hall and offered a variety of goods until the final stallholder left in 2018. Maesteg has three railway stations , all on the Maesteg Line . Services are operated by Transport for Wales and run directly to Cardiff Central via Bridgend . The services usually continue to Cheltenham Spa via Newport and Gloucester with one early morning service to Ebbw Vale Town . Previous, long-distance extensions to London Waterloo and Wrexham General were short lived. The terminus station

11990-493: Was started by the unsuccessful Cambrian Iron and Spelter Company and was bought by the ambitious Llynvi Iron Company in 1845. The Cornstores section of the Maesteg Sports Centre and the adjoining base of a blast furnace remain as links to the Llynfi Works and the valley's significant 19th century iron industry. The two ironworks, with associated collieries and new housing, transformed an area of scattered farms with

12100-578: Was the village of Llangynwyd , located on the hillside about two miles south of the present-day town centre of Maesteg. Close to Llangynwyd is an extensive earthwork known as Y Bwlwarcau ("the bulwarks"), an Iron Age enclosure that is probably a remnant of the earliest settlement in the Llynfi district. During the Middle Ages , the valley was part of Tir Iarll (the Earl's Land), an area "famous for its game coverts, its woods and sparkling streams" that

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