Bedwas Navigation Colliery
Encyclopedia
Bedwas Navigation Colliery was a coal mine that was located in the small Welsh village of Bedwas
. Situated 2 miles north of Caerphilly
, the colliery opened in 1913 and in 1939 produced 675,000 tonnes of coal in single year.
The colliery closed after the miners' strike of 1984 - 1985.
. As the best and easiest mineral rights had already been taken, Bedwas was forced to go deep, and called on the proven continental experience of Austria
n Edmund L. Hann (cousin of meteorologist Julius von Hann
), to design the colliery, having previously designed Penallta Colliery
. To sink the shaft the company used the same experience formula, engaging mining contractor Fred Piggott from Caerphilly (the former owner of a mansion that is now The Caerphilly and District Miners' Hospital), to be responsible for the entire sinking.
Two shafts were sunk through the Mynyddislwyn seam, down to the Rhas Las (English - Black Vein) and thence, by a cross-measure, to the lowest coal seam then known in the Caerphilly area, the Hard Vein, known later as the Lower Black Vein. The two shafts (North and South) were 768 and 802 yards deep respectively (more than twice the height from ground to the roof of the Empire State Building
), both with a diameter of 21 ft. Due to its depth, Bedwas was one of the first collieries in South Wales to employ double-deck winding to improve efficiency.
The purposeful insertion of the word "navigation" was undertaken to entice orders from marine shipping customers, including the Admiralty
. The Royal Navy
liked coal from Rhas Las, and hence many of the mines which extracted coal from this seam added "navigation" to their name.
coal.
Sir Samuel Instone
, founder of Instone Air Line
which would merge into Imperial Airways
and later become part of British Airways
, became the controlling shareholder in the colliery in 1921. By 1923, 2,578 men were producing half a million tonnes annually from the Black Vein, Lower Black Vein and Rock Vein seams.
However, due to the disturb nature of the geology at the depth it was forced to mine at, Bedwas was always beset by geological problems, and as a result made and lost money in cycles. In order to keep the mine profitable, the owners asked the men to take a 20% pay cut in the mid-1920s which led to the banning of the South Wales Miners' Federation
(the main Trade Union
), following riot
s. After a two month stop in production, non-Unionised "scab" labour restarted production and by 1933 1,300 were employed; the SWMF was not recognised again by the owners until 1936 after a sit-in. By the outbreak of the World War II
, 1,850 men produced 675,000 tons, which was its best ever figure.
On 1 January 1947, along with all other working collieries, Bedwas Navigation Colliery was Nationalised, controlled by the National Coal Board
. In the late 1950s NCB approved a major £4 million reorganisation at the colliery, which: electrified the winding; provided a new pit bottom area; an underground loco roadway; a new coal preparation plant was built on the surface. During the mid-1970s circa 650 men were producing 230,000 tons of coal yearly from the Black and Meadow vein seams.
, and Big Vein. Most of this coal was transported by rail along the former Rumney Railway
to the British Steel
Llanwern
steel mill
, while the residual was sent to the coking plant at Nantgarw Colliery
. Part of the site had been leased to the British Benzol and Coal Distillation Co. Ltd, who had a coal by-products plant.
During the UK Miners' Strike of 1984/5, vital maintenance was not undertaken, and when the strike ended on 9 March 1985, the NCB declared the pit closed due to geological problems. Although both the Western Mail and The Times
reported in March and April 1985 that closure had been accepted by the work force, the National Union of Mineworkers told the miners to press for an independent colliery review as outlined in the national agreement of October 1984.
As a result, the NCB offered every worker at Bedwas alternative work in other pits. Those who did not take voluntary redundancy accepted the decision, with the closure finally announced in May 1985 attributed to geological problems. At its closure, Bedwas had amongst the largest claimed reserves of coal of any South Wales mine.
railway station to Newport in 1967, and the residual to Caerphilly removed on closure of the colliery in 1985.
The site has since been inherited by Caerphilly County Borough Council
, with a majority of the former railway line upgraded to become an extension of the Taff Trail
cycle path. It was proposed that removal of the residual historical remains from the rest of the site would outweigh any economic gain from redevelopment. However, in light of central government guidelines to first develop brownfield sites, the council have proposed the site as the medium term location of up to 650 new houses and a school. This has been met by opposition from local residents who want to see the area developed into something employment or leisure related for the community.
Bedwas
Bedwas is a town two miles north-east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire....
. Situated 2 miles north of Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
, the colliery opened in 1913 and in 1939 produced 675,000 tonnes of coal in single year.
The colliery closed after the miners' strike of 1984 - 1985.
Development
In 1909 the Bedwas Colliery Company leased 1,475 acres of land, on the slopes of Mynydd y Grug just outside the village of TrethomasTrethomas
Trethomas is a small village 2½ miles north-east of Caerphilly, south-east Wales, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire....
. As the best and easiest mineral rights had already been taken, Bedwas was forced to go deep, and called on the proven continental experience of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Edmund L. Hann (cousin of meteorologist Julius von Hann
Julius von Hann
Julius Ferdinand von Hann was an Austrian meteorologist. He is seen as the father of modern meteorology.-Biography:...
), to design the colliery, having previously designed Penallta Colliery
Penallta Colliery
Penallta Colliery was a coal mine, located close to Hengoed in the Rhymney Valley in the South Wales Valleys. A coal mine which in 1935 held the European record for coal wound in a 24-hour period, it is now the site of an original redevelopment project which will make use of the former pit head...
. To sink the shaft the company used the same experience formula, engaging mining contractor Fred Piggott from Caerphilly (the former owner of a mansion that is now The Caerphilly and District Miners' Hospital), to be responsible for the entire sinking.
Two shafts were sunk through the Mynyddislwyn seam, down to the Rhas Las (English - Black Vein) and thence, by a cross-measure, to the lowest coal seam then known in the Caerphilly area, the Hard Vein, known later as the Lower Black Vein. The two shafts (North and South) were 768 and 802 yards deep respectively (more than twice the height from ground to the roof of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
), both with a diameter of 21 ft. Due to its depth, Bedwas was one of the first collieries in South Wales to employ double-deck winding to improve efficiency.
The purposeful insertion of the word "navigation" was undertaken to entice orders from marine shipping customers, including the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
. The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
liked coal from Rhas Las, and hence many of the mines which extracted coal from this seam added "navigation" to their name.
Operations
The first coal rose in 1912, which proved to be high quality steamSteam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
coal.
Sir Samuel Instone
Samuel Instone
Sir Samuel Instone was a shipping and aviation entrepreneur and the founder of the Instone Air Line.-Personal history:Born in Gravesend, Kent, he came to Cardiff in Wales in 1908 to work for a shipping company as a manager. With his brother, Theodore Instone, he went into business as a coal factor...
, founder of Instone Air Line
Instone Air Line
Instone Air Line was an early British airline from 1919 to 1924. Along with other private airlines of the time, it was absorbed into Imperial Airways.-History:...
which would merge into Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
and later become part of British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, became the controlling shareholder in the colliery in 1921. By 1923, 2,578 men were producing half a million tonnes annually from the Black Vein, Lower Black Vein and Rock Vein seams.
However, due to the disturb nature of the geology at the depth it was forced to mine at, Bedwas was always beset by geological problems, and as a result made and lost money in cycles. In order to keep the mine profitable, the owners asked the men to take a 20% pay cut in the mid-1920s which led to the banning of the South Wales Miners' Federation
South Wales Miners' Federation
The South Wales Miners' Federation , nicknamed "The Fed", was a trade union for miners in South Wales.The union was founded on 24 October 1898, following the defeat of the South Wales miners' strike of 1898...
(the main Trade Union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
), following riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
s. After a two month stop in production, non-Unionised "scab" labour restarted production and by 1933 1,300 were employed; the SWMF was not recognised again by the owners until 1936 after a sit-in. By the outbreak of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 1,850 men produced 675,000 tons, which was its best ever figure.
On 1 January 1947, along with all other working collieries, Bedwas Navigation Colliery was Nationalised, controlled by the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
. In the late 1950s NCB approved a major £4 million reorganisation at the colliery, which: electrified the winding; provided a new pit bottom area; an underground loco roadway; a new coal preparation plant was built on the surface. During the mid-1970s circa 650 men were producing 230,000 tons of coal yearly from the Black and Meadow vein seams.
Closure
Despite having claimed reserves equivalent to 60 years, by 1980 geological problems had restricted production to coming only from the Meadow Vein underneath MachenMachen
Machen is a large village 3 miles east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly borough within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities. It lies on the Rhymney River.-Mynydd...
, and Big Vein. Most of this coal was transported by rail along the former Rumney Railway
Rumney Railway
The Rumney Railway was an original industrial tramway built to service the needs of shipping goods to and from the west side of the Ebbw Vale to Newport Docks...
to the British Steel
British Steel
British Steel was a major British steel producer. It originated as a nationalised industry, the British Steel Corporation , formed in 1967. This was converted to a public limited company, British Steel PLC, and privatised in 1988. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
Llanwern
Llanwern
Llanwern is an electoral ward and community in the urban-rural fringe of the City of Newport, South Wales. Llanwern ward is bounded by the M4 and Langstone to the north, Ringland, Liswerry and the River Usk to the west, the River Severn to the south and the city boundary to the east...
steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
, while the residual was sent to the coking plant at Nantgarw Colliery
Nantgarw Colliery
Nantgarw Colliery was a coal mine located in the village on Nantgarw, Mid Glamorgan located just north of Cardiff.Opened in 1910, it closed in 1986. The site is now redeveloped as the industrial estate Parc Nantgarw.-Development:...
. Part of the site had been leased to the British Benzol and Coal Distillation Co. Ltd, who had a coal by-products plant.
During the UK Miners' Strike of 1984/5, vital maintenance was not undertaken, and when the strike ended on 9 March 1985, the NCB declared the pit closed due to geological problems. Although both the Western Mail and The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
reported in March and April 1985 that closure had been accepted by the work force, the National Union of Mineworkers told the miners to press for an independent colliery review as outlined in the national agreement of October 1984.
As a result, the NCB offered every worker at Bedwas alternative work in other pits. Those who did not take voluntary redundancy accepted the decision, with the closure finally announced in May 1985 attributed to geological problems. At its closure, Bedwas had amongst the largest claimed reserves of coal of any South Wales mine.
Incidents
- 27 March 1912 - sparks from an electric bell caused an explosion undergroundMining accidentA mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining...
which killed 3 miners and seriously injured 9 others - 10 October 1952 - an explosion of firedampFiredampFiredamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines. It is the name given to a number of flammable gases, especially methane. It is particularly commonly found in areas where the coal is bituminous...
in the Lower Black Vein seam, resulted in the death of 1 and injuries to 19 others.
The site today
Following closure in 1985, the colliery was demolished quickly and the shafts filled with rubble, possibly to prevent any chance of it reopening in the future. The above ground structures including the co-located coking plant were demolished, but foundations and below ground installations not removed. The main railway line was removed from TrethomasTrethomas
Trethomas is a small village 2½ miles north-east of Caerphilly, south-east Wales, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire....
railway station to Newport in 1967, and the residual to Caerphilly removed on closure of the colliery in 1985.
The site has since been inherited by Caerphilly County Borough Council
Caerphilly County Borough Council
Caerphilly County Borough Council is the governing body for Caerphilly , one of the Principal Areas of Wales.- Current composition :- Historic results :-Electoral divisions:...
, with a majority of the former railway line upgraded to become an extension of the Taff Trail
Taff Trail
The Taff Trail is a popular walking and cycle path that runs for between Cardiff Bay and Brecon in Wales. It is named so because it follows the course of the River Taff...
cycle path. It was proposed that removal of the residual historical remains from the rest of the site would outweigh any economic gain from redevelopment. However, in light of central government guidelines to first develop brownfield sites, the council have proposed the site as the medium term location of up to 650 new houses and a school. This has been met by opposition from local residents who want to see the area developed into something employment or leisure related for the community.