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Author Topic: Treherbert, Aberdare, or Merthyr Tydfil?  (Read 9471 times)
grahame
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« on: May 17, 2019, 13:17:34 »

Saturday, after the RailFuture AGM (Annual General Meeting), I'm giving myself the option of a trip up one of the valleys from Cathy's ... which valley would you recommend?

I am leaving things open after the AGM and following meeting ... priority is to meet / network, but depending on the election results I may be at a loose end.   Which valley would recommend me to try, and why?   (Sounds like a blind date question ...)
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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2019, 14:12:16 »

Many years ago I went on a railtour - possibly named the Welsh Washeries Wanderer - which among other places went up past Aberdare to Hirwaun. What really stuck in my mind on that line was Abercwmboi Phurnacite Works; a true vision of Hell on Earth belching dark red flame into the filthy thickened air, as black clouds lurked a few feet above your head. Even the leaves on the trees were black.

If you were to find yourself heading up to Aberdare, I'd be interested to hear what it's like now! I've heard rumours that it's improved quite a lot...

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basset44
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« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2019, 14:43:13 »

Aberdare has improved, there is a New Housing Estate being built where the works were.

On Saturday there is a Festival in Merthyr so could be quite busy, its the Merthyr Rising Festival.( Week Saturday, mixed up date)

Treherbert is a nice run but the best would be the one you haven't mentioned the Rhymney Valley Line, you see the 2nd largest Castle in UK (United Kingdom), you go through a nice Tunnel and I am not sure if you can see the remains of an old viaduct, hope this helps.

Mind you I would walk to Queen Street for Rhymney Line , cause the down train just misses the up Rhymney.

Basset
« Last Edit: May 17, 2019, 15:19:56 by basset44 » Logged
grahame
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« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2019, 08:14:45 »

Thank you for those inputs.

I've thought carefully ... decided on Aberdare; a Melksham to Rhymney ticket wouldn't be valid for break of journey at Cathays, and of the three valleys via Pontypridd, Aberdare is a re-opening.   Almost choosing it because it is the one that's been scraped up from the deepest depth of nothing, even though Treherbert and Rhymney are nice runs.

Let's see what happens during the RailFuture AGM (Annual General Meeting) - post-event networking may take priority over a learning trip and there's an element of possibility that I'll come out of the AGM with a mindset that just wants to get home and watch Eurovision or something else mindless.
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« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2019, 12:24:31 »

Excellent! I look forward to your views...
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TonyK
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« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2019, 15:48:52 »

Many years ago I went on a railtour - possibly named the Welsh Washeries Wanderer - which among other places went up past Aberdare to Hirwaun. What really stuck in my mind on that line was Abercwmboi Phurnacite Works; a true vision of Hell on Earth belching dark red flame into the filthy thickened air, as black clouds lurked a few feet above your head. Even the leaves on the trees were black.

As erudite as ever, RS, painting a mental picture of truly Dantean proportions. In another place, I described a similar scene as "In what was left of a tree, a lone seagull coughed". You win!

Saturday, after the RailFuture AGM (Annual General Meeting), I'm giving myself the option of a trip up one of the valleys from Cathy's ... which valley would you recommend?

I am leaving things open after the AGM and following meeting ... priority is to meet / network, but depending on the election results I may be at a loose end.   Which valley would recommend me to try, and why?   (Sounds like a blind date question ...)

Friends of ours once lived in what must have been a station house at Treherbert. The only visit we made was by car, but it seemed a nice enough place. No need to sit on the platform - as it was the terminus, one could easily finish one's cuppa in the warm and dry while the driver changed ends. The house cost him about what we paid in stamp duty last time we moved. The drive up the valley was interesting. All the villages were long and thin, with only the name signs to tell you that you had passed a border. But there were some lovely walks to be had.

... I may be at a loose end.   


That's lose, surely?  Grin
« Last Edit: May 18, 2019, 16:25:59 by TonyK » Logged

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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2019, 16:49:12 »

... I may be at a loose end.   


That's lose, surely?  Grin

Steady on; you could confuse a mildly dyslexic person...

For some reason I am reminded of the old joke about the taxi driver who shot through several sets of red lights, and then stopped at a green. 'Why did you stop?' asked the passenger. 'Because my brother might be coming the other way!' he replied.
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grahame
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« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2019, 17:33:12 »

Whether it's a lose end, a loose end or Looe's end ... I have a bit of an apology to make.  Cardiff was swarming with security even as we arrived, handing out queuing system leaflets for late afternoon / early evening. Apparently, there's something called Monster Jam at the Principality Stadium ... large crowds expected as unlike strawberry ja which can be found in any supermarket, Monster jam is quite rare.   Rather than risk a connection and queueing system to connect into the last Melksham train, I came out a bit early ...  skipped the valleys and will go back to one of them another day.   And sorry I didn't follow any suggestions today but I can do TWO another time.
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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2019, 18:37:02 »

And there, dare I say it, is a good reason to have an Arena out on the urban fringe rather than next to a regional transport hub. You heard it here first, folks: maybe Mayor Marv was right...
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Reginald25
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« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2019, 19:42:35 »

I particularly like the Merthyr line, then return all the way to Barry, walk through the country park and along the headland to Barry Island for a return to Cardiff.
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« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2019, 00:40:30 »

Urgh. That stadium and that infernal queueing system. X2 to Bridgend and X30 to Newport are handy bus routes...

But I really wish that when the Welsh Rugby Union draws too many people into central Cardiff, the police would enforce supporter busing regulations. Then Central station could just be made exit and interchange only so that people who are going about their day-to-day business in Cardiff can use Queen Street and Cathays as normal and change for the big trains at Central. Either that or make the WRU pay for reopening the Vale of Neath line from Aberdare to Neath so that we have an alternative route west from Cathays avoiding their stadium's chaos, oink oink, flutter flutter.
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« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2019, 12:01:15 »

hi Grahame,

May I suggest you think about doing this trip in the Autumn or Winter months.

At the moment the Valleys are very Green with full leave blocking out some stunning views.

Could I also suggest you look into the Rover ticket for the Valleys and think about a bus from Rhymney to Merthyr enabling you to go up one valley and come down another, you might then be able to go from Abercynon to Aberdare.

I do realize that the daylight is shorter but with a bit of planning and good connections you could do most of the valleys.

Basset
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welshman
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« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2019, 14:06:07 »

Quote
Many years ago I went on a railtour - possibly named the Welsh Washeries Wanderer - which among other places went up past Aberdare to Hirwaun. What really stuck in my mind on that line was Abercwmboi Phurnacite Works; a true vision of Hell on Earth belching dark red flame into the filthy thickened air, as black clouds lurked a few feet above your head. Even the leaves on the trees were black.

The original (1942) plant shut down during the miner's strike and never re-opened.  A much smaller and less polluting plant ran for a while but has also long since closed.   These pictures show the small plant, and the original in all its fiery and disgusting glory.

The valley was subject to an intermittent temperature inversion which meant that on cold days the fumes would spread out horizontally. and blanket the community in a pale yellow stinking fog.  The hill to the East looked like the Somme and smouldered for years.  Now it's entirely hidden in greenery.

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