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Wales's Industrial Heritage



Great Western Colliery The remains of Wales's industrial past are abundant. Some, such as the Big Pit and Iron Works at Blaenavon have been converted into attractions for visitors. Other sites such as the Great Western Colliery shown here remain abandoned.

Drawing of the Great Western Colliery by local artist Paul Stevenson.




The Great Western Colliery - Mike Ellis (Rhondda Valley)

Mike kindly provided the following background on the Great Western Colliery, Hopkinstown, Pontypridd, which appears on the Tourism Page. Great Western Colliery

  • John Calvert (1812 - 1890) first came to South Wales as the contractor for the Llandaff to Merthyr section of the Taff Vale Railway.
  • In 1884 he opened the Gelliwon or Newbridge Level to the No. 3 Rhondda seam. This level was a success and from the profits that he made he leased 330 acres of mineral rights at Gefeillion and started to sink a pit in 1848.
  • In 1851 after three years of hard work and tremendous difficulties he later struck the No. 3 seam Rhondda seam at a depth of 150 yards. He also installed coke ovens at a cost of 17,000 pounds and this led him to developing his Gefeillion Colliery.
  • Around this time (1853/4) the Great Western Railway Company had a idea that it would be cheaper to produce their own coal that to buy it, now at this time John Calvert was one of their suppliers, and he was also in financial difficulties.
  • They agreed to lease the colliery from him on a 3 month trial basis in 1854, this trial period was to prove worthy as they then agreed to work the colliery on a 10 year lease.
  • On expiry of this lease in 1864 the GWR purchased the colliery for 31,000 pounds. By now it had became known as the Great Western Colliery
  • In 1870, three more shafts were sunk to the deeper coal seams.
  • In 1892 an explosion killed 58 miners.
  • In 1913 the No. 2 Pit employed 603 men, the No. 3 206 men.
  • Great Western Colliery was closed in 1923 when the new Ty Mawr Pit was opened.


Michael Ellis

Thanks to Paul Stevenson for contributing the line drawing

This page was last updated on 26 July 2000 __________ Back to:net-cymru Home Page