Abercynon Colliery 1988
Copyright © Stephen Thomas and used with his kind permission
The colliery was opened by the Dowlais Iron Company to supply coal to their steel works in Cardiff. The shafts were sunk in 1889 to 740 yards (South shaft) and 753 yards (North shaft) to work the Nine Feet seam.
Guest Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd took over the colliery in 1903 and began developing workings on the Six Feet and Upper Four Feet seams as well as continuing working the Nine Feet seam. By 1923 the pit provided employment for 2,794 men.
In 1931 it was taken over by Welsh Associated Collieries, who were later absorbed into Powell Duffryn Company Ltd. in 1936.
The colliery passed into the hands of the National Coal Board in 1947 who worked the pit. In 1975 it merged with Lady Windsor Colliery, which was situated on the other side of the mountain in Ynysybwl. The two were linked underground via two parallel tunnels and continued to work until closure in 1988
It is said that there is an estimated 25 years of workable coal left.
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