Plus Michael Sheen Visits and Information on Our Charitable Status Acheivement

To accomplish great things we must not only act, but als o dre am; no t o nly p lan, b ut also b eliev e" …. A natole Fra nce. o

T TUN N NE issueL 2. VISF IO N

NEWSLETTER Issue 8 • August 2015

Sustrai ns Meeting with Tunnel Society

How it all Went

Afan Argoed V is itor C entre

L w Latest News

! M

Ystradf ec han Fe te R ep o rt

A fan tastic event

plus Michael Sheen Visits and information on our Charitable Status Acheivement

Sustrans meet with RHONDDA TUNNEL SOCIETY WHAT IS SUSTRANS? vision for cyclists and pedestrians, would make a new NCN route along the Rhondda Fawr from Porth to Blaencwm a Sustrans (http://www.sustrans.org.uk/) is a leading UK very attractive and feasible proposition by providing a link charity enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public through to the Afan Valley and its world-class mountain transport for more of the journeys we make every day. The bike trails. charity works with families, communities, policy-makers and partner organisations so that people are able to SOCIETY’S MEETING WITH SUSTRANS. choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with bet - On Wednesday, 29th July, members of the Society’s Com - ter places and spaces to move through and live in. In addi - mittee met with Mr Gwyn Smith of Sustrans Cymru in the tion to the creation of cycling friendly routes in urban Tunnel Hotel, Blaengwynfi. The Welsh Government has environments, Sustrans has been instrumental in the de - asked Sustrans Cymru to undertake a feasibility study for velopment of the National Cycle Network (often known as incorporating disused railway tunnels into Community the NCN). This is a series of safe, traffic-free paths and Routes / National Cycle Network in South Wales. This of quiet on-road cycling and walking routes that connect to course includes The Rhondda Tunnel and Sustrans Cymru’s every major town and city. The Network passes within a brief included consultation with the Society, hence the mile of half of all UK homes and now stretches over 14,000 meeting. miles across the length and breadth of the UK. Almost 5 Sustran’s report has to be submitted to the Welsh Govern - million people use the National Cycle Network, and despite ment by the end of October 2015. Prior to the meeting, it’s name, the Network isn't just for cyclists, it’s also popu - the Committee had provided a list of wide ranging ques - lar with walkers, joggers, wheelchair users and horse riders tions which Mr Smith endeavoured to answer based on in - too. formation currently available. The meeting began with a About eight years ago, Sustrans Cymru (http://www.sus - presentation of Sustran’s work in relation to the National trans.org.uk/wales) led the campaign for legislation on ac - Cycle Network and safe cycle systems, including ‘quiet - tive travel in Wales. In October 2013, the Welsh Assembly ways,’ in urban areas, and good design. passed world first legislation on active travel that placed a Mr Smith explained that Sustrans’ funding for the National duty on local authorities to plan a network of walking and Cycle Network had been made possible with a lottery grant cycling routes and then work to deliver it. The Active Travel of £43.5 million. However, this source of funding was now (Wales) Act also calls on Welsh Ministers and Councils to exhausted and income streams were reduced. In addition, promote active travel and provide annual updates to the due to the economic downturn, Sustrans’ staffing levels Welsh Assembly. have also been reduced. Consequently, Mr Smith believed THE RHONDDA TUNNEL AND THE NATIONAL that whilst Sustrans Cymru recognise the prospect of re- CYCLE NETWORK IN SOUTH WALES opening The Rhondda Tunnel, at this time, they will not be able to contribute financially to the project nor provide re - A quick look at the Map section of the Sustrans Cymru web sources to plan and manage the construction work. Simi - site shows that there are substantial sections of the Na - larly, Mr Smith believed that Sustrans Cymru would not be tional Cycle Network already in place in South Wales in - in a position to take ownership of a re-opened Rhondda cluding many within the former mining valleys and along Tunnel and manage the on-going maintenance and operation. the “Heads of the Valleys” route from Abergavenny to Swansea. For example, the Afan Route (887) travels be - However, Sustrans Cymru will do all they can to support tween Port Talbot and the Afan Forest Park. It allows ex - The Rhondda Tunnel Society in helping us achieve our vi - ploration of the beautiful countryside of Afan which is a sion. Requests for information were exchanged particu - haven for all sorts of wonderful wildlife and has world-class larly in respect of the Society’s on-going work in relation mountain bike trails. A short section of local route to grant funding. branches off to Blaengwynfi and Abergwynfi but unfortu - There was considerable discussion on the need for inclu - nately goes no further. sion of the Rhondda Fawr in the National Cycle Network In terms of the Rhondda Valleys, it is currently possible to to enhance the viability of a re-opened Rhondda Tunnel. cycle safely from Pontypridd to Porth and up through the It appears that the Rhondda Cynon Taff council has been Rhondda Fach using Route 881 to join Route 47 just south slow in meeting its obligations under The Active Travel of the Lluest-Wen Reservoir. Unfortunately, there is not a (Wales) Act for Route 882 from Porth to Blaencwm. Mr similar provision in the Rhondda Fawr. A further look at the Smith explained that the main issues with creating a new map will show that a re-opened Rhondda Tunnel, with pro - route were finding a feasible route; obtaining the neces - sary land; possible environmental impact; and, of course, cost. Sometimes, sections of “quiet” roads can be incor - Tunnel re-opens to the public, on-going funds will be re - porated where feasible and this helps to keep the cost quired to ensu re its maintenance and safe operation. The down. Both parties agreed to loo k into it and press R CT on question of making a sm all charge for people to use the the matter. tu nnel was discussed. C urrently, Sustrans do n ot m ake In answer to a direct qu esti on, Mr Smith stated that he b e -su ch charge s how ever The Rhondda Tunnel is unique due to its length and the sa fety issues that go with it. lie ved that T he Rhondda Tunnel would be re -opened b ut it will take time a nd money. He understood that The Two Mr Smith finished the meeting b y saying how im pressed Tunnels p roject in Bath took abou t 8 to 1 0 years to come he was with the interest and e nth usiasm that had been to fruition but that The Rhondda Tunnel was already we ll generated for the reopen ing of The Rhondda Tunnel in advanced. M r Smith offered to accompan y mem bers of su ch a short time. He d idn’t know what The Rhondda Tu n - the Committee on a visit to The Two Tunne ls project at a nel Society was doing but h e would “like to bottle it” and mutually co nvenie nt time. use it on some of his Sustrans’ proj ects . Praise indeed. The Comm ittee we re shown exam ples of the engineering Society Chairman, Steve Mackey, thank ed Mr Smith for his works incorporated into a number of re-opene d tunnels time, information an d advice; everyone agreed it had be e n inclu ding different int e rnal lightin g system s. Mr Smith a very useful meeting. It was also agreed that the parties thou ght that in ordeJr t o produce a robust cost estimate for would continue to exchange information while Sustrans J re-o pening The Rh ondda Tunnel, a more detailed inspec - com plete th e feasibility study. J tion / survey of the condition of the fabric of the tunnel My Th anks go to Mr David Newto n for help with this article. will be required. This will cost money and will have to be J J includGed in the cost plan. All food for thought for the Com - J JJi m mitt eGe. It was clear to everyone that when The Rhondda J G J J G G G G G G . .. G IN O G . . . N G I G O E N G O After being unused for nearly 25 years we can see the local scrap merchant about to destroy the last remnants of the former RHONDDA and SW ANSEA BAY RAILWAY. Their JCB is seen removing the ballast from the trackbed over the bridge at TYDRAW TERRACE circa 1993/1994 allowing access for the cutter’s torch. It is an interesting fact that to get from Treherbert Statio n to the tunnel which is just over a mile away, required crossing no less than seven “bridges” of which only one is still in use today. How many of us can remem ber go ing on the TYNEWYDD LAB OUR C LUB trip to Aberavon on a packed train which was up to I believe eight or nine coaches long . Today with ca r ownership as a prerequisite, and the “seaside” just a short drive away, it cannot be ex - plained to today’s children the excitement we used to feel in going on such a journey by train, and w hen near - ing the seaside actual ly smelling the sea air. It has now been 47 years since a train of any description toiled up to the tunnel and the only way we can recall those fantastic days is by looking at photographs like these. If anyone has photographs and would like to share them in this magazine just come and have a chat and m ake a lot oJf peop le happy. J J Jim J J J J J J

OUR MOST S UCCE SSFUL MEET ING TO DAT E Yet again our members and guests came along in condolences to Mr Croad and his family for their droves to support what was to be a anoth er lan d - los s. mark in our Society’s already impressive record of The meeti ng also heard the ve ry welcom ing news well attended meetings. Our July meeting at the from our Mr Rod Macintyre (picture 4) that we are White Dragon in Treorchy left very few empty seats now a registered charity which for one, will free (picture 1) as the meeting began promptly at over £2500 from our PAY-PAL account to edge our 7.00pm. With a packed agenda our events organiser funds ever closer to our £10,000 benchmark. We Mr Will Jones opened the meeting by welcoming would also like to thank Julie Hannan and Carys Mr Leighton Andrews MP who, after a short speech from CVS who has worked so hard alongside Rod presented the Society with a cheque for £200 (pic - to get us to this favourable position. ture 2). This donation was given to our Society by the RHONDDA CALENDAR T RUST. After this we all A ne w video was also sho wn which looked at our witnessed a very to uching gestu re fro m Mr Bill tunnel “through the ages” and it was very well re - Croad (picture 3) who also made a very generous ceived. So once again WELL DONE MR CHAIRMAN (I donation of yet a nother £200 in memo ry of hi s son he ar Steven Speilb erg is start ing to panic!). who unfortunately passed away recently. “My son And finally to top it all we managed to raise a grand travelled through t he tunn el on co untless occa - total of £800 pounds on the evening, which is truly sions” said Mr Croad “He would have been so amazing and again is down to a very supportive proud to have this donation given in his memory”. public without whom there would be no Society. We the Society are eternally grateful and thank Mr May I, on behalf of the Executive Committee thank Croad for this touching example of how the you all for your continued support. RHONDDA TUNNE L SOCIETY co nnects with so many people in so many different ways. We extend our WELL DONE TO YOU ALL.

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WHO CAN REMEMBER THESE? Those were the days as they say when PEGLER’S, T.J.ARNOLDS, THE CO- OP, HOME and COLONIAL, PRITCHARD’S, MORSE’S, TYN –Y– WAUN’S, CORFIELD’S and goodness knows how many more had their trusty old delivery boys and their bicycles. WASN’T LIFE SIMPLE THEN ?

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Uncertain ty still sur roun ds th e Fun Day. A t t his time of the y ear in par ticular, it is buzzin g with vis - itors from all ove r the UK, Euro pe, and eve n further afie ld. future of one of the Afan Forest But, in these d ifficult fin ancial times, the Visitor Centre has not Park’s main tourist attractions … been left unscat hed. C ounc il run facilities at t h e Centre were g iven a six month repriev e in Februar y, after £1 00 00 0 w as rai sed b e - tween Na tural Resources Wales and Neath Port Talbot Council to THE ‘AFAN ARGOED’ VISITORS CENTRE k eep its do ors open. Now, six months on, the future of those facil - ities are once a gain uncertain if ano t her o per ator c annot be fo und to take over their running. It came as quite a shock in July, to hear

that council staﬀ at the Centre had been given the statutory three months notice to termina te their e mplo yment.

This of course, has raised a l ot of specul ation about the future of th e Centre. In order to p revent any negative impa ct on bus iness, Neath Po rt Talb ot Cou ncil has rece ntly i ssued the foll owing state -

ment :

“The trails an d the actual Fore st Park ar e owned, manage d and op - erate d by Natur a l Resource s Wa les . Th e Visitor Centre , the Cafe - teria and Car Park at Af an Argo ed are ow ned and operat ed by the Situated rig ht at the heart of the b eautiful Afan Forest Par k, is th e Council. ‘Afan Argoed’ V isitor Centre. Th is is th e main point of c ontac t to find out ab out eve ryt hing to see a nd do in A fan Forest Park . In The Visitor Centre an d C afeteria have ope rated at a deficit, and many ways, it can be co nside red the gateway t o the Fores t Park ’s have b een subs id i sed by t he Council for a num ber of years . In the attractio ns, and is the s tarting or ending point for man y of the cu rrent fin a ncial clim a te, this position cannot co ntinue. Park’ s cycling and walk ing tr ails. It’s a great place just to re lax, or to recharge the ba tteries , afte r a day out o n the trails. It is th e Council ’s intenti on to seek an operat or for the Visito r Cen - tre and Cafete ria and current staff there are being offe red alterna - The timber c lad V isitor Centr e buildi ng which ho uses m an y of the tive employme nt opportu nities. Th e Min ers M useum, th e priv ate facilities, is situated in an imposing position on the side of the Bike Ce ntre ope rat or and the C ar Par k a r e no t aff ected. mountain, with sweeping v iews up and dow n the Valley bei n g of - fered from the outside decking. Inside the building is a Cafeteria, Th e re is i nterest from a number of experienced operators and the an information centre about the Forest Park, a Ranger’s office, a Council are currently g oin g through the n ecessary leg al and pro - First Ai d room , and a G ift Shop. curement processe s befor e an a dv er tise m ent for th e ope rati on of the Visitor Centre and Cafeteria will be published. Business at the Outside, there are als o camp ing facilities, a s hower block and a toi - Afa n For est P a rk w ill c onti nue th ro ughout the S u mme r a s u sual. let block, which can be used by other visitors as well. The C oun c il has a lso been i n discu ssion with Natural Resources Wales to ensu re that the prop osals fit with their m anagement of Adjacent to the Vis ito r Cen tre, is th e A fan Valley Bike Sh ed whi c h the Park and trails, to co ntinu e th e success of the P ark as a desti - offfers bi ke hire , a repair a nd ser vicing wo rksh op and th e sale of nation for mou ntain bik ers and wa lkers, and to gr ow the numb er bikes and bike spares. of visitors”.

There i s room for op tim ism the n, and g ood reaso n to bel i e ve t hat the general pu blic beyond mountain bikers, is only just starting to

discover the Afan Forest Park. There is great potential for further developing fac ilities at the ‘Afan A rgoed’ Visit ors Cen t re, and we look forward t o the da y when the Rh ondda Tunnel togethe r with

the Park and Vis ito rs Centre, w ill be a mongst the top oﬀers avail - able for visitor breaks.

The South W ales Mi ners Museum is also located at the Vis itor Cen - tre. It was opene d in 1976 as the ﬁrst min ing museum in Wales. On a visit there, you ﬁnd yourself being taken on a historical jour - ney back in time. The Museum portrays the working life of a miner and the hardship adults and children had to endure. The Museum is made up of both indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a Black - smith Shop, Lamp Room and an Engine House. The Centre hosts educational days out and numerous other events each year, including a Craft Fair, a Food Festival and a Steam and

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