Pen y Bryn

[phil.c]

Overall view of Pen-y-Bryn Colliery.

 

 

[phil.c]

Coal loading area with three new figures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[phil.c]

Dobson hydraulic roof props made from plastic tube, wire and card ready to be dropped into a Pen-y-Bryn cameo.

[phil.c]

Getting props ready for repair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ponthir28]

Very nice modelling.

[phil.c]

Thanks.

[phil.c]

Here's a few more.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2021 by phil.c

[phil.c]

I couldn't resist adding a few things, just for fun of course

 

 

[KingEdwardII]

Phil,

 

I'm curious to see "Ashford Cables" on the drums rather than the more local "Aberdare Cables" - I was born a couple of miles away from their works.  

 

Yours,  Mike.

[phil.c]

Mike,

To be honest I just searched cables, Aberdare Cables would have looked better, but having said that, I guess that all cables used at South Wales Collieries might not have been local, but I could be wrong?

 

Phil

[phil.c]

Pen-y-Bryn Colliery Houses.

These are based on the houses where I grew up, two up and two down and a lean-to kitchen. Stairs in the corner of a room so small that all bedroom furnature had to be put in through the upstairs windows, the bedrooms were walk through, originally, no electric or central heating, but fires in downstairs rooms only, and of course, outside toilets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by phil.c

[MrWolf]

Brilliant stuff, the whole post puts me in mind of my paternal great grandparents house in the Midlands.

He had been wounded in WW1 and used the lean to as a workshop, no PIP payments then! The attic was Scots boarded as another bedroom and six people shared the house, of which eight were built by a small brewery. Running water was a tap in the yard shared between two houses as was the outside toilet. They were condemned in 1939, but still lived in c1960 and not demolished until about 1975.

[phil.c]

Outside each house was a small steel hinged plate housing the water stop cock.

 

Grooves were cut in the pavement stones so that the rainwater could run from the drainpipe to the drain.

At the back, Mr. Evan's receives orders from his wife to "Tidy up that garden!" Pity she wouldn't clean that front door, she just polishes the brass number plate

 

 

 

[MrWolf]

Looks like Evans needs a couple of pints of 2 stroke mixture and a box of matches.

[9C85]

Just stumbled across this thread. I  grew up in the Rhondda.  All I can suggest to improve your layout is more drizzle... incessant,  soul destroying drizzle. 

Other than that, it's tidy

[phil.c]

This is Martin Street formally Martins' Row that my houses are based on, no electric or gas, the drains seem to have been just put in but no tarmac on the road with this early picture.

I was born in No.18 which is near the top on the left, I grew up at No. 25 which is on the right with the woman in the doorway. The street was demolished in the early 70's.

For those interested, here's some build pictures I've found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[phil.c]

Pen y Bryn Scrap Yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by phil.c

[Ponthir28]

Robert Wynns lorry could be my uncle driving it lovely.

 

[Gopher]

Some wonderful modelling.  My uncles and grandfather were miners in the Rhymney valley.  I remember the valleys when the pits were working.  Staying with my Aunties in terraced houses like the ones you model (although they had electricity and gas at that time).  Outside loos, no bathroom but a tin bath hanging on the back wall and just one coal fire downstairs to keep the house warm.  Bloody freezing in winter.  

 

My main memory  (and not a criticism in anyway), is one of grime.  Grass on the hills always seemed almost dead, paintwork on houses always had a film of dust (despite the best efforts of the households living there).   Change of shift at the pits when the miner's buses would  bring the men home and take others to work.  Loads of chapels and pubs (both very busy, although pretty sure pubs were closed on a Sunday) .  Slag heaps surrounding the valley's towns and villages.  Of course rain and drizzle, and haze from numerous coal fires.

 

Tough way of life and wonderful communities.  Sadly now gone.   

 

I think you have done a brilliant job modelling this.        

[phil.c]

Thanks Gopher.

I live in the Darran Valley which is a stones throw from the Rhymney valley, I grew up here, also worked in two collieries when I was young, all your observations are correct.

The small village with my previous post and where I grew up had a church and four chapels, I had to go to chapel three times on a Sunday which was not great for a young kid who just wanted to go out and play!

[Gopher]

2 hours ago, phil.c said:

Thanks Gopher.

I live in the Darran Valley which is a stones throw from the Rhymney valley, I grew up here, also worked in two collieries when I was young, all your observations are correct.

The small village with my previous post and where I grew up had a church and four chapels, I had to go to chapel three times on a Sunday which was not great for a young kid who just wanted to go out and play!

Blimey Phil and I thought I suffered having to go to the Baptist Sunday school once a day.   The valleys have changed, more picturesque now without the pits and slag heaps, but definitely not the communities they were.  Great to see how you are capturing the past with your modelling    

[phil.c]

Pentecostal chapel, 11:00am to 12:00 then Sunday school 2:00 to 3:00, then 7:00 to 8:00 unless the preacher got carried away for another half hour! But stuck in your best clothed all day was no fun!

As a painter in the pit, I sometimes had to go to the managers house which was overlooking the pit to work, the pit has now been replaced by a country park and I now live in that managers house

[Ponthir28]

I thought getting dragged to church once on Sunday morning was bad enough.

[MrWolf]

Primitive Methodist. At least I dodged the evening services too.

[Gopher]

2 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Primitive Methodist. At least I dodged the evening services too.

My attendance at Sunday school did not last long.  My memory of the evening services as a child is my father falling asleep whilst the minister droned on.  Luckily I did not go to many.