The Lost Tunnels of Merthyr Vlog
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2018
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We had a few days in South Wales so thought we would take some time to explore some old tunnels. In this vlog we explore Morlais Tunnel and try to find the entrance to the east portal of the Merthyr - Abernant Tunnel. As you'll tell we were rather tired towards the end! More to follow from Wales.
A few other notes:
1) Excuse our pronunciation of anything welsh! Really, its terrible.
2) In the next few videos we focus on Torpantau and Trevithick tunnels (Hence why they are not included here).
3) Also Pentir Rhiw Railway Station coming up in the remote disused series.
Enjoy.
Credits: Music. Epidemic Sound. - Розваги
A point of note. We didn't mention in the video but as someone has pointed out below, there are large unmarked drainage pits in this tunnel that may be hidden. If you do go into this tunnel make sure you are extremely careful, go with another person or at worst let someone else know where you are going!
pwhitewick 7
@@jeffreyhodge5564 Len Goodman!?... I'll take a seven every day of the week.
very interesting, thanks for showing your film
Don't forget to keep an eye out for trains too. You can't be too careful. :D
(Joking aside, very sensible precautions)
Walking through the Morlais tunnel (Called The Miler locally) was a rite of passage for loads of people in Merthyr... Stories of Devil worshipers, drug addicts and murderers made it much more exiting. The fact it was FULL of stolen cars added to the credibility of the stories!
I was born in Shamokin, Pa. in 1948. Shamokin was a major anthracite coal mine town, where most of my father's and mother's families worked in the local mines. My dad , mother and our entire family moved in 1964 to Coatesville, Pa. a steel making city. We are a Welsh family, with generations working in the mines and coal industries. My wife and I have taken our kids and grandkids to a few local coal mining museums in the area, to show them how our ancesters worked to survive. The coal mines in our area vary quite differently from the one on this video. I love watching the videos, that portray the industries that employed our families.
The abandoned railway infrastructure around Merthyr Tydfil is awesome. Historical monuments to the industrial power that coal & steel brought to the area during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Another great video. Thank you
I remember that walking through this tunnel used to be a dare for Cwmbach (Aberdare) schoolboys in the late 70s, early 80s. And I used to mountain bike that way in my early twenties when still living at home with mam and dad (late 80s). Plenty of industrial history on the Cwmbach side, from railway markers to the impressive concrete bases that uses to support the massive Brunnel Gamlyn viaduct at Penywaun. A nice scenic route over the mountain from Cwmbach to Merthyr too... and safer and less frightening than the tunnel (smile).
The tunnel is about a kilometre long, and yes, never walk it alone... plenty of trip hazards with leg breaking potential.
That tunnel used to called the miler Tunnel ,, Very interesting , brilliant brickwork .. A few suicides have happened in this Tunnel .... it adds a bit of atmosphere to the place ...
I live about 500 metres from the west portal of the Merthyr/Aberdare tunnel in Cwmbach and locally(Cwmbach) it is known as the Merthyr tunnel not Abernant tunnel, although I suspect the reason why some call it the Abernant tunnel is because the first station you arrived at on the west side after exiting the tunnel was in Abernant. The remains of the platform is still there today. The old railway line is now a popular path on this side and you can easily walk up to the west portal although it has large gates to block entry. It was officially announced today that a major development called Rhydycar West in Merthyr has put in a planning application to build an indoor snow & ski slope with other outdoor activities along with a hotel and log cabins. Hidden in the plans is a section which states reopening of the tunnel is part of the proposal and it is expected to be passed.
Well helllllloooooo
I just love you and your wife's enthusiasm - what a recipe for a great marriage. Your vids are so addictive - thanks xx
Greetings from Poland where I have lived for the past 5 years. Absolutely brilliant videos. As a 71 year old, many of the lines staations and tunnels bridges viaducts and scenery bring back many memories of dys gone by. A real plaeasure to watch both of you. Keep the programmes coming please
Another great video! When I went on the Brecon Mountain Railway the steam loco failed so I did the line with a diesel. I'll have to go back and do it with steam and explore some of these old railways!
Very interesting film. Exciting and scary! Nice walk, beautiful countryside and fascinating historical information. Thank you
I enjoy all of your videos very much. Please keep up the good work!
Thanks for showing more Wale's locations.
Looks like a nice walk. Been in lots of Tunnels over the years working for the Railway and walking for pleasure. They are all wet 😂 👍
I've visited the Brecon Mountain Railway in 2010, and I spent the night on the parking site in my motorhome (with the railway's permission of course). I knew that there were railways and tunnels all over the place. The Morlais tunnel passes exactly below the BMR Pant station, and one of the impressive ventilation shafts can be seen next to the parking lot. Sadly I didn't have the time (and maps and flashlights) to do a bit of exploring, but I had the opportunity to make a bicycle ride to Pontsticill dam, using the road seen at 9:11.
The tunnel vents are known locally as pepper pots, for obvious reasons.
Great video, I went to the train tunnels back in December, loved it
Cheers Miki. A few videos over the coming months with more stations and tunnels in this area.
I love the music, do not listen to the haters, that is all they do hate, hate hate.
I would love to visit the Merthyr area, where my grandfather was born in 1874.
Do not delay ....
Enjoyable video. Thanks
Hopefully you will do more Welsh trips. This is really interesting.
...and IMHO, the dynamic of the two of you bantering and talking to each other makes for more interesting viewing than just Paul alone. :|
Pity about Merthyr Tunnel. I walked it in the mid-90s from east to west only to find a 7' high wall covered in anti-climbing paint! It's a very old tunnel built, I think, by Brunel. I think it even had a signal box inside it and it certainly opens out at one point. Keep 'em coming!
Will do Paul. We were shattered by the time we got to the Merthyr / Abernant tunnel and had no inclination to trespass. Another day we will try from the western end. A signal box inside it,.... Brilliant. Need to read up on this more!
Been through all 3 tunnels mentioned here, Merthyr/Abernant was my most favorite ever! Yes it has remains of 2 brick huts inside at the point where the line becomes single near the south end, plus a couple of side Chambers. If only I could get back in there again nowadays with my better camera and torches! Sadly all sealed up now 😡
@@pwhitewick we used to camp there as kids. its all locked up now hopefully to be opened as a cycle tunnel. there was also a gaurds hut in the aberdare end
Bother! Hit the which and smash the what? Did my best and clicked all over the place.
Great video - Thank you.
I really enjoy watching your very interesting videos & you're such a lovely couple.
the dancing queen at the end funny girl lol i'm subbed you got me lol
im from the valleys myself (not to fare away from merthyr-titful lol so i'm enjoying the welsh stuff you've posted thank you both!!
Hi a very good video my late dad was a fireman at Merthyr loco shed and travelled through the tunnels to abernant torpantau on the local train services from Merthyr before the closing of these routes in the early 60s the Brecon mountain railway is on the track bed of the old Brecon Merthyr railway be careful in the tunnels could be the ghost of Merthyr pannier tank 9676 !!! ,🏴
I have walked through the Merthyr to Aberdare Tunnell many times when I was a young boy along with my friends, we often walked through there with no lights or torches, completely blacked out you couldn't see anything, we joined arms and the two boys at the ends held sticks out so they were touching the wall, hell of a scary thing to do when you are about 12 years old, but that's what we did back in the day.
I've just enjoyed an afternoon of watching your videos as there's not much to do due to in Merthyr Tydfil today due to the heavy rain and flooding. I was disappointed watching the Lost Tunnels of Merthyr that you didn't make it to the Abernant (your pronunciation was correct!)Tunnel. Once crossing the A470 it is literally a 15 minute straight line walk, although a little boggy. If you are back to find it again in the future please get in touch as I would be more than happy to guide you there. Unfortunately there is no entry to the tunnel but some of the structures along the way are certainly of great interest.
Robert Price
Went through the Abernant tunnel a couple of times when I was much younger. The Merthyr portal was totally accessible and open then. A lot of that area has un mapped mine workings one on which collapsed a few years back, hence the keep out signs. (Do a search for Merthyr Village Mine Collapse - Alamy has pics, the last big one was in 2008)
Thanks Matthew. Is it still open now?
@@pwhitewick I last went through about 25years ago. I know the Merthyr portal is now gated but apparently still accessible. The Abernant side was bricked up even then, but part of the wall was demolished. The Abernant side is the easiest to get to and the more interesting side if you do get in...
@@matthewphillips3144 cheers Matthew
You're very good for obeying the signs. I'm afraid I'm not so good at that myself, terrible in fact lol, but I have seen some great places that way.
We are very good at obeying signs.... When on UA-cam... 😲😁😁
Been through the Morlais Tunnel a couple of times, Theres no danger from and drains or anything in the floor.
The Abernant tunnel is very easy to get to on the Aberdare side via a cycle path that takes you right up to the Portal.
Theres also the Quakers yard tunnel just a couple of miles down the valley from where you were that is open and easy to walk through. You can get to it just off the A470.
Brilliant, thanks Steven. We are tunnel Amatuers and had read a few scare stories! We will definitely be back to the area so likely have another go with better torches for starters!
@@pwhitewick If you plan on walking through the Cefn Glas tunnel (quakers yard) take wellies! Its easy to park in a layby just off the A470 and walk in. The tunnel itself is not in the best of condition compared to other. Some of the wall linings have collapsed, and there are a couple of drains in the centre but these are easy enough to spot. There's are also a couple of places inside where coal seams have been worked during the 80's miners strike. This is a good site and worth a look at www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/tunnels/gallery/cefnglas.html
@@2976minty cheers for the information. We use forgotten relics quite a lot, sometimes a tad out of date but probably impossible to keep on top of the changes. 👍
Morlais Tunnel was really interesting to look at, great video, sadly I couldn't smash the like button so I clicked it instead :p
I've discovered this lost tunnel today and I absolutely had weird feeling that there were spirits haunting that tunnel
Another Ace video. Paul, you must get out of the habit of using Rebecca as a form of Wikipedia LOL 😂 Love your choice of Music as well.
This is about 300 yards away from my house it is known as the miler, as it is about a mile long we would use this as a short cut to the blue pool when we was kids as it takes you out by the taff trail, it’s fenced off now as it is not safe anymore
sometimes in the interest of exploration you gotta go beyond those signs :)
I like the music! :)
Haha.... Phew!
Abernant tunnel is closed by a gate. If you come to Merthyr Tydfil again, I'll take you an easy way to the entrance.
There is another tunnel nearby connecting Quakers Yards to Abercynon, but I haven't been there yet so not sure where the tunnel is located.
I agree: Moor-lice Tunnel. I first walked it in 1987. I would advise anyone walking it not to walk straight down the centre as there are, indeed, large rectangular drainage pits!
Thanks Paul. That was our biggest concern having read up on that aspect before we left. Towards the middle (burnt out car area), it was getting very sodden under foot. Ill add a little text to the description to highlight your point. 👍👍
Between this and Torpantau section you missed out Dol-y-gaer station. No mention on the website stations visited database? If you came from Merthyr you drove past Dol-y-gaer to get to Tonpantau.
Yup we missed a lot back then as we weren't doing "Every Disused Station".
LOL loved the "Drama queen alert" LOL
Yup..... That's very me!
Not sure if you're still reading this as the post is a few years old now, but this is how the entrance currently looks. It's quite accessible, and there are lots of paths with evidence of the old railway lines serving Cwm Colliery and Cyfarthfa Iron Works. Well worth a re-visit if you're in the area! (post lockdown of course) - and just realised I can't post the picture, but go back . . . . go back . . .
plus you can also still see the old furnaces from the ironworks a few miles up the road . . . although unfortunately now in the shadow of Trago Mills!
*Strike the notification bell x
#DidNotThinkOfThat!
Great video 👍. Where are you actually from ?
Thanks Martin, much appreciated. We live in Hampshire but love travelling around the Uk on mini adventures.
Great stuff, I see you like your Railways 👍
@@MartinZero yup, certainly do. Basically Human Geography, why and how the landscape has been changed by our interaction with it. 👍
Oh, what will you give me?
Says the sad tunnel of Rhymney
"Is there hope for the future?"
Says the brown tunnel of Merthyr
"Who made the mine owner?"
Says the black tunnel of Rhondda
"And who killed the miner?"
Says the grim tunnel of Blaina
Are you talking about the Merthyr to aberdare tunnel ?
I think so!..... This was a while ago and we weren't quite geared up for tunnels at that stage.
Morlais Tunnel ☑️🚂👍
0:52 is that marlborough ?
How do you find Norka is tunnel
?
I was there in 2013 and the other side is locked with 2 big steel doors and anti climb paint :(
It also had a combination lock.
We are definitely coming back to do this one again soon.
@@pwhitewick That would be great to see.
Random bit of information someone build a tiny chapel in the Abernant/Merthyr tunnel and left a copy of the Book of Mormon there.
Yes we saw a video of that tunnel. Some guy walked the entire length and found lots of random things along the way
Arousing...
..... especially on a Saturday.
I like that you make fun of signing-off with "Smash That Bell" etc. ..............Just please don't start using the really annoying standard UA-cam sign-on "What's Up Everyone?"!
What's up Stu?
I have been in the first one
May I suggest, if you can't pronounce the Welsh names, that you either print them on a Slate Board and hold to camera or just add the name to the video in post-production, then you won't upset the People of Wales! No way would you get me in that tunnel, so well done!
Moorlice?
I'll take that, which means I wasn't too far out?
Shame I didn't find you earlier in lockdown. Sorry my Welsh is nonexistent can sing in it though but not spell. I'll just raise a glass of Brains beer.
A pity you missed the tunnel signal box remains on your right at 3:30
Yup we are definitely going back here soon. We are much better geared up now!
What did you do or say to upset Rebecca ? She dosent look impressed towards the end .......
You didnt go a quarter in. Uou cant sink anywhere. And you cant see the other end at the b4 first pepperpot ponsarn end. You cant tick it. There are 3 pepperpots in total. Air vents. I know when i spot 2 miler scaredy cats!!!
Lol..... You called it indeed John. We did get a tad nervous as this was a) our first tunnel explore and b) pre decent torch days!.... Until next time. 👍
@@pwhitewick i dont know anyone who doesnt if i honest! I did an exhibition on it as im from Pant. I have got me walking through it on facebook and youtube miler1 to 5. One of the pepperpots was infront of mountain railway. In the 70s it was a haven for glue sniffers and satanists. You were brave thoughx
I live at the other end
who gives a sh*t, ha!
I did a bit of bish bosh bash - will that be acceptable ? Lol
Perfect.
Goodun n ta.
be-yoke it!
I'd agree/disagree, love you, dislike you.... But I've no clue what this means 😬
LOL I smashed the notification button and be-yoke it! ;) (Love your vids BTW)
@@TIMMEH19991 haha.... Thanks 👍👍
So, you want abuse or not? Is this the right room for an argument?
Haha... No! We are just going to try and "James Blunt" when we do.
These videos are unwatchable due to the annoying and totally unrelated muzak!
Ok Dick. Please feel free to go watch another channel instead. Take care. X
@@pwhitewick - accept the comment as constructive criticism - your choice of music is not to everyone's taste and may spoil the video rather than enhance it
@@kenjones3253 I agree music is a personal taste and will, by rights, never suit everyone. We make these videos to suit our own personal taste. That won't change. 👍
too much waffling at the start
Only the start!?... I waffle waaaaaaay to much most of the time. 😁
'Shared route' - huh - looks more like tarmacking the countryside to me - contributing to flooding by run off rather than soaking away and global warming as stone/tarmac absorbs the suns rays, warms and sends the warmth back into the atmosqhere. It's the countryside - dress accordingly and deal with it I say. Footqaths, bridleways etc., are marked on maqs and canals and railway track beds are qublic rights of way by custom and qractice. I don't know what Sustrans is a £ front for (check out their finances) but they seem to tend to bullying and cycle routes is not sharing.
Just laughed myself silly when you came back to get the camera in the last few seconds, and Rebecca is throwing some shapes in the background!
Yeah!... I don't think that's the first time either!