Merthyr Vale Colliery runaway journey, 1900

In March 1900 a journey of trams broke away from its rope at Merthyr Vale Colliery and ran back into two men walking out at the end of their shift, killing both.

Cause

A journey of trams became detached from the haulage rope (a shackle broke) and ran back down the road.

What happened

In March 1900 Patrick Doyle, an assistant timberman, and David Davies, a collier, were walking out of Merthyr Vale Colliery at the end of their shift behind a journey of trams when it broke from the rope and ran backwards into them. Doyle died on a stretcher on the way between Aberfan and Troedyrhiw, and Davies in Merthyr General Hospital the same day.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• The two sources date the accident 29 March (NMRS) and 24 March 1900 (Welsh Coal Mines). (disputed) ^2,1

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• On 29 March 1900 Patrick Doyle, assistant timberman, of Aberfan, and David Davies, collier, of Pontygwaith, were walking out at the end of their shift when a journey of 20 trams became detached from the rope and ran backwards into them. ¹
• On 24 March 1900 Daniel Davies, 59, collier, and Patrick Doyle, 21, assistant timberman, were killed at Merthyr Vale Colliery when, walking behind a journey, a shackle broke and 14 drams ran over them. ²
• The two sources date the accident 29 March (NMRS) and 24 March 1900 (Welsh Coal Mines). (disputed) ^2,1
• Doyle died on a stretcher between Aberfan and Troedyrhiw; Davies died in Merthyr General Hospital the same day. ¹

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…1900 a journey of trams broke away from its rope at Merthyr Vale Colliery and ran back into two men walking out at the end of their shift,…”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “A journey of trams became detached from the haulage rope (a shackle broke) and ran back down the road.”
• Journey (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “In March 1900 a journey of trams broke away from its rope at Merthyr Vale Colliery and ran…”
• Timberman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “In March 1900 Patrick Doyle, an assistant timberman, and David Davies, a collier, were walking out of Merthyr Vale…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “In March 1900 a journey of trams broke away from its rope at Merthyr Vale Colliery and ran back into…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Accidents at Merthyr Vale Colliery - Northern Mine Research Society — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Fatalities 1900 — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026