MineArchivePonthenry Colliery runaway tram, 1911
A tram that broke away from a descending journey on the steep slant at Ponthenry Colliery, in the Gwendraeth Valley, in 1911 ran wild into men waiting to be drawn up, killing two and injuring several more.
| Date | 6 June 1911 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Ponthenry Colliery |
| Region | Carmarthenshire |
| Type | Haulage / Transport |
| Fatalities | 2 (2 killed, one named: Evan Rees (23), collier.) |
| Injuries | Four, or by one account five, other men injured. |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A small fall on the road detached a tram from a descending journey, and it ran wild down the slant.
What happened
A small fall on the road at Ponthenry Colliery caused a tram to become detached from a journey descending the steep slant. It ran wild down the slant into a number of men who were waiting at the bottom to be drawn up, killing Evan Rees, a 23-year-old collier, and one other man and injuring four or five more. One account dates the accident 6 June 1911, another 6 July.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- Four other men were injured. (disputed) 2
- Five other men were injured; the accident was on 6 July 1911. (disputed) 1
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- In 1911 a runaway tram at Ponthenry Colliery killed two men, among them the collier Evan Rees, 23. 1,2
- A small fall on the road caused the tram to become detached from the descending journey; it ran down the steep slant into men waiting to be drawn up. 2
- Four other men were injured. (disputed) 2
- Five other men were injured; the accident was on 6 July 1911. (disputed) 1
- The colliery was owned by the Ponthenry Colliery Company Limited. 2
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: “…broke away from a descending journey on the steep slant at Ponthenry Colliery, in the Gwendraeth Valley, in 1911 ran wild into men waiting to be…” - Journey (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A tram that broke away from a descending journey on the steep slant at Ponthenry Colliery, in the Gwendraeth Valley,…” - Slant (contextual relationship)
Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “A tram that broke away from a descending journey on the steep slant at Ponthenry Colliery, in the Gwendraeth Valley, in 1911 ran wild…” - Tub (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A tram that broke away from a descending journey on the steep slant at…”
Sources
- (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1911 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Evan Rees, Ponthenry, 1911 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026