Pwllfaron Colliery runaway tram, 1901

On the night of Tuesday 13 August 1901 a runaway set of empty trams overtook the journey on which a pump boy and a rider were travelling down the slant at Pwllfaron Colliery, Glyn-neath. Richard Davies, 16, was killed outright and William Morgan, 20, died of his injuries.

Cause

A set of empty trams ran away from the surface down the slant and struck the journey on which the two were riding.

What happened

Richard Davies, aged sixteen, who worked at the pump, was riding down the drift on a journey of empty trams with the rider, William Morgan. Another lot of empty trams ran away from the surface and overtook them. The impact threw both off. Davies was killed on the spot, and his watch, stopped at twenty to nine, was driven into his body. He was found under an empty tram. Morgan was caught by the rope and dragged at least a hundred yards down the incline, breaking both legs. He was taken to Swansea Hospital and later died of his injuries.

Davies was the son of Jenkyn Davies of Wellfield Terrace, Glyn-neath.

Investigation & inquiry

Howel Cuthbertson, the county coroner, held the inquest on Richard Davies at Glyn-neath on Thursday 15 August. The jury returned a verdict of 'killed by trams' and, at the coroner's suggestion, recommended that a banksman be employed at the colliery at night as well as during the day.

Changes to practice & legislation

The inquest jury recommended a night banksman at the drift mouth.

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 killed are listed at Aberpergwm Colliery, worked with Pwllfaron by the same owner. (disputed) ⁴

Recorded claims

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

• On 13 August 1901 a runaway tram killed a pump boy and a rider riding an empty journey down the slant at Pwllfaron. ^1,2
• A set of empty trams ran away from the surface and overtook the journey the two were riding. ^1,2
• The inquest jury returned 'killed by trams' and recommended a banksman at the colliery at night as well as by day. ³
• The two killed are listed at Aberpergwm Colliery, worked with Pwllfaron by the same owner. (disputed) ⁴

Related terminology

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

• Banksman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the investigation: “…by trams' and, at the coroner's suggestion, recommended that a banksman be employed at the colliery at night as well as during the day.”
• Drift (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…Davies, aged sixteen, who worked at the pump, was riding down the drift on a journey of empty trams with the rider, William Morgan. Another…”
• Journey (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…of Tuesday 13 August 1901 a runaway set of empty trams overtook the journey on which a pump boy and a rider were travelling down the slant at…”
• Slant (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…the journey on which a pump boy and a rider were travelling down the slant at Pwllfaron Colliery, Glyn-neath. Richard Davies, 16, was killed…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “On the night of Tuesday 13 August 1901 a runaway set of empty trams overtook the journey on which a pump boy and a rider were travelling…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (primary) Disasters - Names: Pwllfaron, 13th August 1901 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Shocking accident at Glyn-Neath: boy killed and another seriously injured (Evening Express, 14 August 1901) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Glyn-Neath fatality (Evening Express, 16 August 1901) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
4. (secondary) Welsh coal mining fatalities, 1901 — Welsh Coal Mines

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