Tymawr Colliery

Overview

The Trehafod colliery that outlived its famous neighbour. Modernised in 1958 at a cost of £1.2 million and merged with Lewis Merthyr, it took over all the coal winding for the combined pit while Lewis Merthyr handled men and materials, and worked on until June 1983.

History

Tymawr stood beside Lewis Merthyr at Trehafod in the Rhondda, and for twenty-five years the two were one operation. In 1958 Tymawr was modernised at a cost of £1.2 million and merged with its neighbour. From then all the coal was brought to the surface through Tymawr, with men and materials going in and out through Lewis Merthyr — which is why Lewis Merthyr, the better-known name, stopped winding coal twenty-five years before either pit shut.

Production ceased in June 1983, ending deep mining at Trehafod. The pithead gear and buildings of the combined site are preserved as the Rhondda Heritage Park.

Geology

The colliery worked the steam coal seams of the Rhondda, the same measures as Lewis Merthyr beside it, in the eastern Rhondda valley at Trehafod.

Geological setting: Sedimentary Beds and Seams (well documented example)

Workings

After the 1958 merger Tymawr carried the whole of the combined colliery's coal winding, its neighbour being reduced to men and supplies. Nothing of the shaft arrangement is recorded.

Closure

Production ceased in June 1983. The two records disagree on the exact month: Welsh Coal Mines gives June 1983 and this archive's own Lewis Merthyr record gives July.

What remains

The pithead gear and buildings now form part of the Rhondda Heritage Park at Trehafod, a museum of Welsh coal mining with underground tours led by former colliery workers.

The pithead gear and colliery buildings of the combined site, preserved within the Rhondda Heritage Park.

Redevelopment

The site is part of the Rhondda Heritage Park.

Related mines

• Lewis Merthyr Colliery — Adjacent Trehafod collieries merged into one operation, after which Tymawr wound all the coal and Lewis Merthyr handled men and materials; both are preserved together as the Rhondda Heritage Park.

What's uncertain

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

• Welsh Coal Mines dates the merger to 1958; this archive's own Lewis Merthyr record dates it to 1960. (disputed) ¹
• Welsh Coal Mines gives June 1983; this archive's own Lewis Merthyr record gives July 1983. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• In 1958 Lewis Merthyr was merged with Tymawr; all the coal was then brought to the surface via Tymawr and the materials supplied via Lewis Merthyr. ¹
• Welsh Coal Mines dates the merger to 1958; this archive's own Lewis Merthyr record dates it to 1960. (disputed) ¹
• Welsh Coal Mines gives June 1983; this archive's own Lewis Merthyr record gives July 1983. (disputed) ¹
• The pithead gear and buildings now form part of the Rhondda Heritage Park, a museum of Welsh coal mining where former colliery workers lead underground tours. ^2,1

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Lewis Merthyr Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Rhondda Heritage Park — Wikipedia

Record created: 9 September 2026 · Last researched: 9 September 2026