| blaenavon-big-pit-09.jpg[425×293] The landscape around Blaenavon is blighted by industrial tips, although recent schemes have helped soften the lines and grass over the black coal waste. Today the Big Pit (aka The National Mining Museum of Wales) is one of only two remaining mines where visitors can journey to the underground workings below. A caged lift takes you some some Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon2.jpg[160×160] Blaenavon Industrial Landscape Moulded by the coal and iron industries, Blaenavon is testimony to the importance of South Wales during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century. Many of the original furnaces, foundry Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-03.jpg[425×288] through a bleak, windswept landscape, trains trundle up a short steep section of line from a platform by the former colliery furnace site to a halt opposite the Whistle Stop public house. The railway started operating in 1983 and has plans to extend the line a mile and a quarter further southwards from Furnace Sidings to Blaenavon (High Level). Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-02.jpg[425×288] A caged lift takes you some some 300 ft (90 m) underground, with wisecracking ex-miners taking you on a tour of the workings. The Pontypool Blaenavon Railway - a volunteer-run preserved railway - is located close to the Big Pit. The 'highest standard gauge railway in Wales' and running through a bleak, windswept Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-01.jpg[425×296] with the creation of the Big Pit mining museum, although recent attempts to turn it into Wales's second book town (the first being Hay-on-Wye ) haven't met with a great deal of success. The landscape around Blaenavon is blighted by industrial tips, although recent schemes have helped soften the lines and grass over the black coal waste. Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-05.jpg[425×307] The rather understated station at Blaenavon. Industrial locomotives with Big Pit behind. Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-06.jpg[425×301] Looking over the town of Blaenavon. Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-08.jpg[425×311] Seeing the 'before and after' photos of a community absolutely decimated by the evil Margaret Thatcher, it's hard not to leave just a little big angry and downhearted too. Some grim-looking underground machinery. I can't imagine how dreadful the operator's job must have been. Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-04.jpg[425×303] The railway started operating in 1983 and has plans to extend the line a mile and a quarter further southwards from Furnace Sidings to Blaenavon (High Level). The rather understated station at Blaenavon. Publishing origin | |
| blaenavon-big-pit-07.jpg[425×296] Looking over the town of Blaenavon. The tour of the works is fantastic. Seeing the 'before and after' photos of a community absolutely decimated by the evil Margaret Thatcher, it's hard not to leave just a little big angry and Publishing origin |
United Kingdom's World Heritage