Including Panteg and Griffithstown, Pontypool and Pontymoile, Blaendare, Upper and Lower Race, The Glyn valley, Hafodyrynys,
Pontnewynydd, Tirpentws and Cwm-ffrwd-oer and Blaenserchan and Cwm-nant-ddu.

A narrow-gauge tramway ran from a siding on the MRCC railway to deliver coal to the hospital boiler house. It crossed the Monmouthshire Canal to the hospital grounds on what appears to be simply a couple of girders on concrete abutments. The girders have gone but the abutments remain at ST 292995.

The second gasworks in Pontypool opened in 1946 on a large site at ST 296998, right beside Pontypool Road loco sheds, with extensive sidings coming off the Hereford line. The works closed in 1973 and the site is now an industrial estate. A public footpath ran around the site, beside the Hereford line, and to avoid the railway connecting line, a pedestrian subway was built. This still exists, fenced off and very overgrown, with the footpath now crossing the trackbed. The foundations of the main gasholder, which was dismantled in 2005, also still exists.

The Panteg Steelworks at ST 296983 began operation in 1973 but had mixed success until 1883 when acquired by the forerunners of Richard Thomas and Baldwins Ltd. A period of expansion and modernisation followed right up to the late 1980s. Subsequently the works considerably reduced its activities and rail traffic ceased in 1989 before the final closure in 2004. The upper part of the works has been demolished and is now a housing estate. The lower part is still standing in 2009 but derelict. The photo was taken in 1966 at the north end of the works showing Peckett 2146, built in 1953.

A footpath runs between what were the two sections of the works and leads to the original NAHR station building, derelict but still standing and an unusual footbridge over the Hereford line.

There are three aqueducts at Pontymoile, the centre one is the course of the Afon Llwyd, the Western one was the route of the Pontypool Tramway and the Eastern one less obvious. It is certainly a footpath now but was it also a tramway route? The outside tubes are probably flood tunnels but the shape of the middle 'tube' suggests a horse tramway. There is no evidence of this on the old maps but.... The Western aqueduct has two tunnels, the Western one probably a watercouse and the Eastern one carried the tramway from the Lower Mills tinplate works to Pontypool town. All three aqueducts are in excellent condition.

The tramway from Pontymoile can be traced up the lane from the canal, across Usk Road and past Pontymoile tinplate works, where an old building is used by a builders merchant. The tramway carries along the riverbank through the leisure centre car park. Here a branch went to the old Pontypool gasworks at ST 284005, which was in use by 1885. At ST 283008, the tramway passed through a tunnel, constructed c1825, under the town centre. The tunnel is partially open as it contains pipework for one of the services. There are openings to the right onto the steep riverbank and then it is blocked up. It is untraceable beyond here as it carried on along the riverbank to Town, Central and Osborne Forges. Modern housing and roads have obliterated the area but in places the Western river banks and walls show their age and heritage.

Plas-y-coed Brickworks Eastern Valleys Black Vein Colliery Plas-y-coed Colliery and levels Plas-y-coed Brickworks and Eastern Valleys Black Vein shared the site immediately beside the viaduct at SO 262013. Little remains now but rough ground. Plas-y-coed Colliery was 0.5 miles further west at SO 258010 and was open from 1885 to 1923. Not much remains but there is an adit entrance still visible. There are the remains of two small adits on the left hand side of the road at SO 258009, one appears to be stone and the other metal arched. These are just before the long, thin quarry SO 256006. There were other levels in the area including three comprising Plum Tree (or Cwmfrydoer) Colliery, open from before 1886 to at least 1908. These may have been on the other side of the valley.

Tirpentws Colliery (originally known as Gelli) was the largest in Cwm-ffrwd-oer at SO 247999, working from 1868 to 1969 and included a small level known as Black Vein. After closure the whole area was cleared, used as a rubbish dump and now landscaped. There are the remains of a large building at SO 246000 beside a small quarry. A 2'8" gauge tramway ran from the colliery to a landsale yard at SO 255005 from 1901 to1919.
Ty Gwyn Colliery overlooked Tirpentws from the Western head of the valley at SO 242002. There are overgrown tips at the head of the track down to Tirpentws and the site of a shaft at SO 241000.

Black Barn Colliery was a rarity in South Wales, a working small mine, situated at SO 241007. There are two adits, the upcast occupied by the conveyor system, the downcast by the tramway leading to an ingenious tippler that tips the whole tram. Unfortunately, in 2009, production ceased and most of the equipment was moved elsewhere.

Blaen-y-cwm Colliery was an old mine working from before 1843 to around 1895. There are still some old tips to be seen but the working area has disappeared under the opencast and forestry work.

Hafodyrynys Canyons were formed by NCB opencast work begun in the 1950s and closed down in the 1960s. They are now partially flooded and forested. An aerial ropeway ran from the Eastern end across the hill to Blaenserchan in Cwm-nant-ddu valley and the concrete loading bases remain. The disused canyons also became the home to two small mines. The sites are difficult to spot in amongst the general dereliction but there are still signs of them about.

Pant-y-gasseg Colliery in the Eastern canyon (SO 239014) opened in 1972, closing in 2005 and reputedly the last horse-worked mine in South Wales. The two adits have been sealed but odd rails can be found. A newer adit to the left and in front of the other two is quite prominent.

Ruthin Colliery in the Western canyon (SO 234015) opened at around the same time but was closed by 1995.

There are lots of photos of the area are on my photo gallery website :- 'Transport and Industry - The Leftovers'

and specific galleries for the area are :-
Pontypool Town
Blaendare and the Races
The Glyn valley
Cwm-ffrwd-oer
Cwm-nant-ddu

A comprehensive sortable 'Excel' spreadsheet of all known sites is on The Home Page