Mines

I continue my week on South Wales Coal Mines with one last photo of Penallta's winding wheels.
In 1947, the mine was nationalised as part of the governments post-World War II regeneration scheme, and became owned by the National Coal Board. Investment was made, and in the late 1940s a Meco-Moore Cutter Loader was installed, one of the first power loaders to be used in British mines, and as a result the Minister of Fuel and Power Hugh Gaitskell made a visit in December 1949.[2] The colliery formed a rugby union club in 1952 called Penallta RFC, and in 1954 produced 500,000 tonnes of coal.[3] During 1960 the shafts were extended to reach 800 yards as part of a scheme, which also included electrification of the shaft winding engines.[1]

But access to coal was becoming more difficult, and by the 1970s only 700 men were producing 210,000 tons yearly from the Lower Nine Feet and Seven Feet seams - both 20% of the figures at the height of production. The colliery survived the 1984-1985 miners strike, and made impressive gains in production after the return to work.[3] But it was closed by British Coal on 1 November 1991 with the last shift led out by a brass band,[1] the last deep mine working in the Rhymney Valley.[3]