Nantgarw Colliery

Nantgarw Colliery was a coal mine and later developed Coking coal works, located in the village on Nantgarw, Mid Glamorgan, Wales located just north of Cardiff.

Opened in 1910, it closed in 1986. The site is now redeveloped as the industrial estate Parc Nantgarw.

Craig Yr Allt Colliery was situated south of Nantgarw village. However, whenever the River Taff flooded, water frequently entered its workings, and it was abandoned in 1878.

Thomas Taylor of Pontypridd began the development of Nantgarw colliery in May 1910, near the base of the Caerphilly Syncline seam. The sinking of the twin shafts in 1911 reached the coal seam at a depth of more than 850 yards (780 m) in 1915, placing them 2,000 feet (610 m) below sea level, making Nantgarw the deepest pit to be sunk in the South Wales Coalfield up to that time.

Connected to the Rhymney Railway via the Coryton Line, the mine was sold to the Taff Rhondda Navigation Steam Coal Co in 1924. The 850 men were redeployed in 1927 after geographical difficulties were encountered and the pit abandoned. Bought by Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co Ltd, following further development attempts it was put into "care and maintenance."

Powell Duffryn designed a development scheme in 1937, but work was suspended when World War II broke out in 1939. A later project to re-open the colliery was approved by the Ministry of Fuel and Power in 1946, and after nationalisation in 1947, the National Coal Board invested £5 million on modern surface constructions and modern mining methods. The NCB designed a model colliery, with all old working demolished and new surface buildings designed with state-of-the-art facilities, with appliances installed to reduce smoke and fumes. Coal production started in 1952, and by 1954, 200 men worked the surface and 820 men underground. New landings were made in both shafts at 280yds and 380yds, in order to work the mine by a system known as "Horizon Mining" employed in an effort to mine coal despite the sites geological problems. All the sites waste was dumped into the shafts to a level 60 ft below these new landings, placed underground to keep the surface clear of unsightly spoil heaps. The main heading was driven south, with the workings cutting though the No.1 Rhondda, Bute, Brass and Hard seams due to the 36 degree dip to the north.

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