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Post by twynjasper on Jul 30, 2013 15:41:08 GMT 1
I had my first visit to the Ynysfach engine house, I enjoyed seeing what was saved and appreciated the effort of the gentlemen who opened up, though I was dismayed once again of what has been lost of our heritage, why we have not been able to build around the features and use them as an architectural feature is beyond me. When we talk of our heritage in Merthyr all we are able to say in many cases is that is under there or knocked down. Whilst perusing what was left you could see where they had smashed away vast sections of the cast iron girder work for the addition of modern stairways and doorways, the ironwork I presume was a part of the steam engine or fan structure, with the stonework being added around and on this framework. It was also not clear on my visit what type of fan was powered by the steam engine, was it a bellow or reciprocating cylinder / cylinders, (does anyone have the engineering drawings of technical information of the type of fan or the engineering structure? I doubt if it was a radial or axial fan. There was at the time of my visit machines outside the building moving waste from the new bridge site to just outside the engine house, in the process of depositing the waste they were burying old cast cylinders and cast column plinths. It really makes you think when are they going to appreciate our heritage. These items I expect will soon end up in some scrap yard.
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Post by robertjones on Aug 4, 2013 17:39:54 GMT 1
Whilst I agree with your comments, despite its historical significance, the Engine House was the centre of a pull-it-down / keep it up controversy in the 1960s. We are lucky it is still standing! I would urge people to visit while it is open ( and bring children ) because it has been closed for over 2 years. Opening Hours Monday to Friday
10am to 12pm 2pm to 4pm
Possibly a good deal of damage was done to the building when it was 'abandoned' for good c. 1900, or iron material was taken for scrap WW1. I will try to research into the working history ..... 1831 to c.1879 ..... I think it was a bellow but need confirmation ....... Certainly some official body ought to be looking into what is being uncovered at the moment ..... where are the experts in industrial history??
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Post by twynjasper on Aug 4, 2013 18:37:29 GMT 1
Thanks Robert for your comments,I have since recently worked in coal mining for over 40 years mainly on the engineering side,I take an interest in how things work, quite a lot of what we have left is like a jig saw puzzle the answers I am sure are out there some where?
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