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The last train carrying coal from a controversial mine has passed through Caerphilly County Borough.

The train transported coal from Cwmbargoed Disposal Point to Port Talbot on February 23.

It travelled down the Taff Bargoed valley and through Ystrad Mynach.

It was carrying a load from the UK’s last opencast mine, Ffos y Fran, which closed in November 2023.

The mine caused controversy before it closed after its owner, Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd, continued digging despite planning permission expiring. 

Coal in south Wales valleys

The south Wales valleys have a rich history of coal production that dates back to the 18th century.

Coal helped to fuel production as the local iron and steel industries boomed. 

Demand increased throughout the 19th century and Welsh coal became a key product with towns and villages shaped in its shadows. 

By 1913, the Welsh mines produced 36 million tonnes of coal – more than any other time in the country’s industrial history. 

Caerphilly played its part in mining history, with collieries in towns and villages across the borough.