Cefn Glas Tunnel, Abercynon

The Cefn Glas Tunnel opened in 1851. It carried the GWR line onward from Pontypool to Neath. The southern entrance was at Quakers Yard. This area got its name from a Quaker burial ground close by. This single-track railway shut on 15 June 1964. The tunnel runs for 645 metres and is mostly straight. Close to the western end, it curves slightly to the north. Inside, there are several safety refuges. The tunnel's structure changes along its length. It's mainly dry, but the tunnel is not in great condition. Sections of the inner wall have crumbled near the centre. The tunnel has a brick roof and stone walls. Its patchwork look shows many past repairs. A coal seam goes through the tunnel's south wall. It is rumoured that locals mined coal here during the 1984 miners' strike.