The first stage of returning historic machinery from the Welsh mining industry to its well-known home has begun.
Cefn Coed Colliery Museum is on the site of a mine that first raised coal in 1930.
The museum, in Crynant, opened in 1978 and began to show signs of neglect over the last few years after its funding was cut by Neath Port Talbot Council , who were looking to make millions of pounds worth of savings.
Welsh Government owns the land but the council leases the buildings and car park on a 100-year lease which started in the 1980s.
In 2016, the 1927 Worsley Mesnes Horizontal Duplex Cylinder Steam Winding engine was dismantled over safety concerns and left "in half and rusty." It was taken away for restoration three years ago.
The museum also boasts the only gas-powered passenger tramcar in the world in its collection.
The state of the winding gear, which is one of the biggest machines of its kind in Britain, caused frustration for volunteers, visitors and local councillors who become involved with the future of the museum and said progress was "frustratingly slow".
Speaking in 2019, Crynant ward councillor, Sian Harris, said: "The winding gear is in half and rusty, it doesn’t help make it look open.
"People ask us what we are doing about putting them back up – we are trying.
"We need the winding gear up so we can crack on with plans for the museum’s future."
Finally, work has begun to restore the headframes and return the winding gear to its former glory after the first parts of the huge machinery were lifted back into place on Wednesday, February 11.
The operation to join the first section of the headframe to the base was underway on Wednesday, after a large crane was seen at the site lifting a part of the frame into place.
Site Supervisor, James Priday said: "It'll be fully welded by the end of play today. By the end of the summer hopefully we'll get the top section back on and then hopefully one day the wheels will be turning again, fingers crossed."
A viewing area was set up so that members of the public could watch but any onlookers were warned on the museum's social media pages that it could be a "slow process," depending on the weather.
