Pictures have emerged of an eerie abandoned tunnel that has been closed for over half a century.
Built in 1897, Cwmcerwyn Tunnel was part of a 17-mile railway linking a number of industrial communities across south Wales, from Port Talbot to Maesteg. Like many of the large infrastructure projects conducted in Wales' past, the primary purpose of the development was transporting coal.
This once busy line was closed in 1964 - 50 years after the initial plans were submitted by the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company - along with Cwmcerwyn Tunnel, which became derelict over the subsequent decades.
These days, the disused 925 metre-long construction casts a more ghostly presence in between Maesteg and the village of Bryn in Neath Port Talbot.
The Daily Post report s that the entrance at either side is blocked off and people are urged to avoid exploring the abandoned site due to its potential hazards.
You can see pictures of the tunnel here:
The tunnel was considered the principal engineering feat of the £200,000 railway at the time of its construction.
It passes through mixed strata, which required a varied approach to construction. In areas where rock was encountered, sidewalls were dispensed with in favour of shelves that supported the tunnel's arch.
Generally the lining comprises four or five brick rings in lime mortar, with brickwork or stone sidewalls. At a few locations, short lengths of concrete invert were also added.
Remedial works were required from the outset due to ground movement and in 1907 an entire section of the tunnel was rebuilt with cast iron segments - which can be seen in the gallery above.
Thick layers of mud have now formed in several areas of the tunnel, which is another reason why it is best avoided by the public.
As things stand, no plans are in place to revive the single bore tunnel which is set to remain disused for the foreseeable future. Information for this article was provided by Forgotten Relics.
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