Brynlliw Colliery
Brynlliw Colliery was originally sunk between
1903 – 1908 by Thomas Williams (Llangennech) Ltd.
It was sunk to work dry steam coals from the Swansea Four Feet seam, at a depth
of around 340 yards. In 1914, the deeper and slightly thicker Five Feet Seam
was also developed. In 1925 the pit became a victim of the prevailing
depression and was closed until 1927.
It remained unproductive
until 1954, though the shafts and headgear were retained. In that year, the
National Coal Board approved a major re-development aimed at restoring Brynlliw to a working mine, at a cost of £4.8 million. The
project included the repair and deepening of the shafts, the driving of several
thousand yards of new underground roadways for loco haulage, new headgear, (equipped
for skip winding of coal in the No. 2 shaft and for man-riding
and materials in the No.1 shaft), a modern coal preparation plant capable of
handling 270 tons an hour run-of-mine coal and the construction of new pithead
baths and administrative buildings.
By 1961, the colliery was
back in production and by 1968 was showing an annual
output well over 300,000 tons from the Swansea Three Feet and Six Feet seams.
It closed in1982.
First sunk |
1903-1908 |
Manpower |
830 |
Annual saleable output |
314,000 tonnes |
Average weekly output
saleable |
6-7,000 tonnes |
Average output per man per
shift |
5.4 tonnes |
Deepest working level |
410 meters (1,345 feet) |
Number of coal faces |
3 |
Shaft depth – 1 |
335m (1099ft) |
Diameter |
4.1m (13’ 6”) |
Shaft Depth – 2 |
350m (1148 ft) |
Diameter |
4.1m (13’ 6”) |
Manwinding capacity |
48 |
Coal winding capacity |
8 tonnes |
Winding engines |
1100/1450 hp |
Stocking capacity on
surface |
500,000 tonnes |
Type of coal |
Anthracite – Dry Steam |
Coal reserves |
3.4 million tonnes |