 |
Aberdare Boys’ Grammar SchoolMiscellaneous Section |
 |
Two photographs taken from behind Tudor Terrace in 1973, showing the old playing field
and the empty site of the G.W.R. engine shed.
from Dylan Morgan (past student: 1957–1964)
The photo has been taken looking toward the north east. On the left we see Bridge Street that overlooked the Robertstown playing field, which still had the rugby goals in place. To the right of the pitch were the courts of the Aberdare Town Tennis Club, and finally the site of the GWR engine shed*. Other features in the photograph include the opencast tip which is visible on the mountainside; and, directly below the camera is the parking area of the depot that belonged to the Red & White Bus Company.
*The shed cost around £50,000 to build and was opened on November 11th, 1907, but demolished in May 1969. In its time, the shed was home to several of the 2600 Class locomotives; these were powerful engines that successfully hauled mineral trains from Aberdare to Swindon for a period of almost 40 years. These locomotives became known as ‘ The Aberdares’, but no examples of this class survive. Pictures of the Aberdare shed can be found here.
This photo is taken from the same spot as the last, but the camera points further to the right. The Red & White depot is in the foreground; new factories on the site of the old engine shed are just over the railway lines, and Aberdare Hospital can be seen amongst the trees in Abernant.