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cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	South Wales Tunnel Update Putting together a list of tunnels I want to visit / re-visit so I can get a few photographs of them and from visits this year and asking about, their current status would appear to be - Glyn Tunnel, 280yds - Never visited but told it has been infilled at both portals and no access. Clydach Tunnels, 270yds - Eastern portals fenced but access probably possible with a squeeze ! Western portals bricked up and no access. Gelli-felen Tunnels, 352yds - Eastern and Western portals accessable (of one tunnel). Penar Tunnel, 239yds - Both portals fenced but access sometimes possible at town end. Monmouth Troy, 140yds - Never visited but told it is blocked and no access. Believed infilled. Usk Tunnel, 256yds - Access at both portals. Cymmer Tunnel, 1591yds - Northern portal buried, southern portal bricked up and no apparent access. Gelli Tunnel, 167yds - Easily accessable. Gylfichi Tunnel, 1019yds - Northern portal buried, Southern portal accessable. Lots and lots of water ! Cwmcerwyn Tunnel, 1012yds - Both portals bricked and fenced but access sometimes possible. New gate now present with combi lock. Torpantau Tunnel, 667yds - Southern portal approach still completely flooded and no access unless you can fly. Northern portal also flooded but accessable. Tal-y-llyn Tunnel, 674yds - Western portal bricked up and no access. Eastern portal inaccessable. Tunnel very flooded. Bat sanctuary by all accounts. Rhayader Tunnel, 290yds - Both portals bricked up and inaccessable. No change. Abernant / Merthyr Tunnel, 2497yds - Eastern portal accessable but you have to avoid the doggers in Gelli woods ! Western portal also now accesable. Garth Tunnel, 450yds - Never visited but believe still inaccessable. Morlais Tunnel, 1040yds - Both Northern and Southern portals open and accessable. Cefn Glas Tunnel, 703yds - Eastern and Western portals open and accessable. Plenty of water around ! Rhonnda Tunnel, 3443yds - Both portals infilled and blocked. Two access points. One needs lock opening, the other needs balls of steel ! Graig Tunnel, 1373yds - Both portals blocked and inaccessable although hospital portal can be open on occasions. Wenvoe Tunnel, 1867yds - Northern portal fenced but still accessable. ----------------------
Sun 25 Sep 2011 @ 23:11
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	I haven't been to Garth tunnel since end of last year but both ends had welded steel doors. If you did get in you wouldn't be able to walk through unless you could fly. They cut through the hill for an access road into the quarry. It cuts through the middle of the tunnel. ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Mon 26 Sep 2011 @ 20:21
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Never been myself to Garth but saw your pics of the doors and the note about them cutting it in two for an access road. Doubt there will ever be much chance of every getting in either portal there to be honest.
Mon 26 Sep 2011 @ 20:51
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	Portable gererator and angle grinder? ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Mon 26 Sep 2011 @ 21:19
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Ha ! Not a bad idea if you really needed and wanted to get in. Funnily enough, I have seen the remains of use of angle grinders at a few tunnels, notably Merthyr / Abernant (Merthyr portal) and at Gyfylchi. The thing that always got me was that these two portals are basically in the middle of nowhere so hauling an angle grinder up there would be a feat in itself. I'm usually lucky to get myself there let alone lugging that type of equipment !
Mon 26 Sep 2011 @ 21:51
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	cunningcorgi wrote: I'm usually lucky to get myself there let alone lugging that type of equipment ! That's what wives are for ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Sat 01 Oct 2011 @ 17:05
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	BTW, if you decide to visit any of the above give me a shout. I /may/ be working local (or even off!) and me and my dog will tag along. ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Sat 01 Oct 2011 @ 17:07
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	No problem at all. Won't be here next weekend - 8th / 9th October - as off to France for the week but hope to get out the following weekend, 15th / 16th October. Thinking about one of Merthyr/Abernant, Torpantau, Morlais or Cefn Glas. Let us know what you think.
Sat 01 Oct 2011 @ 18:22
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	Well, I still haven't got around to Merthyr/Abernant tunnel yet so........ You okay for a springer spaniel to tag along?? He's pretty good with a camera ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Sat 01 Oct 2011 @ 20:48
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	No problem at all ! The corgi isn't that good with a camera though !
Mon 03 Oct 2011 @ 18:32
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	No doubt the dog makes up for it by being cunning?? ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Mon 03 Oct 2011 @ 19:33
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	I wish he was cunning - he is getting there but he is still quite young so plenty of time for him yet. Was having a look at the Ordinance Survey and Google maps and don't think we will need to park up in Gethin Woods (although it is where I have gone before) as they sometimes just lock the gate there at any time at all and leave you locked in. Sure there is a shorter route from the top of Abercanid under the A470 or indeed following the old track bed beside the roundabout at the next roundabout up from the Gethin Woods roundabout. Will have a drive up next week when I am back to confirm it all. Have the OS map and Google map on a Word document if you want a gander at it.
Tue 04 Oct 2011 @ 18:14
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Scratch all the above. Looks like it will have to be the Aberdare side to enter if what I was told tonight is true and Merthyr side is railed off. Aberdare side was open the first week of September. As a back up, the Miler in Morlais is definatly open anyway.
Tue 04 Oct 2011 @ 21:28
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	Okay, let me know what's happening ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Wed 05 Oct 2011 @ 17:51
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Will do. I'm off tomorrow morning for a few days and back next Tuesday. Will check the Merthyr end on Wednesday. When I was last up there (July), it was fine as the railings had been kicked apart. Again !! They had a shed load of anti climb crap over the railings too. Hopefully the youth of Merthyr will do the necessary over the weekend ! I've never gone in through Abernant as when I went through the Abernant end was fully secured so basically just had to turn back. At the moment though, railings are broken there allegedly. I don't really mind going in that way but prefer the Merthyr end as there are no houses or nosey illegitimate persons looking at you and asking if 'you are alright' or if they 'can help' ! I don't get the Railways sometimes though. Some tunnels like Merthyr are in fairly good condition yet they try and board them up regardless. Some others like Cefn Glas are a bit ropey but they don't bother with them !
Wed 05 Oct 2011 @ 18:59
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline	Looks like I won't be around until Thursday anyway. I'll be stuck working in a place called Little Barford in Bedfordshire (I think - it's somewhere over that way!). Perhaps the Merthyr tunnel gets blocked off as it's close to where people live. Cefn Glas is a bit of a trek from anywhere. ---------------------- Ratty http://www.ratsandwich.co.uk
Thu 06 Oct 2011 @ 19:23
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Well it seems the Merthyr end might be accessable. Haven't had a chance to actually go up and check it and won't be able to check before Saturday. From someone who was there about 2 weeks ago though, Merthyr end is locked shut but seen a recent picture of it and reckon it could be got through. Abernant end by all accounts is open after someone took an angle grinder to it (but seen a recent photo of this too and it looks waaaayyyy more secure than Merthyr end). I've put a Google map link to where the portal is at the Abernant side. Portal is above Blaen-nant-y-groes Road (above the Farm Cottage and slightly to the left). Parking should be ok on B-n-y-g Road itself. Not sure which way is the best to go with this tbh. Merthyr end would definatly would be quieter than Abernant end with regard to houses / people nearby. Could take pot luck and toss a coin I suppose and go for one end. If that is blocked, would take about 20 mins to drive to the other side I reckon. I'm grand for Saturday (anytime after the match !!) or Sunday (anytime). Sunday might be quieter but then again, you never know with these sort of places ! Zoom in to see the road in question on Abernant end. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=Cwmbach,+Aberdare&gs_upl=2794l13764l0l14279l18l15l0l2l2l0l438l3357l0.8.3.3.1l17l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=673&wrapid=tlif131852827695510&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=ciWXTvPMEIS2hQfegPWKBA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=3&ved=0CA8Q_AUoAg
Thu 13 Oct 2011 @ 18:47
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Will head off to the Merthyr portal now for a look seeing as Alain Bloody Rolland has destroyed the semi final...
Sat 15 Oct 2011 @ 09:42
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	Merthyr end is 110% do-able !!! Have to park in Gethin Woods but only takes about a 15 minute walk to the portal. Bring a towel for the dog though as he'll get muddy !
Sat 15 Oct 2011 @ 15:09
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline	ratty - if you see this before Sunday 9am, PM me.
Sat 15 Oct 2011 @ 17:08
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