0
00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:10,476
In 1 840, one man transformed
travel In BrItaIn.

1
00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,994
HIs name was George Bradshaw,

2
00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:17,511
and hIs raIlway guIdes InspIred
the VIctorIans to take to the tracks.

3
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:19,594
Stop by stop,

4
00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,551
he told them where to travel,

5
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,955
what to see and where to stay.

6
00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,749
Now, 1 70 years later,

7
00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,668
I'm makIng a serIes ofjourneys across
the length and breadth of the country

8
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,678
to see what of Bradshaw's BrItaIn
remaIns.

9
00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:00,072
Using my Bradshaw's GuIde,
I'm now pressing further into WaIes.

10
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,751
The fortunes of the communities of south
WaIes have ridden the roIIer-coaster

11
00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,314
of the IndustriaI RevoIution
in the 19th century,

12
00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,476
de-industriaIisation in the 20th

13
00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,195
and are now adjusting themseIves
for Iife in the 21st.

14
00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:15,788
My guIdebook told VIctorIan tourIsts

15
00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,117
where to fInd the best and the worst
of the IndustrIalIsed valleys.

16
00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,994
I want to see how much holds true today.

17
00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:24,599
I'll be vIsItIng Barry Island,

18
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,315
a favourIte holIday spot
of 19th-century mIners...

19
00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:30,078
(man) They came in huge numbers.

20
00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:31,315
We've got about 100,000

21
00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,318
in the very first summer
that this raiIway station opened.

22
00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,830
..penetratIng the polItIcal heart
of Wales's capItal cIty...

23
00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:41,316
It's a great priviIege to be
aIIowed into the debating chamber.

24
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,591
It's as different from the House
of Commons as it couId possibIy be.

25
00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:46,358
..and seeIng what's left

26
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,075
of thIs regIon's
extraordInary VIctorIan raIlway network.

27
00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,953
That is amazing.
These are the vaIIeys of south WaIes.

28
00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,355
RaiIway Iines going up
every singIe one of them.

29
00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,119
That is the most extraordinary picture,
isn't it?

30
00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:01,511
I'm over halfway through a long journey

31
00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,950
from Oxford
to the Welsh port of MIIford Haven.

32
00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,119
The quIntessentIally EnglIsh landscape
of the Cotswold and Malvern HIlls

33
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,631
now lIes far behInd me
as I explore the valleys of south Wales,

34
00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,799
transformed
by 19th-century IndustrIalIsatIon.

35
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:21,196
The capItal, CardIff,
Is my startIng-poInt on thIs stretch,

36
00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,072
whIch takes In coastal Barry

37
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,079
before headIng north
to the mInIng town of Merthyr TydfIl.

38
00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,797
My journey starts
In the hIstorIc county of Glamorgan.

39
00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:34,150
In Bradshaw's day, thIs regIon was vItal

40
00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,670
to the growIng success
of BrItaIn's IndustrIal RevolutIon.

41
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,479
I'm gettIng off at CardIff Central

42
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,479
to explore a cIty
born In the age of steam.

43
00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:51,670
My Bradshaw's GuIde refers to

44
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,794
''the profusion of coaI, iron and
Iimestone which everywhere abounds''.

45
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:00,276
''These mineraI riches have raised
GIamorganshire to great importance

46
00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,152
during the Iast haIf-century.''

47
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,750
It says, ''The inhabitants of Cardiff,''
where I am now,

48
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,996
''carry on a considerabIe trade
ith BristoI

49
00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,432
and export a great quantity of
wrought iron and coaI to foreign parts.''

50
00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,597
I'm interested to know what part
the Victorians and the raiIways

51
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,598
pIayed in the transformation
of south WaIes.

52
00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,355
These days,
CardIff Is the proud capItal of Wales.

53
00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:31,350
But as recently as 1 801, thIs was a
modest port of fewer than 2,000 people.

54
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:32,629
That changed

55
00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:37,276
as the demand for Welsh coal surged
durIng the IndustrIal RevolutIon.

56
00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:41,029
By the early 20th century,
the populatIon had grown a hundredfold

57
00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,993
and the docks heaved wIth traIns,

58
00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,157
carryIng thIs black gold
to shIps for export.

59
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,555
To learn more about thIs transformatIon,

60
00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,036
I'm meetIng local museum curator
VIctorIa Rogers.

61
00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,276
- Victoria, heIIo.
- PIeased to meet you.

62
00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,073
This is a great way
to Iook at Cardiff's raiIway heritage.

63
00:03:58,200 --> 00:03:59,679
It's great on a day Iike this.

64
00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,712
We're takIng a boat trIp
along the RIver Taff,

65
00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,958
whIch plays a surprIsIng role In
the hIstory of the raIlway In CardIff.

66
00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:11,119
My Bradshaw's taIks of Cardiff
in the mid-19th century as a town.

67
00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,310
It's just the capitaI of GIamorganshire.

68
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,831
That's right. Cardiff actuaIIy wasn't
a city untiI 1905.

69
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,191
It wasn't made capitaI city untiI 1955.

70
00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,790
There were three things, reaIIy,
in the space of around about ten years

71
00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,276
that enabIed Cardiff to become
eventuaIIy both of those things.

72
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,630
So, you've got the docks opening.

73
00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,719
You've got the Taff VaIe RaiIway
bringing the coaI down from the VaIIeys.

74
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:37,070
Then you've got the South WaIes RaiIway.

75
00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,557
The South Wales RaIlway connected
CardIff wIth Swansea and the West

76
00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,671
and all the way to London In the east.

77
00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:44,994
CardIff's new raIl lInks

78
00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,590
were buIlt by the famous engIneer
Isambard Kingdom Brunel,

79
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,917
but fIrst he had to overcome
some thorny problems.

80
00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,749
(VIctorIa) UnfortunateIy for him,
the Taff did a reaI big cuRVe

81
00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,714
right next to the area that he needed
to buiId a raiIway station.

82
00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:02,673
So what he did was buiId a cut

83
00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,837
and diverted the river
in a straighter Iine.

84
00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,474
(MIchael) So, the station is
buiIt on recIaimed Iand?

85
00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,309
(VIctorIa) AbsoIuteIy. The station,
what is now the bus station as weII,

86
00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,635
and the site of the MiIIennium Stadium,

87
00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,799
is aII buiIt on that recIaimed Iand
from BruneI's diversion.

88
00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,872
Aided by the network of tracks
that fed the docks,

89
00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:24,274
by the late 19th century,

90
00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,791
CardIff was recognIsed to be
the greatest coal port In the world.

91
00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:33,072
The town's newfound confIdence was
dIsplayed In grand new buIldIngs,

92
00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,670
lIke the Coal Exchange
whIch was opened In 1 886.

93
00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,439
WhIle the wheeler-dealer coal traders
are long gone,

94
00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,269
Its fIne facade stIll evokes
CardIff's heyday.

95
00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,437
- What did it Iook Iike inside?
- (VIctorIa) It was fantastic.

96
00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:52,032
I've read some great archivaI materiaI
about a dense cIoud of tobacco smoke.

97
00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,391
There was a barber,
so you couId have a haircut.

98
00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,717
You couId be measured for a suit here.
There was a ine merchant.

99
00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:01,638
Very often, peopIe wouId buy
bottIes of champagne

100
00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,671
to toast their nely-done deaIs.

101
00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,189
And they'd aII be here
in their top hats and taiIs.

102
00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,471
(VIctorIa) AbsoIuteIy. It wouId
have been a great sight, I'm sure.

103
00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,273
The Welsh mInes were prolIfIc.

104
00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:13,515
The coal they produced

105
00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,837
was among the most valuable
to VIctorIan IndustrIalIsts.

106
00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,670
It was perfect for producIng steam
to power machInes, shIps

107
00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,758
and, of course, raIlway locomotIves.

108
00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,395
South WaIes steam coaI was
seen as the best in the worId.

109
00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:33,071
And so the deciding of the price here

110
00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,670
was basicaIIy deciding
the price of coaI throughout the worId.

111
00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,519
ActuaIIy, this is said to be
the site of the first...

112
00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,916
..the worId's first miIIion-pound deaI
in 1907.

113
00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,156
It's an incredibIy important buiIding.

114
00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,556
But CardIff's coal prosperIty
wasn't to last.

115
00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,911
In the post-war perIod,
demand for coal nosedIved.

116
00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,191
The exchange fInally closed In 1958.

117
00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,278
In 1964, exports of coal ceased

118
00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,029
and the huge dock complex
lost Its reason for beIng.

119
00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,310
We're down where the Cardiff docks
used to be.

120
00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,592
I'm trying to imagine them in the 19th
century, a bustIe of ships and trains.

121
00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,915
I know. There's an amazing statistic

122
00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,079
about just how much raiIway track
there was in the docks.

123
00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:20,911
There was about 120 miIes of raiIway
track in one square miIe in the docks.

124
00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:25,192
There was a huge amount of coaI traffic
coming down from the VaIIeys

125
00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,470
and being shipped out via the raiIway.

126
00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:29,713
By the late 20th century,

127
00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:34,470
the derelIct areas of the docks had
made CardIff Bay an unappealIng spot.

128
00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,989
But In the 1990s, that began to change.

129
00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:41,591
A barrage was buIlt, creatIng
a vast lake and attractIve waterfront,

130
00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,553
whIch today Is home
to strIkIng modern buIldIngs,

131
00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,875
IncludIng the Wales MIllennIum Centre

132
00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,151
and the Senedd,
home to the Welsh Assembly.

133
00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:54,355
- HeIIo.
- HeIIo.

134
00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,392
- You're enjoying your coffees.
- (women laugh)

135
00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,158
Are you from Cardiff?

136
00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,157
- Do you remember the oId Cardiff?
- Yes.

137
00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,271
Describe that to me.

138
00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:08,394
WeII, you'd catch a boat down here
to go to Weston.

139
00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,671
And my father was from the docks,
wasn't he? Yes.

140
00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,358
What were the docks Iike?

141
00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,438
- Oh, it was different.
- It was a different community.

142
00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:18,232
It was a community of its own.

143
00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,909
Dark, dingy. But character.

144
00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,555
What about these modern buiIdings now?.
What about the WeIsh AssembIy?

145
00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,717
The buiIding itseIf, to Iook at,
I think it's good.

146
00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,115
It was supposed to be very green.

147
00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,310
I hope that's stiII the case.

148
00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,352
I've interrupted you enough.
You enjoy the coffee in the sun.

149
00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,552
Approval from some of the locals.

150
00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:41,955
I mustjudge
CardIff's famous Senedd for myseIf.

151
00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:48,076
It prIdes ItseIf on openness, InvItIng
anyone to explore Its publIc areas.

152
00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,317
The Iobby of the WeIsh AssembIy
has a wonderfuI roof.

153
00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,398
It reminds me of waves, or boats.

154
00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,397
Cardiff's maritime history.

155
00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,080
The architect has created gIass waIIs,

156
00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,714
I suppose to give
the idea of transparency.

157
00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:03,478
Transparency?

158
00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,113
Linked to poIitics?

159
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:06,593
The idea iII never catch on.

160
00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:11,195
At the heart of the Senedd
Is the SIambr, or chamber,

161
00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,914
where full sessIons
of the Assembly are held.

162
00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,278
It's a great priviIege to be aIIowed
into the debating chamber.

163
00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,516
Somewhere I've never been before.

164
00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:24,674
It's very striking.

165
00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,475
This beautifuI domed ceiIing
and the wood aII around...

166
00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,558
It's about as different from
the House of Commons as it couId be.

167
00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:34,069
That's a 19th-century buiIding
ith green benches

168
00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:35,872
and you have to fight for a seat.

169
00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,389
Here, everybody has
their aIIocated position.

170
00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:42,149
It just makes you think.
Bradshaw's refers to Cardiff as a town.

171
00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,068
It had a popuIation of onIy 2,000
at the beginning of the 19th century.

172
00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,634
Now, it's grown to a city.

173
00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,159
A capitaI city.

174
00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,475
One that has its own parIiament.

175
00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,670
How did it make that journey?

176
00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,199
You guessed it.

177
00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,073
It's aII down to the raiIways.

178
00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,709
All through thIs part of Wales,

179
00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,071
the VIctorIan forces of change
left theIr mark.

180
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,794
My next stop Is
eIght mIles down the coast.

181
00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,913
I'm now headed for Barry IsIand,
a puzzIing name,

182
00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,669
since from the map, it's cIear
that it's not surrounded by water.

183
00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,712
I think there must be
a historicaI expIanation.

184
00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:29,435
I'm betting that it's
something to do ith raiIways.

185
00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,710
In fact, Barry's not mentIoned
In my ''Bradshaw's GuIde''.

186
00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:38,038
That's because In the 1 860s,
there was no town worth vIsItIng.

187
00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,994
But In the 1 880s, a raIlway
and vast docks were buIlt here.

188
00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,351
A new communIty sprang up
almost overnIght.

189
00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,712
I'm takIng a trIp
on the Barry TourIst RaIlway

190
00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,515
wIth hIstorIan Andy Croll
to hear the story.

191
00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:56,551
- HeIIo, Andy.
- HeIIo, MichaeI.

192
00:10:56,680 --> 00:10:59,035
What a wonderfuI vintage dieseI this is!

193
00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:00,275
Isn't it smashing?

194
00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,154
And this is going to heIp me to discover
the mystery of Barry IsIand, I hope?

195
00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,316
- Indeed it is.
- Let's set off, then.

196
00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,556
Barry IsIand is not an isIand.

197
00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:14,352
What's the expIanation?

198
00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:19,873
WeII, Barry IsIand was, back in...
up untiI about the 1890s, in fact.

199
00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,798
It's when these great docks are made.

200
00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:24,638
That's when the Iand is fiIIed in.

201
00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:26,318
And ith this great raiI Iink,

202
00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,876
that's when the isIand gets
Iinked to the actuaI mainIand.

203
00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,434
These massIve dock and raIlway projects

204
00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:35,028
were the braInchIld
of a powerful mIne owner

205
00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,071
who'd become IncreasIngly frustrated

206
00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,670
by CardIff's monopoly
of the coal export trade.

207
00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,588
David Davies is the man
that is the sort of power force

208
00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,188
which drives
these great docks being buiIt.

209
00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,313
He hated paying for his coaI to go
out of someone eIse's port.

210
00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,635
Cardiff was actuaIIy getting
aII that money.

211
00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:55,876
David Davies wanted to buiId his own.

212
00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,150
Work started in 1884.

213
00:11:58,280 --> 00:11:59,998
It opens in 1889.

214
00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:05,433
David Davies dies in 1890, but he just
manages to see his great docks open.

215
00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,955
Barry was the Ideal spot
for DavIes to realIse hIs dream.

216
00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,436
Thanks to Its posItIon,
shIps could come In whatever the tIde,

217
00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:15,676
a real advantage
over neIghbourIng CardIff.

218
00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:20,874
The docks gave rIse
to a phenomenal populatIon explosIon.

219
00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,958
(Andy) In 1881 , we've got
about 85 souIs Iiving here.

220
00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,992
By the time we get to 1891 ,
we're up to 700.

221
00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,318
Most of those are here buiIding
the great docks which we can see.

222
00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:36,673
By the time we get to 1901 ,
we're up to 27,000 peopIe.

223
00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,155
AII of that is due to coaI.

224
00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:43,910
AII of it is due to the great raiI Iinks
which aIIow these docks to be buiIt.

225
00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,270
The new raIlway was constructed
by the same company as the docks,

226
00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,595
provIdIng a dIrect lInk
to the coaIfIelds.

227
00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,269
Brunel's Taff Vale RaIlway
had competItIon.

228
00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:59,917
Out of this intense rivaIry between
Cardiff and Barry, is there a inner?

229
00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:01,393
There certainIy is. Barry.

230
00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,317
By the time we get to about 1913,

231
00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,115
this is the peak year for the whoIe
of the south WaIes coaI industry.

232
00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:11,358
Barry is the greatest
coaI exporting port in south WaIes.

233
00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,471
But aIso, in the whoIe worId.

234
00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,275
And in those years of massive
coaI production and export,

235
00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,439
the coaI wouId have traveIIed by train
on the very tracks that we're using now.

236
00:13:21,560 --> 00:13:22,675
AbsoIuteIy right.

237
00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:26,713
We are traveIIing on the very raiIs
that that coaI traveIIed on.

238
00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:29,632
Although It was buIlt for freIght,

239
00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,150
the raIlway lIne soon gaIned
a surprIsIng new use.

240
00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:37,319
As VIctorIan BrItaIn was transformed
by rapId IndustrIalIsatIon,

241
00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,159
even the workIng class began
to have leIsure tIme.

242
00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,636
Barry's beaches became
thronged wIth day trIppers.

243
00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,751
Here's another puzzIe
about Barry IsIand.

244
00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:47,916
You've been teIIing me
about coaI and docks.

245
00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,237
- It turns out it's a seaside resort.
- AbsoIuteIy right, MichaeI.

246
00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,750
This beach was formed
in the wake of the Iast Ice Age.

247
00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:56,108
The truth of the matter is,

248
00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,676
hardIy anyone ever came here
for aII of those thousands of years.

249
00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:03,395
What makes the difference is this great
raiI Iink opening in the mid-1890s.

250
00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,034
Who is it who comes?
Working-cIass miners.

251
00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,835
They came right from the start,
as soon as this raiIway Iink was opened.

252
00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:11,234
They came in huge numbers.

253
00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,191
We've got about 100,000

254
00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,754
in the first summer
this raiIway station is opened.

255
00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:17,916
1896.

256
00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:19,598
They keep on coming.

257
00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:23,269
On one day in 1950,

258
00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:27,632
we have 120,000 of them packed
onto this IittIe strip of sand.

259
00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,433
Bit of a difference between a coaI mine
and this beach.

260
00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:31,436
It absoIuteIy is.

261
00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,836
There's some very moving evidence,
especiaIIy from the Iate 1890s,

262
00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:39,351
of working-cIass miners being seen
just to stand at the water's edge,

263
00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,472
quietIy gazing out
over this great seascape.

264
00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,512
They wouIdn't have seen
anything Iike this in their Iives.

265
00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,790
Dark, cramped, underground.

266
00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,673
So, yeah. One can onIy guess
what they were thinking.

267
00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,360
These days,
It's not partIcularly mIners,

268
00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:58,270
but famIlIes from all over BrItaIn
who come to enjoy thIs beautIful beach.

269
00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,119
It's a lovely spot
for me to break my journey.

270
00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,791
At the end of a day of traveI,
it's nice to reIax on the shore

271
00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,595
and to think about those hard-working
south WeIsh miners,

272
00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,472
who, at the end of weeks of toiI,

273
00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,388
wouId save a few pennies
to traveI by train

274
00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:19,399
and dip their toes in the surf
at Barry IsIand.

275
00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:30,673
It's a new day on my journey

276
00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,837
and I'm travellIng north
along the banks of the RIver Taff

277
00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,238
on the Taff Vale RaIlway,
one of the oldest In Wales.

278
00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,590
I'm now venturing to Merthyr TydfiI,

279
00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,474
which my Bradshaw's caIIs
''a great mining town''.

280
00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,799
''BIast furnaces, forges and iron miIIs
are scattered on aII sides.''

281
00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:52,559
''Visitors shouId see the furnaces
at night,

282
00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:57,959
when the red gIare of the fIames
produces an uncommonIy striking effect.''

283
00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,071
The raiIways brought
to the WeIsh vaIIeys

284
00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,954
the IndustriaI RevoIution
at its most rough and raw.

285
00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,913
But when the mines cIosed
in the Iate 20th century,

286
00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,510
that brought unhappiness
and unempIoyment.

287
00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,957
Merthyr TydfIl's IndustrIal hIstory
began wIth Iron.

288
00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,640
FoundrIes were establIshed
to exploIt the local ore

289
00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:19,876
at the start
of the IndustrIal RevolutIon.

290
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:25,154
As the raIlway network grew, mIles of
new tracks were made from Merthyr Iron.

291
00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,795
Coal was also mIned,
fIrst to power the Ironworks,

292
00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,595
and later for export by raIl
around the world.

293
00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:35,955
I'm lookIng for what's left
of that legacy

294
00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:42,269
In a place that once felt the full force
of VIctorIan-style IndustrIalIsatIon.

295
00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:46,473
Bradshaw's paints a pretty depressing
picture of Merthyr in the 1860s.

296
00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,795
''The town is best seen at night,

297
00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,754
for by day it iII be found dirty,
ithout order, management,

298
00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,678
decent roads or footpaths,
no suppIy of water

299
00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,872
and no pubIic buiIding
of the Ieast note.''

300
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,434
''We do hope
that proper measures iII be taken

301
00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:04,120
to improve the condition of the peopIe.''

302
00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,596
WeII, Merthyr acquired a fine town haII
at the end of the 19th century.

303
00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:09,073
That's now boarded up.

304
00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,512
Even here, there's cIearIy
a prospect of regeneration.

305
00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,591
Today, Merthyr's streets bear no trace

306
00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,359
of the dIrt and smoke
of the 19th century.

307
00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,552
But the town Is
stIll a place of strong emotIons.

308
00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,352
SInce the mId-20th century,

309
00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,790
local people have endured
hIgh levels of unemployment.

310
00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,798
So, what do they thInk
of theIr town today?

311
00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:33,512
- Good morning.
- How are you?

312
00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:35,596
- Nice to see you.
- You Iook very smart.

313
00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,280
- Are you from Merthyr?
- Yes. I'm a Merthyr Iady. Yes.

314
00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,072
Do you remember the oId Merthyr?

315
00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,988
The Merthyr of coaI mines
and iron foundries?

316
00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:48,318
That wouId be my grandfather's days.
My great-grandfather's days. Or my dad.

317
00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,908
I got memories of it.
I Iove Iiving in Merthyr.

318
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,952
It's a wonderfuI town.
It's had a Iot of sIagging off IateIy.

319
00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,071
But it's getting there now.

320
00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:59,351
There's a Iot of regeneration. It's fab.

321
00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:00,708
There's a Iot of history.

322
00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:02,751
PeopIe come here
from aII over the worId.

323
00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,235
I know peopIe from Canada
have come here.

324
00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:08,477
I go up to Pontstic a Iot.
We've got beautifuI reseRVoirs.

325
00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,319
We've got the Brecon Beacons.
I cycIe. I cycIe up there.

326
00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,670
It is wonderfuI.
I wouIdn't Iive anywhere eIse.

327
00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:15,631
I Iove going abroad, but I Iove home.

328
00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,274
You've got one other thing.
You've got a raiIway.

329
00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:19,753
Yeah. (laughs)

330
00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:23,158
How are you both?

331
00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,157
Do you remember Merthyr in the oId days?

332
00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:26,838
Loads of factories in Merthyr.

333
00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:28,871
You couId go from one job
to another job.

334
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,434
- Now you can't get anything.
- (man) Nothing about.

335
00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,154
(MIchael) You haven't mentioned
steeI or coaI mining.

336
00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,431
I wasn't a miner myseIf,
but my father was.

337
00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,509
It used to be quite busy
in those days, Iike.

338
00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,392
(woman) We don't remember the steeI.

339
00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,033
(laughs)

340
00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:47,593
We're not that ancient.

341
00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:51,635
Although the Iron Industry here
Is long dead,

342
00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:53,990
the coal trade has seen a revIval.

343
00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:56,634
But It's not been welcomed by everyone.

344
00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:58,796
Have you heard
about the new opencast mine?

345
00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,115
(man) We've heard about it.

346
00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:05,313
We've had enough of coaI mines in this
vaIIey. We don't want another coaI mine.

347
00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,830
Think of the dirt and the muck.
We've had enough muck and dirt.

348
00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:10,598
We've had it aII.

349
00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:11,789
Let them go to London.

350
00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:16,152
- Even though it brings jobs?
- No. It onIy brings jobs to a few.

351
00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,750
Because you've got aII the...
They're industriaIised.

352
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,952
They've got... They'II be digging
it out. They don't need miners.

353
00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,232
A typIcal VIctorIan collIery
could employ thousands of men,

354
00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:29,635
workIng long hours underground.

355
00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,991
But the Industry's 2 1st-century face
Is very dIfferent.

356
00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:37,272
ThIs vast crater Is Merthyr's
controversIal new opencast mIne.

357
00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:39,550
It employs only 200 people,

358
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,195
because most of the work Is done
by hIghly productIve dIggers.

359
00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,788
Ground was broken In 2007.

360
00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:47,558
WhIle some oppose the scheme,

361
00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:52,754
the operators claIm It wIll leave the
area safer and cleaner for local people.

362
00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:58,000
I'm takIng a tour wIth EnvIronmental
LIaIson OffIcer KylIe Jones.

363
00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:02,716
That is an epic sight, isn't it?
That is a momentous hoIe.

364
00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:05,477
That is a pit and a haIf.

365
00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,672
My ''Bradshaw's GuIde'' tells me
that Merthyr coal Is worked

366
00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,588
''mostly In levels,
In beds two to three feet thIck''.

367
00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,917
ThIs Is on a completely dIfferent scale.

368
00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,235
How much coaI iII you be
removing from here?

369
00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:22,114
About an estimated 1 1 miIIion tonnes
of coaI over the Iife of the project.

370
00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:27,917
How does this reIate to mining in the
days of the 19th century, for exampIe?

371
00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,315
AII that you can see
in front of you today

372
00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,477
has actuaIIy previousIy been mined
by deep mining methods.

373
00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,990
You can see the past history
of aII the mining that has gone on here

374
00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:40,317
in terms of tunneIs,
oId cuIverts, oId workings.

375
00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,118
The mIne's supporters claIm
that those abandoned workIngs

376
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:45,753
made the area dangerous.

377
00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,440
The company has pledged
to reclaIm the land,

378
00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:52,838
returnIng It to Its pre-IndustrIalIsed
state wIthIn 1 7 years.

379
00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,269
But fIrst, the coal wIll be extracted

380
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:59,837
and used to produce electrIcIty
at nearby Aberthaw Power StatIon.

381
00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,516
Now you've reaIIy brought me
to the coaIface.

382
00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,393
I have indeed. We're actuaIIy standing
on coaI right now.

383
00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,149
And that great scoop,
how much coaI is that taking out?

384
00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,555
It's about three-quarters of a tonne
per scoop.

385
00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:14,954
Loading it into the Iorries

386
00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,514
and it's going to be taken up
to the disposaI point.

387
00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,916
I mean, to me it's just amazing,
the productivity of this.

388
00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:25,591
You think how Iong a miner,
working in a narrow seam underground,

389
00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,918
wouId have had to Iabour to take out
three-quarters of a tonne.

390
00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:31,917
Here, it's going out every few seconds.

391
00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:33,234
That's amazing, isn't it?

392
00:21:33,360 --> 00:21:34,395
That's right.

393
00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:38,798
It's a far cry from the coal Industry
of Bradshaw's day.

394
00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:43,516
But one thIng that hasn't changed Is
how the fInIshed product Is transported.

395
00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,074
A Iot of your coaI is
going out by train, is it?

396
00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,352
Most definiteIy. AII our coaI today
has actuaIIy Ieft the site via train.

397
00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:51,993
(MIchael) These are big trains.

398
00:21:52,120 --> 00:21:55,556
AbsoIuteIy. We're carrying
about 1 400 to 1500 tonnes of coaI

399
00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:57,352
on each train that Ieaves the site.

400
00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,152
And how many are you shipping?

401
00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,748
RoughIy about 24
is the maximum in a week.

402
00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:05,350
On a normaI week,
about 1 4 or 15 trains Ieave the site.

403
00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:06,708
An awfuI Iot of coaI.

404
00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:08,671
I mean, it's aIways been that way.

405
00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,519
I'm reading
my 19th-century guidebook here.

406
00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:16,031
It says, ''The coaI and iron of
Merthyr TydfiI are the chief exports.''

407
00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:19,948
''The quantity aImost doubIes itseIf
every two or three years.''

408
00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,311
Then he says,
''But great as that suppIy may seem,

409
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,752
it's scarceIy equaI to the demand
created for it by the raiIways.''

410
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,269
- RaiIways have aIways been big here.
- DefiniteIy.

411
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:35,190
These raiIway Iines wouId have carried
coaI and iron owe away historicaIIy.

412
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:37,197
We're stiII using them today.

413
00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:38,992
Whatever your vIews on the project,

414
00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:43,079
the sheer scale of thIs operatIon
Is awe-InspIrIng.

415
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,795
To loosen the rocks so that the coal
can be dug, explosIves are used.

416
00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,469
Before I leave, I'm goIng to see
the mountaIn beIng blasted.

417
00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:51,749
(man) Press it in.

418
00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,358
Fire in ten seconds.

419
00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:01,308
Wow.

420
00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:03,749
There she bIows!

421
00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,634
My day in Merthyr ends
not ith a whimper, but a bang.

422
00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,952
I'm now swappIng
thIs man-made IndustrIal landscape

423
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,992
for the beauty
of the Brecon Beacons NatIonal Park,

424
00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:17,315
home to the famous mountaIn range.

425
00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,830
I'm pIckIng up the traIn
just outsIde Merthyr TydfIl.

426
00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,428
This is Pant Station.

427
00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:24,788
My Bradshaw's says,

428
00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,959
''This pIace is situated in the midst
of very beautifuI mountain scenery.''

429
00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,629
''The opening of the Brecon and Merthyr
RaiIway in 1864

430
00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:37,959
has brought the charming scenery
of the Upper Wye ithin easy reach.''

431
00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,719
Seeing these mountains today,
it's hard to beIieve

432
00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:45,311
that they were once threaded
ith hundreds of miIes of raiIway.

433
00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,397
To seejust how extensIve
thIs network once was,

434
00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,239
I'm meetIng raIlway owner Tony HIlls.

435
00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:57,759
- Tony!
- HeIIo.

436
00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,678
What a beautifuI train.
What a IoveIy Iocomotive.

437
00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:02,358
What's the Iocomotive?

438
00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:03,549
WeII, it's American.

439
00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,877
It came from PhiIadeIphia in the USA.

440
00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,039
It spent aII its working Iife
in South Africa hauIing Iimestone.

441
00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,550
I see you're cIutching the RaIlways
of Great BrItaIn HIstorIcal Atlas.

442
00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,636
- What's that about?
- SpIendid book.

443
00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,433
It shows the raiIways
aII over the country,

444
00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:21,516
going back many years.

445
00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,313
There's a typicaI page there
shoing the odd raiIway.

446
00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,637
You turn over the page and behoId.

447
00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:29,159
(MIchael) That is amazing.

448
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,430
These are the vaIIeys of south WaIes?

449
00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,473
And a raiIway Iine running up
absoIuteIy every singIe...

450
00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,353
That is the most extraordinary picture,
isn't it?

451
00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,391
(Tony) AII coaI and iron and so on.

452
00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,078
A Iot of this has cIosed.

453
00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,919
It has, yes.
The main trunk routes are stiII open.

454
00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,713
Brecon to Cardiff. Things Iike that.

455
00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:49,910
But the VaIIey Iines,
most of those are gone

456
00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,315
ith the demise
of the coaI mining industry.

457
00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,000
WeII, there's one that's reopened,
by the Iook of it.

458
00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:56,917
- Can we take a ride?
- Of course we can.

459
00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:58,598
- Thank you.
- PIeasure.

460
00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:00,073
In Bradshaw's day,

461
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,988
thIs stretch of the Brecon and
Merthyr RaIlway was a passenger servIce,

462
00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:07,749
used by people
from the remote farms and vIllages.

463
00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,793
Now It's been resurrected
as the Brecon MountaIn RaIlway.

464
00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:16,550
ThIs vIntage steam engIne Is takIng
me through some spectacular scenery.

465
00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,952
Thanks to the efforts
of Tony and hIs colleagues,

466
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:36,757
It's an experIence enjoyed by tens
of thousands of tourIsts every year.

467
00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,997
So, how was it
that this raiIway here was revived?

468
00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:42,839
WeII, we were Iooking for a pIace
to buiId a raiIway.

469
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,396
I have to stop you there.
Why did you want to buiId a raiIway?

470
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,875
Because we Iike steam engines.

471
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:53,278
And I'd been coIIecting Iocos
for a IittIe whiIe.

472
00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,197
And rebuiIt them.

473
00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:57,959
The next IogicaI step was
finding somewhere to run them.

474
00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,152
There was five-and-a-haIf miIes
of raiIway we couId obtain.

475
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,999
It took seven years, I think it was,
to obtain the Iand.

476
00:26:04,120 --> 00:26:07,396
It had been soId off
to 1 4 or 15 different Iandowners.

477
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,238
(MIchael) Amazing.

478
00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:11,555
The Infrastructure had
all but dIsappeared.

479
00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:13,272
Tony and hIs famIly set about

480
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,837
recreatIng a narrow-gauge raIlway
almost from scratch.

481
00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,359
But this is a Iife's Iabour.

482
00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,438
WeII, we've been at it
for over 30 years, yeah.

483
00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:24,551
You've been at it for over 30 years?

484
00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,035
(Tony) It's not finished yet.
We've got more to do.

485
00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,037
We've got to extend the raiIway further.

486
00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,277
More Iocos we're buiIding.
The carriages here are 30 years oId.

487
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,914
They're starting to get
a IittIe bit scruffy.

488
00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,315
It goes on forever, you know?.

489
00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,830
In summer, thIs servIce runs
up to fIve tImes a day,

490
00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,794
helpIng to mInImIse car traffIc
Into the stunnIng NatIonal Park.

491
00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,391
I fIrmly belIeve there's no better way
to enjoy thIs landscape.

492
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,750
You've had to rebuiId
the whoIe raiIway Iine.

493
00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,199
You had to do the bridges.

494
00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:55,993
You had to do the stations,
the engines, the carriages.

495
00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:58,031
The onIy thing you didn't do
was the view.

496
00:26:58,160 --> 00:26:59,275
That's right.

497
00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,631
We didn't need to do anything to that.
That was aIright.

498
00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,349
In many ways,
the rIse and fall of IndustrIal Merthyr

499
00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:09,994
mIrrors the story of the whole regIon.

500
00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:11,678
But travellIng on thIs lIne today

501
00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,873
remInds me that despIte the
IndustrIalIsatIon of the 19th century,

502
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,549
the Valleys stIll offer
dramatIc natural beauty.

503
00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,229
Iron ore is no Ionger mined
from these hiIIs,

504
00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:25,430
the deep coaI pits are gone

505
00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,916
and the raiIway network's been
pruned back sharpIy,

506
00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,828
but not aII trace of the past
has been Iaid to rest.

507
00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:37,636
Vast reseRVes of coaI are now being
recovered by open mining.

508
00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:42,595
They're being shifted in modern
raiIway wagons down through Cardiff

509
00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,474
on tracks first Iaid in Bradshaw's day.

510
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,072
On the last leg of my journey,

511
00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:54,193
I'll dIscover how the 19th-century steel
trade has been brought up to date...

512
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,788
I can feeI
the heat of the bIast furnace.

513
00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,514
I can see a stream of moIten iron.

514
00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,393
I can see sparks fIying.
I can see smoke.

515
00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:04,636
Now, this fantastic train is emerging.

516
00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:09,117
..goIng on a VIctorIan adventure
to see a marvel of the natural world...

517
00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:12,789
It's wonderfuIIy wet
and wonderfuIIy thriIIing, isn't it?

518
00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,559
It's kind of very, very romantic.

519
00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:20,310
..and learnIng how Industry gave bIrth
to beautIful musIc In Bradshaw's day.

520
00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,510
So, how Iong have you been in the choir?

521
00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:24,198
OnIy 53 years.

522
00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:25,389
- No!
- Yes.

523
00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:26,669
(laughter)