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Rhigos No.1 Drift.
Situated at Glyn Neath, Rhigos colliery consisted of a series of levels, opened during the 1920's by Clay and Co. Ltd., which was later acquired by Harry Llewellyn the Olympic steeplechaser.
Known locally as "British Rhonda" and later as "The Pandy"
In 1938 this colliery employed a total of 811 men at Nos.1, 2 and 3 drifts, producing Anthracite from the Yard, Lower Yard, Bluers, Peacock and Lower Peacock seams.
An explosion occurred on the 10th of July 1941, which resulted
in the death of 16 men.
They were:-
William Henry Burton 40 Haulier David Street, Cwmdare Evan Idwal Edwards 21 Helper Tre- Ifor David Emlyn Evans 39 Collier Tair Eglwys, Trecynon Richard Howells 56 Rider Harriet Steet, Trecynon William Richard Howells 18 Helper Tre-Ifor Dan Jones Senior 65 Collier New Scale Houses, Llwydycoed Dan Jones Junior 38 Helper New Scale Houses, Llwydycoed John Jones 16 Helper Brynhyffryd, Rhigos Phillip M. Jones 34 Collier Merthyr Road, Llwydycoed David Jordan 46 Collier Willfield Terrace, Resolven David Morgan Lewis 50 Collier Glan Road, Gadlys Thomas Macdonald 16 Helper Plantation Street, Penydarren John Mochan 45 Collier Tramway, Hirwaun (died on 11th July) Leslie Alexander Morris 16 Helper Dock Terrace, Glyneath Leslie S. Morris 18 Helper Penrhiw, Pont Walby William D. Waite 34 Collier Ynyslas Cresent, Glyneath
There were 36 men underground that day. The inquest was firstly held on 15/8/1941 at Aberdare Police Court and then adjourned until 1/9/1941.
By 1945 drifts Nos.2 and 3 had ceased production and at this time there were 350 working at No.1 drift, 231 at No.4 and 113 at No.5.
The last production drift was No.7. The coal was transported from the face to the surface by a series of conveyors. At the surface the coal went into a large bunker and then into trams. The trams were pulled by diesel locos to a siding above the old No.1 drift. Here they were transfered to a rope haulage and lowered down to the screens and washery just above Pontwalby, Glynneath.
It was closed by the N.C.B. in February 1965.