Sir William Smith's Tramroad of 1810 was built to bring coal from mines in the Nelson area, including Gelligaer Colliery (nprn 407031), Llancaiach Colliery (nprn 80490) and Tophill colliery (nprn 407033), to the Glamorganshire Canal (nprn 34425) basin at Abercynon.

The route can be followed from the terminus at the canal basin to Fiddler's Elbow (ST 0952 9566), where from 1864 the road adopted the rest of the route to Nelson.

RCAHMW, 22 November 2007.

Sir William Smith of Worcestershire celebrated his baronetcy of 1809 by taking on the Llanfabon Colliery. He died in 1820 or 1821 and his son Christopher Smith inherited his father's south Wales undertakings.

From the Glamorganshire & Aberdare Canals Vol. 1 (Stephen Rowson & Ian L. Wright, Lightmoor Press, Unit 144B, Harbour Road Industrial Estate, Lydney, Gloucestershire GL15 4EJ) ISBN13 : 9780953302895), pages 167-180.

Although it is not altogether straightforward and needs careful reading of the pages and the references, it seems that the Llanfabon Tramroad carried the produce from five collieries to the Glamorganshire Canal: Llanfabon Coll. 1810, old Gelligaer Coll. 1810, new Gelligaer Coll. 1829, Tophill Coll. 1833, and Llancaiach Coll. 1836-1839.

Site Record

Llanfabon Tramroad; Sir William Smith's Tramroad