Engine House Exhibition

Below is a transcript of the narration you can hear when you visit the engine house at the South Wales Miners' Museum:

This steam haulage engine house is typical of the type that was in use in most collieries in the South Wales Coalfield. The only difference being there are two types of engines here on display, whereas in normal practice there would only be one. The reason for this is lack of space on the museum site. Starting with the large engine, this is a three cylinder machine which was constructed at a foundry in Bridgend over one hundred years ago and on completion was installed at the Coegnant Colliery, Caerau, Maesteg. It is quite possible that this is the only one of its kind in existence and thanks to the good offices of the National Coal Board who, when the closure of the pit became imminent in 1981, donated it to the museum.

The smaller engine is a Miles type and was manufactured at a foundry in Llanelli. It is the smallest of its kind and is known as a 'pair of eights' (eight inches) which denotes the size of the cylinders. Over the years, many of these engines were produced and in different sizes such as 10, 12, 14 and 16 inches. When the Wyndham Colliery, Ogmore Valley, was in the process of demolition, this engine was brought to the surface where it was used until it was donated to the museum.

Some time after the engines had been installed, the museum was fortunate to receive a compressor unit which had been donated by the South Wales Electricity Board and visitors were able to see the engines working. Unfortunately, as the years have gone by, water, which is the by-product of compressed air, has rusted the insides of the cylinders and both engines have ceased to work.

The Blacksmith Shop	The Engine House
The Lamproom	The Sheave Wheel