Coal mining ...a forgotten industry.

Posted by Ted (South Wales, United Kingdom) on 20 September 2008 in Business & Industry and Portfolio.

Coal mining was once synonymous with the Welsh valleys but is now forgotten. This is the remnants of the Deep Navigation Colliery at Crumlin, near Blackwood.
The site is due for regeneration.
Or in other words, the land is worth £17 million if you can build housing on it but in the current financial climate not this year or next!
Here is the history in more profitable times:
http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/Gwent/NavigationCrumlin.htm

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Comments (14)

Elaine- from Vancouver, Canada

I don't know how forgotten it is here.. my husband just came home today and said he might apply for a coal mining job.. i love this picture, the building looks slightly sad and scary even tho it's the middle of the day

20 Sep 2008 7:54am

@Elaine-: Thanks Elaine...I agree it is sad...more to come soon.

Pep i Nuria from Spain

the coal industry is forgoten in the occidental world.
Good phto

20 Sep 2008 7:58am

@Pep i Nuria: Thanks for your visit & comment.

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

There's always a bubble after the bubble, so I see a bright future here. ;-)
Until then these buildings decay in a beautiful way.

20 Sep 2008 11:30am

@MadScientist: MS you're right...unbelievably deep mines are being re-opened as energy costs have made the cost and risk of mining deep level coal more acceptable.

[suvni:R] from Brussels, Belgium

those abandoned buildings always make nice photo material. I'm still looking for one :-)

20 Sep 2008 12:45pm

@[suvni:R]: What I failed to recognise for so long...they are often right under your nose?

Jeff from Pembroke Dock, United Kingdom

I suppose we should really thank Maggie for setting this picture up, and thank you for bringing it to us

20 Sep 2008 1:25pm

@Jeff: Cheers Jeff!

sherri from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Coal mining is still very much a part in the lives of some American families. We still mining disasters. My Great Grandfathers and Grandfathers came to America from Germany & England, worked in coal mines and died of black lung. Don't know what they left behind, but they didn't prosper much here:-( Your image is wonderful. The structure is foreboding.

20 Sep 2008 2:41pm

@sherri: Thanks Sheri...the disasters underline the danger that Barbara also spoke of.

Barbara from Florida, United States

Outstanding image. Great colors and angle. I don't know much about mining but I hear of the disasters of the industry. We must give miners more recognition for their dangerous and difficult labor.

20 Sep 2008 3:06pm

@Barbara: Thanks Barbara...fortunately we have been left in some places such as Big Pit, fantastic living heritage museums that recognise this.
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit/

Stephen Phillips from San Francisco, United States

That sky is the perfect topping for these delicious colors - beautifully done.

20 Sep 2008 3:45pm

@Stephen Phillips: thank you Sir!

MaryP from Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom

Forlorn but beautiful! Hard to beleive a coalmining building could be given such lovely colour.I like the angle too.

20 Sep 2008 6:47pm

@MaryP: Thanks Mary.

hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong

Great angle, amazing colours, wonderful details... superb capture!! Thanks for sharing Ted!:-)

21 Sep 2008 1:28am

@hugo poon: Cheers Hugo.

Anthony Lambert from Bielefeld, Germany

The "Manics" wrote a song called 1985,if you can listen to it.It sums up working class life in the 80´s and fits together with this shot.

21 Sep 2008 10:34am

@Anthony Lambert: Clearly you can take the boy out of Wales but you can never take the Welsh out of the boy!

Marcie from United States

Love your point-of-view..and colors. Excellent!

21 Sep 2008 4:46pm

@Marcie: Thanks Marcie.

Alun Lambert from cheshire, United Kingdom

Cracking shot, love the colour.

21 Sep 2008 5:29pm

@Alun Lambert: Cheers Alun!

Luis A. De Jesus R. from Mexico City, Mexico

Thanks for the background on the site. Like the color and angle --as well as the subject matter-- you managed here. Such places make for a photographic banquet, don't they?

21 Sep 2008 10:27pm

@Luis A. De Jesus R.: Thanks Luis...they really do.

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Nikon D80
1/40 second
F/5.6
ISO 100
13 mm