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The group behind plans to reopen Wales’ longest tunnel as a tourist attraction are on track with one particular part of their project.

In addition to the long term aim of re-opening the 3,443-yard (3,148m) Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Tunnel, the Rhondda Tunnel Society are full steam ahead with their short term aim of re-erecting the original cover stone which stood at the entrance of the Rhondda end of the tunnel – and was previously thought lost.

At a ceremony attended by a number of dignitaries at the weekend, the refurbished tunnel stone was unveiled at Treherbert train station.

“When the tunnel was being covered over, the contractors who were contracted to fill in the cuttings decided to take the stone out rather than bury it,” said society chairman Stephen Mackey.

“It got lost for a couple of years and then someone found it cemented into the wall of Glyncornel Archery Club in the Rhondda. It was very bizarre. We don’t know how it ended up there.

“It was removed and placed in an old disused car park and there it remained for years and years.

“When we found the stone, we transported it to Dewi Reynolds, a stonemason in Treorchy, who offered to do all the renovation work free of charge.”

The project was accelerated after a visit to the Forest of Dean to pick up the plated stone that would be placed across the front of the original stone.

The stonemason then engraved the plate with the name of the tunnel and the tunnel length which featured on the front of the original stone.

“The plate was secured to the front of the original stone and transported to Treherbert Station for display there until we have a chance of reopening the tunnel when we can put it back above the original tunnel portal where it belongs,” added Stephen.

The weekend’s grand unveiling was attended by a host of politicians including Rhondda AM Leighton Andrews, Rhondda MP Chris Bryant, South West Wales AM Bethan Jenkins, Treherbert Plaid Cymru Councillor Geraint Davies and the Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Coun John Watts.

“There were more than a hundred people there,” said the Rhondda Tunnel Society chairman. “A choir from Penyrenglyn Primary School performed for us and were fantastic. They brought a tear to my eye.”

The society is now awaiting a report from the Historic Railways Estate who contracted construction and engineering company Hammond ECS of Aberdare to undertake a three day inspection of the tunnel alongside the Mines Rescue Service.

Gaining access through an inspection chamber in Blaencwm, the team carried out a detailed investigation of the structure to gauge the condition inside.

Three-day inspection of Rhondda Tunnel completed

And signs were very positive that the tunnel, which opened in 1890 and closed in 1969 before being covered over in 1979, may yet re-open as the world’s second longest cycle tunnel providing a huge tourism boost to the area.

The tunnel runs from Blaencwm in the Rhondda valley to Blaengwynfi in the Afan valley,

In a post on Facebook, Lee Holland, from the Historic Railways Estate, said that “initial reports suggest the condition inside is no worse than it was 40 years ago”.

The group will now patiently await the findings of a report expected imminently.

“The real task now begins with the engineers’ report,” said Stephen. “We are not privy to any information until the report is compiled and submitted to the Historic Railways Estate.

“Then, and only then, will we know if we can proceed with our project. We can only hope and wait.”

The hugely ambitious project has captured not only the public’s imagination but also won cross-party support in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

The abandoned tunnels of Wales

The society was further boosted recently when the Welsh Government announced it was to commission a feasibility study to look at reopening the tunnel.

To join the Rhondda Tunnel Society visit www.rhonddatunnelsociety.co.uk