Category: Readers Articles of Interest

Two Entrepreneurs Who Made Penarth Their Home (Part 1)

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

TWO ENTREPRENEURS WHO MADE PENARTH THEIR HOME (Part 1)

As part of my work in Barry library to process historical artifacts for the “Peoples Collection Wales” I came across an engineering drawing of a sewerage scheme for Penarth and west Cardiff proposed by a Mr John Kyte Collett. Unfortunately it is undated but appears from the context to be from the late 1800s. Text on the drawing says that JKC’s scheme is far superior to that being promoted by the Cardiff City Engineer.

The document intrigued me so I set out to find more about its author. From Internet and Ancestry searches using his unique name together with helpful staff at Cardiff’s Heritage Library in Cathays I was able to reveal a wealth of interesting information about him and his many and varied interests in matters of his time. The second entrepreneur is his nephew Fredrick Speed, about whom, more later.

JKC was born in Kilvert Street, Shepton Mallet in 1836. The 1841 census records that his mother Julia is the Head of Household as Robert his father had died in June 1838. Also mentioned in this record is his sister Ann Mary Collett born in 1831. What an impoverished start to life he must have had.

JKC won a place to Shepton Mallet Grammar School but he left at the age of 15 to work for a linen draper in Bristol. He then moved with his mother and sister to the Bute Town area of Cardiff in 1853 where together they established a grocery shop, and also had stalls in the Cardiff Market.

From such humble beginnings, JKC expanded his business interests and reputedly became a millionaire “provision factor and commission agent” and importer of foodstuffs from USA and Canada in partnership with a Mr Whitefield. This was at a time when Cardiff was growing exponentially and the business in the wholesale supply of foodstuffs thrived and made them wealthy. In 1872, and before fridges, he took out a patent “for an improved means of preserving and transporting butter”. Historical records show how the firm of Collett, Whitefield & Co (Cardiff) Ltd continued to grow in the second half of the 1800s.

In 1866 JKC married Sarah Ann Orledge Reeves (1840 – 1922) in Pilton Somerset and they had a daughter Florence Edith Jeffries Collett, born in 1875. Judging from the census records as to where the family were living, the business was obviously thriving: from Bute Town, to Canton, to (in the early 1900s) a 12 room mansion at 5 Beach Road, Penarth (Rose Mount) in the 1901 census.

His nephew Fredrick Speed was born in Shepton Mallet in 1846. The 1871 census records him living in Romilly Crescent, Cardiff, a lodger with a Julia Collett, i.e. JKC’s mother. He is a single man working as a carpenter. FS moved away from south Wales for a number of years, but in the mid 1880s his uncle enticed him back to exploit the potential for Penarth’s development after its connection to the Taff Vale Railway. More about FS in Part 2.

Amongst his many acts of philanthropy, JKC founded, substantially contributed funds and ran “The Children’s League of Peace and Goodwill”. As an adjunct to this, provided a sanctuary for adolescent girls who had migrated from the Valleys seeking work as domestic servants locally. There is some evidence that the League was eventually subsumed into The League of Nations which was being promoted contemporaneously by David Davies, 1st Baron Davies (1880 – 1944).

The firm of Collett, Whitefield & Co (Cardiff) Ltd is recorded in several trade directories of the era, viz;

  • 1866 City and County Directory – Grocer and Commission Agent – Hope Street
  • 1876 Mercer and Crocket’s Directory – Provision Merchant – Gladstone Street
  • 1880 / 81 Butcher’s Cardiff Directory – Provision Merchant – stalls 161,164,165 in The Central Market and 235 Bute Street.

 

An article in a June 1919 edition of “Commercial Motor” gives an indication of the scope of the business which reads in part:

They use a 13 year old 3 ton Lacre chain driven lorry. The vehicle is sometimes seen fully laden with Caerphilly cheese. The lorry covers up to 400 miles per week. It frequently travels to Barry up to 3 times a day. Also the company uses a Garner 30 cwt lorry for deliveries within Cardiff covering about 300 miles a week

He never forgot his west country roots. In the early 1900s JKC donated land in Shepton Mallett to create a park because he had not been allowed to play there as a child. That area is still known as “Collett Park” Closer to home on Penarth Beach he provided for a children’s Paddling Pool which remained in use until the late 1950s.

From this photograph provided by Penarth Library, it is apparent that he was well regarded locally. It shows JKC being presented with a picture and a testimonial which (in part) reads:

To John Kyte Collett on his 91st Birthday. Penarth UDC desire to offer you, a highly esteemed and distinguished resident of the Town. We are proud to have you as a fellow citizen

In the 1921 census the 85 year old JKC is living at 2 Plymouth Road, Penarth (Sun Rise). JKC died on 16th October 1933 and in his will he left effects to the value of £1,211 (about £150,000 today – the balance from the “millionaire status” surely having been used for funding his philanthropic ventures and in financing his nephew’s enterprise): indeed a life well lived!

Tony Hodge

Ol’ Man River

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

OL’ MAN RIVER

This story is set in 1938, just before the onset of war with Germany. Paul Robeson, a famous black singer and actor from America, visited Mountain Ash in the valleys and sang for the people who died in the Spanish Civil War. Rick was Mr. Robeson’s driver who brought him back from Mountain Ash.

“How long till we get to Cardiff Station?” asked Paul.

“We should be in Cardiff in about one hour, but your train won’t be arriving till five, so you have about a four hour wait.”

“That’s great” said Paul, “I can go and visit my friend for lunch in a village called Wenvoe.”

“Wilf Goodbody had lived in Wenvoe for around twenty years and had asked Paul if he had time to come to lunch in the local pub. Wilf was a director of the theatre in Cardiff and had met Paul on numerous occasions. When the car pulled up outside the pub, Wilf directed Paul to a room upstairs as the culture of the area and the time dictated, most people in Wenvoe had never seen or talked to a black person.

The two men had a great time in a snug upstairs of the Wenvoe Arms. Both men had a
lovely ploughman’s lunch and two pints of Scrumpy/Cider. They could hear the hustle and bustle of voices below them; it sounded like the pub was filling up. Paul looked out of the window onto the fields. It was a beautiful winter’s day in December, but it looked like a spring day over the village.

As Paul turned around to speak to Wilf, he heard singing rising from downstairs in the pub. Paul looked at Wilf as he heard “Men of Harlech” resonating through the floorboards. “I am sorry about that” said Wilf, “it’s the Barry Male Voice choir. They heard you might call in and would like to sing for you.”

The men went down the stairs towards the courtyard next to the First World War Memorial. There stood around thirty men, all dressed up in black tie suits finishing their song. There was a standup piano in the corner, and a big crowd gathered around the pub to listen to the choir. When the song was finished everybody clapped and the man on the piano came up to Paul. “Mr. Robeson, it would be our great pleasure to sing with you, if it’s possible?”

“Wilf” said Paul, “you are a scoundrel.”

“Ok” said Paul to the piano player, “do you know Ol’ Man River in C Major?”

“Yes” said the piano player “we were hoping you would say that.”

The next five minutes of music was fantastic, as Paul’s voice rode out into the village. At the end of the song everyone in the village seemed to be watching the free show. Paul shook each of the choir’s hands, gave Wilf a big hug, jumped into the car and headed towards Cardiff. As the crowd dissipated, Mrs. Jones said to Mrs. Thomas, “There’s lovely. You don’t see that in Wenvoe every day.”

What’s In A Name?

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

A short time ago Rhun ap Iorwerth was elected as our new First Minister here in Wales. Since then, I have been surprised by the number of people who have contacted me asking me to translate and explain his name! As for explaining the meaning of a name, this is not always possible! How would you explain the meaning of ‘William Henry’ for example? Suffice to say that Rhun is an ancient name of Celtic origin – which predates the 5th Century and is known to have been the name of some of the Kings of Gwynedd. It also appears in ancient Welsh tales. It has no translatable meaning as such but is associated with such words as ‘mighty’, ‘ruler’, ‘great’ – entirely appropriate for someone in the position of First Minister!

It has surprised me that so many people have been perplexed by the full name! Surely people are aware of the Patronymic system of names – used before fixed surnames were introduced – where ‘son of’ is the means of identification. It is a system used in a great many countries. Here in Wales it had been used for centuries until a change to fixed surnames was forced on the population following, to a large extent, the Acts of Union in the 16th Century. The Welsh system used the connecting word ‘ap/ab’, derived from ‘mab’ (son). In time this pattern produced surnames such as Pritchard (ap Rhisiart), Puw / Pugh (ap Huw), Benion, Beynon (ap Einion), Bevan (ab Ifan / Efan), Bowen (ab Owain), Probert (ap Robert), Preece, Price (ap Rhys).

Our Celtic cousins in Ireland and Scotland use ‘Mac / Mc’ of course. And in England, the word ‘son’ itself was added to the father’s name – a system which has given us today surnames such as Johnson, Robertson, Davidson, Thom(p)son and so on.

To return to the name Rhun ap Iorwerth! Rhun’s father’s name is Edward, the Welsh equivalent of which is Iorwerth. Apparently when he and his wife came to register the baby, Rhun, the powers that be refused their request to register him as Rhun ap Iorwerth. They insisted on a surname – so the family surname, Jones, was added. But he doesn’t use it. I have known a number of people over the years who have chosen to keep the traditional Patronymic system – Myrddin ap Dafydd, Pwyll ap Siôn, Gwyn ap Gwilym, Gwilym ap Robert, and so on. And one of the greatest European poets of the 14th Century – and who happened to be Welsh – was named Dafydd ap Gwilym.

Pronunciation is no real problem. Rhun – ‘Reen’ is perfectly acceptable. But in order to sound authentically Welsh, it might be interesting to know that in Welsh the letter ‘Rh’ sounds slightly different from ‘R’. ‘R’ is well rolled and voiced, whereas ‘Rh’ is unvoiced, uttered with a release of breath. Iorwerth consists of two syllables ‘Ior – werth’. Take a tip from the Irish and Scots and roll your ‘Rs’.

So there we are – the name Rhun ap Iorwerth analysed, dissected and explained. All that remains is to welcome the new First Minister and to wish him well – ‘Croeso Rhun ap Iorwerth. Pob lwc!’

Ann M. Jones

 

How Savvy Are You When It Comes To Airport Security?

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

HOW SAVVY ARE YOU WHEN IT COMES TO AIRPORT SECURITY?

With Summer on the way, many of us will be joyfully heading to the airport and jetting off for some much-needed R & R. That sunny beach or exciting travel destination will rightly be uppermost in our minds. Well, it would be, if we didn’t have to worry about the new European Entry/Exit system and whether there will be enough fuel for the plane! On top of all that travel experts are advising us to pay more attention to airport security. While most people travel without issues, it is a sobering thought that about £7 billion worth of luggage is lost every year! But don’t worry, there is a lot of excellent travel security advice out there these days and it includes sound tips related to the usual combination locks, padlocks and straps most of us purchase for our suitcases. Did you know for example, that thieves, dishonest airport staff or even fellow travellers can open and re-close your suitcase or bag in mere seconds using the simple biro trick? All you need do to open a zipped bag or case is to firmly press a biro into the zip, and you are in. What’s more you can easily zip it back up and everything looks the same as before. Now this is not to say that simple devices like locks are not useful…far from it. Most theft is opportunist, so the idea is to deter casual thieves.

Perhaps the most common lock these days is a TSA lock, either built into the baggage or purchased separately. You can tell a genuine TSA lock by its distinctive logo showing a red diamond. TSA locks began in the US and stands for ‘Transport Security Administration’. These locks have an override or special key used by customs officials to open a case if they need to check it. At the end of the day if customs want to open your case they will, even if they have to simply break the lock. Oh, and another downside, thieves can buy the override keys online!

A simple trick to increase the security of your luggage is to purchase inexpensive covers. There are hundreds to be found on Amazon, some displaying stylish designs. Perhaps though you might fancy one sporting a brightly coloured giraffe. At least a similar Gaudi inspired cover or colourful zip tie is easy to spot on the carousel and deters thieves who do not wish to be noticed.

Of course, when we reach our destination, we tend to fret about our suitcases appearing on the airport carousel. It is a fact that sometimes luggage is mishandled and appears lost, often leading to several days before it can be returned. Sadly, of course, baggage is also stolen. Most major airlines now offer airline baggage tracking tools through their smartphone apps. This feature allows you to know when your bag has been loaded onto the plane, transferred, or has arrived at your destination. For greater peace of mind, you can buy inexpensive tracking tags, which combined with an app on your phone tell you and airport staff exactly where your suitcase is. Finally, it can be a good idea to photograph the airline tag and maybe the contents inside your case.

Clearly anything valuable should be carried in your hand luggage. A useful tip is to add heavy items that fit into your hand luggage because airlines don’t weigh these bags, being more concerned with their size. If the worse happens and you lose your bag, follow up with airport staff immediately and be as detailed as possible when completing the airline’s lost baggage report. You can bet it’s going to be as much fun as a tax return! ‘

 

Airport security asked me if I’ve seen anything unusual…I just paid £18 for a coke and a ham sandwich…Let’s start with that.’

Hiking And Biking With Richard Trevithick Part 2

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

HIKING AND BIKING WITH RICHARD TREVITHICK Part 2

Merthyr Tydfil, being naturally blessed with iron ore, limestone and trees to make charcoal (later to be replaced with actual coal) was one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1700s. It was not, however, blessed with suitable transport links, in its early days, to export its products. In last month’s article I discussed the building of the canal and the “plateway” that eased that problem.

Today the track bed constructed for the plateway provides the route for the National Cycle Route 477 – the Trevithick Trail – as it runs independently from the Taff Trail (NCR 8) for some 6 miles from a point near Pont y Gwaith to Merthyr Tydfil. And for the sake of completeness I would briefly reiterate (long story short) that Richard Trevithick was a Cornish mechanical engineer, who in 1804, successfully converted an otherwise static high pressure steam engine into a locomotive capable of hauling a 10 tonne load along the otherwise horse powered tramway from Penydarren to Abercynon, and thereby winning a 500 guinea wager for its promoter (namely Samuel Homfray).

The image above shows two adjacent stone sleepers with the chiselled recesses to accommodate the fixings that constrained the L shaped “plates” for the 4 foot 2 inches gauge “plateway”

In passing I would introduce you to the Grade II Listed Pont y Gwaith (Bridge of the Works). This hump back bridge spans the River Taff near to the works in question. These were the very first iron smelting works in the area and date from the 1580s.

Pont-y-Gwaith

Near that bridge the Trevithick Trail parts company with the Taff Trail and runs along the east bank of the River Taff. It passes through the settlements of Merthyr Vale, Troedyrhiw and Pentrebach before terminating near the Merthyr Tydfil railway station.

At Merthyr Vale an information board reveals that in the now green valley below was situated the Merthyr Vale colliery which began producing coal in 1875, after the six years it took to sink the two mine shafts. In the 1890s over 2000 people were employed with those underground working at a depth of some 550 feet. As with other mines in the vicinity, it was seriously affected by the miners’ strikes of the 1980s after which it never fully recovered and the pit was closed in 1989.

Troedyrhiw can best be described as a typical valleys town that in its heyday housed the families of hundreds of locally employed miners. It was notable in that there were three soccer teams – no fewer than seven of its players achieved fame in their day by going on to play for league teams in England and in two cases for Wales.

The Trail then passes to the north east side of Pentrebach and looks down on the village and much industrial, business and leisure development. It then crosses the A4060 dual carriageway on a spectacular cable stayed footbridge cum cycle way. This bridge carries two large panels which depict a stylisation of Trevithick’s locomotive.

Footbridge-cum-cycleway at Pentrebach which carries the Trevithick Trail over the A4060 on its final leg into Merthyr Tydfil.

From this point, most of the actual line of the original “plateway” to the Pen y Darren ironworks is lost to subsequent developments. But what is now described as the Trevithick Trail continues for a further mile and a half to finish at Merthyr Tydfil train station.

 

Tony Hodge

Typical British Weather – A Myth Or Reality?

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

TYPICAL BRITISH WEATHER
– A MYTH OR REALITY?

This piece for Wenvoe What’s On is being written on a glorious sunny day in April, but we wonder how long it will last. The phrase “typical British weather” is so familiar that it has become almost meaningless. It usually brings to mind grey skies, light drizzle, and a general sense of dampness that never quite goes away. But in spring, this label becomes far more complicated. One moment, the sun is shining brightly, and the next, you are caught in a sudden downpour without an umbrella. This raises an interesting question: is British weather truly predictable in its unpredictability, or is the stereotype exaggerated?

Spring, which lasts until June in the UK, is perhaps the best example of weather inconsistency. Unlike winter, which is reliably cold, or summer, which at least aims for warmth, spring seems unable to make up its mind. A single day in May can contain sunshine, rain, wind, and even the occasional hailstorm. This constant changeability is why many people joke about experiencing “four seasons in one day.” You can be sure, however, that on any sunny day in May Pugh’s Garden Centre will be under siege.

Part of this unpredictability comes from the UK’s geographical position. Sitting between the Atlantic Ocean and mainland Europe, the country is influenced by multiple weather systems. Warm air can drift up from the south, while cooler, wetter air arrives from the west. When these systems collide, the result is rapid and often unexpected changes in weather conditions. This helps explain why forecasts can sometimes feel unreliable, even with modern technology.

However, the phrase “typical British weather” is not entirely false. Rain plays a significant role in the UK’s climate, particularly in the west, where cities like Cardiff are known for frequent rainfall, especially during spring, as the Atlantic brings wet weather in from the West. Yet, what people often overlook is the variety within this pattern. British rain is rarely extreme; it is more often light, steady, and short-lived. It is not the dramatic storms seen in other parts of the world, but rather a persistent drizzle that can come and go throughout the day.

Interestingly, spring also brings some of the most pleasant weather of the year. As temperatures rise and daylight hours lengthen, there are moments of genuine warmth and brightness. Parks fill with people, Wenvoe orchid field flourishes, and there is a noticeable lift in mood. These sunny intervals, however, are often brief, which makes them feel more valuable. The contrast between rain and sunshine is what gives spring in Wales its unique character.

Humour plays a big role in how people perceive the weather. Complaining about it is almost a national pastime, and it often serves as a form of small talk. People often greet each other with a phrase like “lovely day today”, and the unpredictability becomes something to laugh about rather than just endure.

In conclusion, “typical British weather” is both a myth and a reality. While the constant rain and gloom are somewhat exaggerated, the unpredictability is very real, especially in spring. It is this ever-changing nature that defines the British climate more than anything else. Rather than being dull or monotonous, the weather is dynamic and, at times, surprisingly enjoyable. Perhaps the stereotype endures because, in its own chaotic way, it captures something true: in Britain, you should always be prepared for anything.

 

Come Home to Rest

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

COME HOME TO REST

I was a young boy about ten years old, and I had come from my home in Wenvoe to meet my parents at St Mary’s Church. They had gone to the ten o’ clock service. I wasn’t feeling too good that day, so had stayed home.

I arrived at the small park between the Wenvoe Arms and the church and saw a man sitting by the monument. The man was dressed in a brownish green uniform with a coat to match. It was full of mud; the man’s face and hands were covered in dark smears too. He had a peaked hat and a long rifle lying next to him on the ground. His boots, which were also dirty, seemed to be like hobnail boots that workmen wear. Across the man’s face there was a bandage that went around the top of his head covering his left ear. This was also dirty.

“Hello” I said, “are you waiting for someone?” “Yes”, said the man, “I am waiting for my Mam and Dad to come out of church. They always go to the ten o’clock service.” “Who are you?” asked the man. “My name is Julian” I said, “but my friends call me Jules.” The man turned round to me and said, “My name is Terrence Gormley, but my friends call me Terry.” He looked about twenty years old and when he shook my hand it felt cold and wet.

“Do you live in the village” I asked. Terry looked at me and said, “My Dad works on the estate in the village, and we live in one of their cottages. I have just come back from fighting at the Front in a place called the Somme.” “Where’s that?” I asked. “It’s in France” he said. “What’s your gun called?” I asked. “It’s a Lee Enfield rifle” he said.

“How come you went to war” I asked. Terry said “A few of us from the village joined the Welsh Regiment in 1915. I got hit and was sent home to rest. I got the boat to Dover, caught a train to Cardiff, then a milkman gave me a lift to Wenvoe on his cart.” “Where did you get hit?” I asked. Terry pointed to his ear which was covered by the bandage. “I guess I was just lucky” he said. “Oh, by the way” said Terry, “what’s the date today?” I looked at my watch. “It’s 11th November.”

“Well, I guess I might walk up to the church to meet my parents” I said. “I’ll just wait here to meet mine” said Terry, “and I might catch a glimpse of my girlfriend Nelly, if she has gone to church.” As I walked up to the church, the bells began to chime, and I saw my parents coming out. I ran to meet them, and they asked if I was feeling ok now.

I told my parents what had happened to me in the last half hour. They looked concerned and asked me if I could take them to where I met Terry. When we arrived, my dad said “This is the First World War memorial to the fallen servicemen from Wenvoe.” There was no-one at the memorial, but my dad asked me to repeat the name again of the person I had talked to. “Terrance Gormley,” I said. My Dad looked at the fallen names from the village and found a T. Gormley on one of the stones.

Hiking And Biking With Richard Trevithick

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

HIKING AND BIKING WITH RICHARD TREVITHICK

Of the delights to enjoy locally, the Taff Trail must surely be up there amongst the top and to this must be added the Trevithick Trail. The former covers a distance of some 54 miles from Cardiff Bay to Brecon and the latter some 7 miles from near Edwardsville to Merthyr Tydfil with some of that mileage co-incident. Both are mostly routed along former railbeds, canals and the like. This article is about the historical background of a five-mile section of both. But firstly, an introduction to Richard Trevithick and industry at this time, is called for.

Richard Trevithick (1771 – 1833) was a pioneering British engineer and inventor whose bold use of high-pressure steam transformed the possibilities of mechanical power at the turn of the nineteenth century. Born in 1771 in Cornwall which at the time was Britain’s most important tin and copper mining region. The mines were constantly threatened by flooding, and the demand for powerful pumping engines created an environment ripe for innovation. From an early age he was surrounded by the practical challenges of mining engineering. Although he received only a limited formal education he possessed exceptional mechanical insight and mathematical ability.

During Trevithick’s youth, steam engines were already in use, particularly those developed by Watt and Boulton. These engines operated using low-pressure steam and separate condensers, which made them efficient but large, complex, and protected by strict patents. Trevithick took a radically different approach. He believed that high-pressure steam, considered dangerous by many engineers of the time, could produce more compact, powerful engines,

By the late 1790s, Trevithick began constructing high-pressure steam engines for use in Cornish mines. They were smaller and lighter than Watt’s models and capable of generating greater power relative to their size. In 1801, he demonstrated one of his most famous creations, known as the “Puffing Devil,” a steam-powered road carriage.

Soon after, Trevithick was travelling and supplying his high-pressure steam engines far and wide. Witness some of his endeavours: London (for road transport and Thames Tunnel construction); Coalbrookdale (for a locomotive), Peru and Costa Rica (for pumping water from silver mines); a variety of maritime applications; and to South Wales which has been the precursor of this article.

Just a further step back in history. When the iron works in Merthyr Tydfil were first established in the mid-1700s, iron products were carried to the coast by pack animals for onward shipping. In 1790 the ironmasters and the 2nd Marquis of Bute promoted the construction of the Glamorganshire Canal between Merthyr and a sea lock to the south of Cardiff into the Bristol Channel. It was opened in 1795 But subsequent disputes between the iron masters led to a “plateway” also running from Merthyr and Cardiff, being partly constructed. The plateway had L shaped iron rails on which horse drawn wagons carried iron products and later coal. It reached as far south as Abercynon before agreements between the ironmasters were reached. It was however convenient to keep the plateway operating as far as Abercynon, from there cargo was transferred to barges on the canal for onward travel to the Cardiff sea lock for shipment by sea.

Back to Trevithick. In 1802 he built one of his high-pressure steam engines to power a forge hammer at the Penydarren Ironworks for Samuel Homfray, one of the iron masters (the others being Richard Crawshay and the Guests father and son). Homfray encouraged Trevithick to mount that engine on wheels in the hope that it would make a better locomotive than others that had been trialled elsewhere in Britain. Result: success!

Homfray was so impressed with Trevithick’s locomotive that he made a bet of 500 guineas with Crawshay that this locomotive could haul ten tons of iron along the tram way from Penydarren to Abercynon, a distance of some 10 miles. On 21 February 1804 this was achieved, hauling five wagons and 70 men the full distance in 4 hours and 5 minutes, at an average speed of 2.4 mph. Having proved the engine’s capability for locomotion, it returned to its original function for powering the forge hammer.

The routes I am describing for this article start on the Taff Trail in an industrial estate in Abercynon where the plateway and canal formerly met. From here one hikes or bikes north along the west bank of the Taff on the Taff Trail which utilises the bed of the tram way. After passing under the modern viaducts for the A470 and then the A472 the valley becomes well wooded. Near Quaker’s Yard and Edwardsville, the trail is bridged over the Taff twice before resuming its progression on the west bank.

After about 3 miles, where the only sounds to be heard are bird song and rushing water, a junction is reached. Here the Taff Trail (NCR 8) branches left to cross the Taff via the historic Pont y Gwaith to follow the west side of the A470. The Trevithick Trail proper (NCR 477) takes the right fork. Evidence of the plateway now presents itself as stone blocks with drilled holes which once held bolts that secured the “plates”. From here NCR 477 continues for a further 8 miles to Merthyr Tydfil, this is to be the subject of a further article.

Tony Hodge

 

Crufts 2026

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

CRUFTS 2026

Eva and Asher were doggy superstars at Crufts 2026.

Asher made his debut in the Dog Obedience Championship on Saturday 7th March. His owner, Carolyn, was thrilled to be placed 4th with him.

Eva was first to work her obedience test the following day and was also placed 4th.

Both dogs came home with Crufts rosettes and glass trophies.

 

An App a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

AN APP A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

People these days seem more health conscious than ever and there is now a wealth of technology to help us to eat healthily and get fitter. A lot is readily available on our mobile phones but with a multitude of apps to choose from, the difficulty is to know where to start.

Healthy eating apps offer features like calorie counting, meal planning, barcode scanning for nutrition information, recipe suggestions, and habit tracking. They cater for different goals, from weight loss and macro tracking to mindful eating, with some using psychology-based approaches or focusing on specific diets like veganism.

 

A good look at one of these apps provides an opportunity to see what they are all about and crucially what ordinary people and the experts think about them. Yuka apparently has 77 million users and is popular because it is so easy to use. The app scans food & personal care products to decipher their ingredients and evaluate their impact on your health. In a world of incomprehensible labels, Yuka claims to provide clarity in one quick scan so you can make clear-sighted purchases. The app scans barcodes to rate products (0-100) based on health impact, ingredient quality, and nutritional value. In this system, 75-100 rates is Excellent, 50-75 Good, 25-50 Poor and 0-25 Bad. A lot of further information is provided on each product should you wish to delve down into the detail.

Yuka claims that its ratings are based on evidence provided by a range of official bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority and the National Agency for Food and Occupational Health Safety. However, it has been criticised by experts for oversimplifying nutritional science, fostering food fear, and lacking context on ingredient concentration. Some nutrition experts caution that its additive focus might oversimplify nutrition and that whole foods are key. It seems that the verdict is it is a useful tool alongside general nutritional knowledge rather than a complete guide.

The NHS Food Scanner app is a free, user-friendly tool aimed at helping families make healthier food choices by scanning product barcodes to reveal salt, sugar, and saturated fat levels. It uses augmented reality to display nutritional data, suggesting healthier alternatives (“swaps”) to encourage better dietary habits. While praised for improving nutritional awareness and being child-friendly, users note limited product databases (missing some discount store items) and occasional inaccuracies in data.

The apps are fun to use and the results are quite often very surprising, with products you were sure are healthy rating as bad for you, and others you were wary of, achieving a high nutritional rating. Some of the others include:

MyFitnessPal: Huge food database, barcode scanner, tracks calories and macros, integrates with other apps.

Lose It!: Calorie tracking, exercise logging, and goal setting.

Noom: Uses psychology to build sustainable habits.

Ate Food Journal: Focuses on mindful eating.

VNutrition: For plant-based diets, tracks nutritional targets.

Lifesum: Tools for weight, habits, and general healthy eating.

Weight Watchers (WW): Tracks food, exercise, and points

 

1 2 3 … 16