Ryan in Wales (The Original Series) - Part 3

River Taff, Merthyr Tydfil

This is Part 3 of the series, and I’m genuinely sorry for the long delay in posting it. If you haven’t read Parts 1 and 2 yet, you can find them here. I also need to let you know that Part 4 has been cancelled. It was never my intention for this particular post to arrive two years late. I’ve struggled to get it up to the standard I wanted, especially given how much time has passed since the events themselves, and it has been through countless edits as a result. Once again, apologies for the delay. From now on, #RyaninWales will simply be the tag I use for all my posts about Wales, rather than referring only to this original series.

Welcome back to Day 3 of exploring the mystic land of Wales! Today, we'll be heading north from Cardiff to explore one of the Valleys' towns: Merthyr Tydfil.

150231 took me up to Merthyr Tydfil

You might wonder why I'd choose Merthyr Tydfil over all the other towns in the Valleys. After all, if I'd done any research, I'd have discovered that Merthyr isn't exactly the most glamorous town in Wales. Well, much to your surprise, I'm well aware of Merthyr's situation. But that isn't going to stop me from visiting, and I'll show you why a trip to Merthyr makes sense.

G. Childs, Dowlais (world’s largest) Ironworks, Merthyr Tydfil – 1840. Source: [https://www.historic-uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Dowlais-Ironworks-Merthyr-Tydfil-1840.jpg]

Merthyr was once the largest town in Wales during the early 19th century, at the height of the Industrial Revolution. However, as time went on, it failed to maintain its position at the forefront of modern industry (It's not exactly the Silicon Valley of Wales, is it?) and gradually evolved into the Welsh town we see today. Despite the negative impressions you might come across online, I believe it's only fair to visit the town in person and pay my respects to a place with such a legendary past.

Merthyr Tydfil Station

Welcome banners from The College Merthyr Tydfil on the railings next to the train track

So, under a cloudy Welsh sky, we arrived at Merthyr Tydfil station. With its single bay platform, the station marks the terminus of the Merthyr Line. Historically, however, the railway continued all the way to Brecon, while the station itself was originally opened as Merthyr High Street. There was also another station, Merthyr Plymouth Street, just south of the present station, where services from Cardiff used to terminate before eventually being relocated to the current station. At one point, Merthyr Tydfil served as an important railway hub, with trains connecting the town to various parts of Wales. It was only later, as the railway entered the modern era, that the station was reduced to a single platform, with much of the former station complex eventually demolished and replaced as part of the Tesco car park.

Merthyr Tydfil Bus Station, 2023

Stagecoach South West operates most services in and out of the bus station

After being greeted by the Tesco Extra right next to the station, I made my way across the high street to Merthyr’s Bus Station, just a three-minute walk from the train station. Much to my surprise, the bus station looks very new and modern. This is because it was built in 2021, replacing the old bus station, which the council had described as "a location of high levels of anti-social behaviour and crime." Stagecoach operates most of the services in and out of the station, while one of the government-funded TrawsCymru routes (T4) also serves the bus station, connecting Merthyr with Brecon, Llandrindod Wells and Newtown.

Interior of the Bus Station

The inside of the bus station looks modern and airy. There are a total of 14 bays, with LCD screens installed throughout the station displaying departure information. I really like this quaint little modern bus station, as it feels quite comfortable and pleasant inside. The same cannot be said for Coventry’s Pool Meadow Bus Station, in my opinion, of course.

St Tydfil Bridge

Just southeast of the bus station is St Tydfil Bridge, a fancy looking road bridge that connects the bus station and traffic from the south of the town across the River Taff to a local college, as part of a £24 million local regeneration programme. The bridge provides a fresh and distinctive addition to the town and will undoubtedly improve connectivity between the two sides of the River Taff.

River Taff

A view of River Walk near the weir

Merthyr Weir and Fish Pass infographic

Speaking of the River Taff, some of you may have already realised that it's the very same river that flows through Cardiff and feeds into Cardiff Bay. The River Taff is actually formed by two separate rivers, Taf Fawr (Great Taff) and Taf Fechan (Little Taff). Both rivers merge into the River Taff to the northwest of Merthyr, which then flows its way down to Cardiff Bay, roughly following the railway line. I made my way from the bus station to River Walk, a dedicated pedestrian bridge that connects the shopping centre across the Taff to the local college, where I could fully appreciate the beauty of the Taff. 

Apparently, there's an event on at the time of my visit.

High Street

The Iron Heart, Penderyn Square

As the high street is pretty much the same as any generic high streets in a British town, I didn't spend much time exploring it but made my way to Penderyn Square, where a heart shaped sculpture has caught my attention. 

The sculpture, an iron heart created by artist David Appleyard, is based on a heart-shaped motif found on an original piece from an iron bridge designed by Watkin George around 200 years ago. The heart was cast using iron from Cyfarthfa Ironworks (An 18th and 19th century ironworks at Northwest Merthyr), linking it directly to Merthyr’s industrial past and its long history of iron production. It also pays tribute to the 1831 Merthyr Rising and Dic Penderyn, a local working-class martyr who was hanged following the uprising. It feels particularly fitting to see such a striking piece of art celebrating the town’s history. Merthyr may be long past its glory days of industry, but reminders of its past can be found all around the town, showing that the legacy of the iron industry is still very much present in Merthyr. If you're interested in the history, do feel free to look it up, as I had a great time reading about it while researching for this post.

Y Dic Penderyn, Wetherspoons pub

Opposite the Iron Heart is Y Dic Penderyn, a Wetherspoons pub named after the aforementioned martyr. Like most other Wetherspoon pubs, it showcases a piece of local history inside, which can also be accessed through the pub's website. I enjoyed my lunch at this amazing pub, and with that, my trip to Merthyr came to an end.

Merthyr Tydfil Station Building

Now, just like many other places I visit in this blog, Merthyr isn't exactly a world-renowned destination, nor does it have a particularly wonderful reputation online. But it's a town with a legendary past and one of the most intriguing histories you can ever read about, whether online or in a book. Once again, if you're interested in the fascinating history of Merthyr, the Merthyr Rising, or Dic Penderyn, do look them up or visit your local library. I promise it's worth your time.

150278 takes me back to Cardiff

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this trip to this fascinating Welsh town, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Have a wonderful rest of your week, and I'll see you in the next post!

Further Reading:
- The Merthyr Rising by G. A. Williams. ISBN-13: 9781783160051