Tai'r-ysgol

Footbridge just north of the point where the stream joins Llyn y Fendrod (The Fendrod Lake).

Once part of the trunk route from London to South Wales, this 500m section of the A48 has been handed back for farm use since the M4 opened (running just parallel) in the early 1990s. On the corner, two petrol stations, long since stripped of their pumps and kiosks now have trees growing through the tarmac where once impatient drivers would pull up to fill up. The farmer told me that they were given the land when a similar sized tract of land was taken from them for the building of the M4. He also asked me to mention that despite being listed on all ordnance survey maps as such, there is absolutely NO right of way through this stretch any more. Apparently a footpath used to run down their lane and then under this road via a route taken by an abandoned railway. There's little evidence of the footpath today apart from an old staircase completely encased in vegetation (I'd have missed it if he hadn't shown it to me). I have since confirmed that the map is incorrect by checking the council's definitive map - the public right of way to this location appears to have been revoked when the motorway was built and never reinstated. Since this picture was taken, the area has undergone redevelopment and over half of this abandoned road is currently being converted into housing.

On a stretch of road that's been unused for over 15 years, road lines and indeed the features to allow drivers to navigate at night are still in place at this location.

This sliproad used to lead to a petrol station. Since then the M4 took over the role of A48 and the A48 was rerouted and this stretch of road was abandoned and ignored!

Looking north-northwest along the B4291 at Birchgrove, with the post office (sadly, now closed) on the left and the Crown Inn on the right.

St John's, Birchgrove, is situated within the parish of Llansamlet, part of the Church in Wales Diocese of Swansea and Brecon.

Birchgrove Comprehensive School, which opened in 1991, serves the Swansea Valley communities of Birchgrove, Glais, and Clydach as well as taking a number of students from nearby Llansamlet and Trallwn.

The eastbound sliproad from the A48 to the M4 near Birchgrove is unusual in that it peels off the inside of the roundabout that straddles the motorway at this point. Traffic approaching from the B4291 (between the two leftmost lamp posts as seen here) and wishing to join the M4 eastbound has to perform a near 360° circuit of the roundabout.

Taken from above motorway bridge/junction. As is so often the case, one lane (westbound) is coned off - but for no apparent reason.

Winter sun catches these classic semi-detached houses in the suburbs of Swansea.

Somehow this massive pylon manages to look magnificent in the winter sun.

A railtour for GCG heads west with the Llandarcy oil refinery in the background. 23rd April 1994. Details of this railtour below which operated over some freight only railway lines. Monmouthshire Railway Society Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Growler II Locos Used 37258 & 37402 Route : Loco Route 37258 (1) Newport - Lydney Groundframe 37402 (2) Lydney Groundframe - Norchard Low Level 37258 (1) Norchard Low Level - Lydney Groundframe 37402 (2) Lydney Groundframe - Newport - Aberthaw - Swansea District - Llandeilo Jn 37258 (1) Llandeilo Jn - Gwaun-cae-Gurwen 37402 (2) Gwaun-cae-Gurwen - Jersey Marine South Yard 37258 (1) Jersey Marine South Yard - Cwmgwrach 37402 (2) Cwmgwrach - Jersey Marine South Yard 37258 (1) Jersey Marine South Yard - Margam Yard - Tondu 37402 (2) Tondu - Llantrisant - Pengam 37258 (1) Pengam - Cardiff Docks (Texaco Terminal) 37402 (2) Cardiff Docks (Texaco Terminal) - Newport Notes : (1) 37402 on rear. (2) 37258 on rear.