Now living in Berkshire but used to play along and in the canal at Britton Ferry. I lived in St Mary's close from around 4 years old till around 11 years old. Lovely to see some familiar sights through the wonders of the internet. 👌🥰🙏
I remember seeing HMS Seraph at Wards in 1962. It was the submarine that carried the body of "The Man Who Never Was ". As a boy from the Melin (Melincrythan) I spent a lot of time down the canal as a child and at 15.45 in you mention a "pillbox". As a youngster we used to play in it but I believe it has been vandalised in recent times. It was on the side of the bridge that was on the end of the old "Galv" works. I think it would have been on your right about 150 yards before the bridge at 15.38 in. I haven't been down that area in 55 years so don't even know if I would recognise many of the things on the canal. Also the Metal Box wasn't a tinplate factory, they made cans for the food industry out of tinplate. A lot of my family worked there and I believe they made a lot of things for the war effort during WW2.
Thanks for the info about that stretch of the canal. I was aware that Metal box made cans but apparently in the 1930s the company added the can manufacturing plant next door to the tinplate works alongside the Neath Canal.
@@marcuswalks The Tinplate works attached to the Metal Box might have been the Eaglesbush works which was near the railway line at the bottom of Milland Road (which is where Ray Milland took his stage name from), The "Eagle" as it was known was a tinplate reclamation works. I think in latter years the "Box" would have had it's tinplate from either Trostre or Velindra works. I have no idea if the "Eagle" building is still there as I haven't been to that area for 50 odd years. HMS Seraph was broken at Wards in 1962. Here is a Wiki link to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Seraph_(P219) I also remember HMS Bermuda being scrapped there and from that ship I think every boy in the Melin and Briton Ferry acquired steel helmets from it. About the "pillbox", I seem to remember it was only big enough for one man and it always stank of wee. lol.
I remember as a kid travelling from Bridgend going over Briton Ferry bridge and seeing HMS Tenby being scrapped which was made famous as the ship used in the funeral of James Bond in You only live twice.
Marcus you did it yet again! excellent walk, in a most obscure place ever, the space between Britton Ferry to Neath is empty! only grass & Trees there, nobody visits, but you give a full rundown on historic items "en route" brilliant,.
Hi Marcus. Another great video thanks for sharing. Lovely area of briton ferry docks I was there a few months ago love it. Keep up the good work you do. 👍
The lonely arch at the 12 minute mark use to be called I think the "Bloody Bridge". I used to jump off it into the canal when I was maybe 10, in the early 80's. That part of the canal and the whole area was free from trees, and was a marshland. The tarmac path you're walking on at that point didn't exist, so the main way to get to that part of the canal was the road to the rubbish tip which is on the other side of the canal. I also remember a quarry on the other side of the canal. The whole area was much more open and not overgrown. My Dad worked at Wards for many years.
Thanks for the video Marcus, i walk/cycle the canal quite often as well as the nearby Tennant canal. The area that you started the walk was redeveloped in the late 80’s early 90’s there were many calls to the bomb disposal team at Hereford as the docks was used after the First and Second World War to receive used munitions and ships as you identified in your film and many old shells etc were found some of which were actually still live (presumably from bombing raids on Swansea/Neath/Port Talbot).
I appreciate you only have a short period to talk in, but so much rich history along this stretch. The now demolished terraced houses near the part you describe as Giants Grave Basin, The old Isolation Hospital on top of the mountain to the right of the canal as you exit Giants Grave. The Bloody (or Ballast) (this was the brick mound you were discussing a mile into the canal walk) and the old 'Saltings high rise social housing that was located to the right of the first low bridge you walked under (known as the Tip Bridge). I saw you walk past my house. I came out and waved, but it was cut from the footage It is sad to see the canal in such poor state these days. I used to swim in there most summers when I was younger. Locally known sites such as 'The Swing', 'The Ship Inn' and 'The Bloody'. Keep up the good wor
Albion steel works I used to get things from their scrapyard it was like an alladins cave once had a Douglas dragonfly motorcycle from there never got caught that was in the70s then push it all the way home along aberavon beach to where I lived
Lovely Walk, you can read Alexander Cordell's book, Song of the Earth, Family of bargees on the Neath Canal, his other Trilogy of Weslh life, including Rape of the Fair country are well worth a read, ive walked the canal many times, goes from industrial/Town (Neath) to serene farmland and well worth it.
You missed the pill box by seconds,it's about 50 yards back from where you mention it in the video You walk up a small hump and down before that bridge Used to climb inside the box as a kid but now it's full of rubbish
Cheers Marcus. I've often walked along the northern end of this canal around the Resolven area. I must pay a visit to this section, too. Much appreciated. Hwyl form the Rhondda.
Now living in Berkshire but used to play along and in the canal at Britton Ferry. I lived in St Mary's close from around 4 years old till around 11 years old. Lovely to see some familiar sights through the wonders of the internet. 👌🥰🙏
Thanks, glad it brought back some memories
So great to find a walks channel with well-researched narrative, map & coordinate/W3W details. Liked & Subscribed
Thanks for subscribing 👍
I remember seeing HMS Seraph at Wards in 1962. It was the submarine that carried the body of "The Man Who Never Was ".
As a boy from the Melin (Melincrythan) I spent a lot of time down the canal as a child and at 15.45 in you mention a "pillbox". As a youngster we used to play in it but I believe it has been vandalised in recent times. It was on the side of the bridge that was on the end of the old "Galv" works. I think it would have been on your right about 150 yards before the bridge at 15.38 in. I haven't been down that area in 55 years so don't even know if I would recognise many of the things on the canal.
Also the Metal Box wasn't a tinplate factory, they made cans for the food industry out of tinplate. A lot of my family worked there and I believe they made a lot of things for the war effort during WW2.
Thanks for the info about that stretch of the canal. I was aware that Metal box made cans but apparently in the 1930s the company added the can manufacturing plant next door to the tinplate works alongside the Neath Canal.
Forgot to mention how long was the submarine there. I vaguely remember seeing one when I was young.
@@marcuswalks The Tinplate works attached to the Metal Box might have been the Eaglesbush works which was near the railway line at the bottom of Milland Road (which is where Ray Milland took his stage name from), The "Eagle" as it was known was a tinplate reclamation works. I think in latter years the "Box" would have had it's tinplate from either Trostre or Velindra works. I have no idea if the "Eagle" building is still there as I haven't been to that area for 50 odd years.
HMS Seraph was broken at Wards in 1962. Here is a Wiki link to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Seraph_(P219)
I also remember HMS Bermuda being scrapped there and from that ship I think every boy in the Melin and Briton Ferry acquired steel helmets from it.
About the "pillbox", I seem to remember it was only big enough for one man and it always stank of wee. lol.
I remember as a kid travelling from Bridgend going over Briton Ferry bridge and seeing HMS Tenby being scrapped which was made famous as the ship used in the funeral of James Bond in You only live twice.
Thanks for the James Bond info 👍
Excellent footage Marcus really enjoyed watching it.
Many thanks!
Absolutely love this channel !!! My dad and grandad used to work in the Albion ( Baglan boy here , so loads of interest on all your stuff . Keep it up
Glad you enjoyed it 👍
Marcus you did it yet again! excellent walk, in a most obscure place ever, the space between Britton Ferry to Neath is empty! only grass & Trees there, nobody visits, but you give a full rundown on historic items "en route" brilliant,.
Thanks very much 👍
Hi Marcus. Another great video thanks for sharing. Lovely area of briton ferry docks I was there a few months ago love it. Keep up the good work you do. 👍
Cheers and thanks for watching.
@@marcuswalks Cheers Mate. You take care good luck with your walks.
Excellent video, passed by my street! I really enjoy your stuff, very informative, really hope you keep up the good work.
Thank you very much!
Great video, very informative!
Cheers 👍
The lonely arch at the 12 minute mark use to be called I think the "Bloody Bridge". I used to jump off it into the canal when I was maybe 10, in the early 80's. That part of the canal and the whole area was free from trees, and was a marshland. The tarmac path you're walking on at that point didn't exist, so the main way to get to that part of the canal was the road to the rubbish tip which is on the other side of the canal. I also remember a quarry on the other side of the canal. The whole area was much more open and not overgrown.
My Dad worked at Wards for many years.
Cheers, thanks for all the information 👍
At the side of BRITON FERRY library there is a metal big that was taken from the dock's. Keep up all the good work 👍
Thanks for the info, cheers 👍
Thanks for the video Marcus, i walk/cycle the canal quite often as well as the nearby Tennant canal. The area that you started the walk was redeveloped in the late 80’s early 90’s there were many calls to the bomb disposal team at Hereford as the docks was used after the First and Second World War to receive used munitions and ships as you identified in your film and many old shells etc were found some of which were actually still live (presumably from bombing raids on Swansea/Neath/Port Talbot).
Thanks for the info, it is interesting area. 👍
I appreciate you only have a short period to talk in, but so much rich history along this stretch. The now demolished terraced houses near the part you describe as Giants Grave Basin, The old Isolation Hospital on top of the mountain to the right of the canal as you exit Giants Grave. The Bloody (or Ballast) (this was the brick mound you were discussing a mile into the canal walk) and the old 'Saltings high rise social housing that was located to the right of the first low bridge you walked under (known as the Tip Bridge). I saw you walk past my house. I came out and waved, but it was cut from the footage It is sad to see the canal in such poor state these days. I used to swim in there most summers when I was younger. Locally known sites such as 'The Swing', 'The Ship Inn' and 'The Bloody'. Keep up the good wor
Thanks for the info, yes there's so much more history. It would be excellent if the canal was reopened in some way.
Albion steel works I used to get things from their scrapyard it was like an alladins cave once had a Douglas dragonfly motorcycle from there never got caught that was in the70s then push it all the way home along aberavon beach to where I lived
Lovely Walk, you can read Alexander Cordell's book, Song of the Earth, Family of bargees on the Neath Canal, his other Trilogy of Weslh life, including Rape of the Fair country are well worth a read, ive walked the canal many times, goes from industrial/Town (Neath) to serene farmland and well worth it.
Thanks for the info 👍. I may walk away from Neath heading north next time so it gets a bit quieter.
You missed the pill box by seconds,it's about 50 yards back from where you mention it in the video
You walk up a small hump and down before that bridge
Used to climb inside the box as a kid but now it's full of rubbish
Thanks for the details, I'll take a look next time.
Cheers Marcus. I've often walked along the northern end of this canal around the Resolven area. I must pay a visit to this section, too. Much appreciated. Hwyl form the Rhondda.
Hi, it's a bit quieter up the northern end.