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Site of North’s Blast Furnace

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1838-1854Sir Robert Price, a Herefordshire MP, started an ironworks at Tondu in 1838. He had little experience of business or industry and his venture ended in bankruptcy.

1854-1878John Brogden & Sons took over from Price and created a successful company based on ironworking, coal mining and the railway, until it went into receivership in the late 1870s

1888-1948Colonel North rescued the business in 1888. His company concentrated on coal and survived until nationalisation in 1947, after which Tondu became the West Wales HQ of the National Coal Board.

5. Hot Blast stovesPrice’s blast furnaces used a cold blast of air direct from the blowing engine whereas North’s blast furnace was more efficient and had a mechanism that allowed its top to be sealed so that the gases produced could be collected and used to preheat the airblast6. Blast Furnace Floor & site oF cast HouseThe molten iron was tapped from the bottom of the blast furnaces and directed through channels into moulds in a bed of sand in the cast house where it solidified as ‘cast iron’.7. tHe DriFt mineThe Drift Mine was worked for coal for a short period after the closure of the ironworks probably during the 1920s.8. site oF PuDDling FurnacesCast iron contained a lot of carbon, which made it brittle. One way of reducing the carbon content was by re-melting and stirring it in a puddling furnace.

1. BeeHive coke ovensLocal coal had to be converted into coke by heating it to make it suitable for use in the blast furnaces at Tondu, this was done in beehive shaped coke ovens.2. calcining kilnsIron ore was roasted with coal in the calcining kilns to make it suitable for the blast furnaces.3. cHarging area anD liFtIron ore, coke and limestone were brought to the charging area near the calcining kilns for transfer to the blast furnaces.4. tHe engine HousesThese housed the steam powered blowing engines which supplied air to the blast furnaces.The Engine house is now the home of Groundwork who secured funding from Cadw and the Millennium Commission to redevelop the site, and have used it as their base since 2001.

The Iron WorKSIf you follow this trail around the site, you will find out all you need to know about the Victorian ironworks at Parc Tondu

Tondu Ironworks in about 1900 with North’s blast furnace on the right.

The BMX and cycling track

Greener Living Spaces Play Area

The original calcining kilns

Scan the QR code with your smart phone for further information about Groundwork

Special bricks from the hot blast stoves

Parc TonduWelcome to Parc Tondu home of the most complete Victorian ironworks in Britain and Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot.

IronmaSTerS

9. site oF rolling millThe rolling mill was where rails and sheet were produced from wrought iron. Although there is nothing to see now, the rolling mill occupied an area about the size of a football pitch.10. site oF 19tH century ironworks oFFicesThe grassed areas mark part of the ironworks offices11. site oF nortH’s cottage The cottage was built around 1910 and was probably the caretaker's house but is now home to a Greener Living Spaces play area which was supported by an M&S carrier bag charging scheme.12. tHe resource centreOur Youthworks team are based in the Resource centre which was built as part of the redevelopment. This facility has the capacity to hold conferences, provide education rooms and space for lunch

The Engine House, Parc Tondu, Maesteg Road, Tondu, Bridgend CF32 9TF Tel: 01656 727800 Fax: 01656 727832 Email: bridgend@groundwork.org.uk

Please note that we are still developing Parc Tondu. If you wish to visit the Iron Works please sign in at reception.Main entrance: Maesteg Road, Tondu. Bus: regular buses from Bridgend along Maesteg Road. Train: regular trains from Bridgend; Parc Tondu is 5 minutes walk from Tondu station. Bike: direct access from Celtic Trail (National Cycle Network Route 4) into the park. Car/coach: limited on site parking. Other local attractions: Bryngarw Country Park, Parc Slip Nature Park, Bedford Park & 18th century ironworks

The most complete Victorian Ironworks in Britain

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Y Peiriandy, Parc Tondu, Heol Maesteg, Tondu, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr CF32 9TF Ffôn: 01656 722315 Ffacs: 01656 727832 Ebost: bridgend@groundwork.org.uk

Nodwch: rydym yn dal i ddatblygu safle Parc Tondu. Os carech chi ymweld â’r Gwaith Haearn, ewch i’r dderbynfa i gofrestru. Prif Fynedfa: Heol Maesteg, Tondu. Bws: bysiau rheolaidd o Benybont ar Ogwr ar hyd Heol Maesteg. Trên: trenau rheolaidd o Benybont ar Ogwr; gellir cerdded i Barc Tondu o orsaf Tondu mewn 5 munud. Beicio: mynediad uniongyrchol i’r parc o’r Llwybr Celtaidd (Llwybr 4 y Rhwydwaith Beicio Cenedlaethol). Car/coetsh: parcio cyfyngedig ar y safle. Atyniadau lleol eraill: Parc Gwledig Bryngarw, Parc Natur Parc Slip, Parc Bedford a gwaith haearn o’r 18fed ganrif

Sganiwch y côd QR â’ch ffôn clyfar i gael gwybodaeth ychwanegol am Groundwork.

1838-1854Sefydlodd Syr Robert Price, AS o Swydd Henffordd, waith haearn yn Nhondu ym 1838. Prin oedd ei brofiad o fusnes na diwydiant, a methdaliad fu hanes ei fenter yn y diwedd

1854-1878Cymerodd John Brogden a’i Feibion yr awennau ar ôl Price gan greu cwmni seiliedig ar weithfeydd haearn, pyllau glo a’r rheilffyrdd, a fu’n llwyddiannus nes iddo fynd i law’r derbynnydd tua diwedd y 1870au

1888-1948Achubodd y Cyrnol North y busnes ym 1888. Canolbwyntiodd ei gwmni ar lo a goroesi nes i’r diwydiant gael ei wladoli ym 1947. Yn sgil hyn daeth Tondu’n Brif Swyddfa’r Bwrdd Glo Cenedlaethol ar gyfer Gorllewin Cymru.

5. FFyrnau cHwytHu PoetHDefnyddiai ffwrneisi chwythu Price hwrdd o aer oer a ddeuai’n syth o’r peiriant chwythu. Roedd ffwrnais chwythu North yn fwy effeithiol gan fod ganddi fecanwaith y gellid selio ei ben uchaf i adael i’r nwyon a gynhyrchid gael eu cronni a’u defnyddio i rag-gynhesu’r hwrdd o aer6. llawr y FFwrnais cHwytHu a saFle’r ty BwrwCâi’r haearn toddedig ei dapio o waelod y ffwrneisi chwythu a’i yrru ar hyd sianeli i mewn i fowldiau mewn gwely o dywod yn y tŷ bwrw, lle y caledodd i ffurfio ‘haearn bwrw’.7. y mwynglawDD DriFFtCloddwyd am lo am gyfnod byr yn y mwynglawdd drifft ar ôl i’r gwaith haearn gael ei gau, yn ystod y 1920au o bosibl.8. saFle’r FFwrneisi PwDloRoedd haearn bwrw’n cynnwys llawer o garbon, a oedd yn ei wneud yn frau. Un ffordd o leihau’r maint o garbon oedd ail-doddi’r haearn a’i droi mewn ffwrnais bwdlo.

1. FFyrnau cols cwcH gwenynRoedd yn rhaid cynhesu’r glo lleol i’w droi’n gols er mwyn ei wneud yn addas i’w ddefnyddio yn y ffwrneisi chwyth yn Nhondu. Gwnaed hyn mewn ffyrnau cols ar ffurf cychod gwenyn.2. oDynnau calcHynnuArferid rhostio mwyn haearn gyda glo yn yr odynnau calchynnu i’w wneud yn addas ar gyfer y ffwrneisi chwyth.3. arDal lwytHo a liFFtCludid mwyn haearn, côls a chalchfaen i’r ardal lwytho ger yr odynnau calchynnu fel y gellid eu trosglwyddo i’r ffwrneisi chwyth.4. y PeirianDaiYn y peiriandai y safai’r peiriannau chwythu a yrrid gan stêm, a gyflenwai aer i’r ffwrneisi chwyth.Mae’r Peiriandy’n gartref bellach i Groundwork a sicrhaodd gyllid oddi wrth Cadw a Chomisiwn y Mileniwm er mwyn ail-ddatblygu’r safle, ac sydd wedi ei ddefnyddio fel prif swyddfa ers 2001.

Y GWaITh haearnOs dilynwch chi’r llwybr hwn o gwmpas y safle, fe ddysgwch chi bopeth y mae angen ichi ei wybod am y gwaith haearn Fictoraidd ym Mharc Tondu

Gwaith Haearn Tondu tua’r flwyddyn 1900, a ffwrnais chwythu North ar y dde

Y trac beicio a BMX

Ardal Chwarae Mannau Byw’n Wyrddach

Yr odynnau calchynnu gwreiddiol

Brics arbennig o’r ffyrnau chwythu poeth

Parc TonduCroeso i Barc Tondu, cartref y gwaith haearn Fictoraidd mwyaf cyflawn ym Mhrydain a Groundwork Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr a Chastell-Nedd Port Talbot.

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9. saFle’r Felin rolioYn y felin rolio y cynhyrchid cledrau a llenfetel o haearn gyr. Er nad oes dim ohoni i’w weld bellach, roedd y felin rolio tua’r un faint â chae pêl-droed.10. saFle swyDDFeyDD y gwaitH Haearn yn y 19eg ganriFMae’r ardal laswelltog yn dangos lle safai rhan o swyddfeydd y gwaith haearn.11. saFle BwtHyn nortHCafodd y bwthyn ei adeiladu tua 1910. Mae’n debyg mai cartref y gofalwr ydoedd yn wreiddiol ond bellach mae’n ardal chwarae Mannau Byw’n Wyrddach a noddwyd gan gynllun prynu bagiau siopa M&S.12. y ganolFan aDnoDDauMae ein tîm Youthworks yn gweithio o’r Ganolfan Adnoddau a adeiladwyd fel rhan o’r cynllun ail-ddatblygu. Mae’r cyfleuster hwn yn gallu darparu lle ar gyfer cynadleddau, ystafelloedd addysg a man i gael cinio.

Y Gwaith haearn Fictoraidd mwyaf cyflawn ym mhrydain

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