Treherbert

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Treherbert is a village situated at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in south-east Wales, UK.

As you enter the area from the direction of Treorchy you view the mountain of Pen Pych. Pen Pych is one of the best examples of a table-top mountain in the world.

On the left hand side of Pen Pych you find the village of Blaencwm and on its right is Blaenrhondda. At the base of the mountain is the village of Tynewydd, Treherbert and Penyrenglyn.

The battle scenes of the film Zulu were shot at the base of Pen-Pych, and Michael Caine resided at the Top Club for some months. King Solomon's mines was filmed up in Fernhill Houses, with the production crew staying in Mort's. Ervil's builder's yard supplied many of the materials used in the film.

Treherbert is the end-of-the-line for the Taff Vale Railway. Prior to the Dr Beeching plans in the 1960s the railway line continued from Treherbert through Tynewydd up to Blaencwm. The station at Tynewydd was called 'Blaenrhondda Station' even though it was in Tynewydd. From here it turns left at Pen Pych into Blaencwm. Here it desended into a tunnel through a mountain in Blaencwm and came out at Blaengwnfi in the nearby valley. Residents would often catch this train for a day out at Aberavon. It was often spoken that the best way to solve a cough was to put your head out of the train while it travelled through the mountain! Apparently the coal steam would help! The journey would take approximately 8 minutes.

British Rail used the tunnel through to Blaengwynfi to test the new experimental 'Maglev' train under cover of darkness, and several Blaenycym locals reported seeing flying saucers as the Maglev train zipped thru and back several times a minute.

The main road out of Treherbert is via the Rhigos Mountain Road, like other roads in the area it is often referred to as the 'New Road'.

During the early 21st century a lot of the 'old' Treherbert was demolished. Buildings that disappeared were: Treherbert Hospital, Treherbert Police Station, Dunraven School (Tynewydd), Blaencwm School, Blaenrhondda School, Penyrenglyn Infants and Junior School, Treherbert Infants School and Libanus Chapel. A tremendous loss was Garnett's builders's yard. Garnett could spit nails so hard, they could join 2 pieces of 2 inch marine ply, without the need for hammers. Lately, houses have been built on Garnett's yard, and Inspector Morse has bought one.

Treherbert Chinese (Kang Wah) is renowned down so far as Ynyswen, and does a superb Roast Chicken Chinese Style, that has gained a Michelin star.

Until recently, a daily bus took residents over to Asda in Merthyr, but this was stopped when the Treherbert passengers realised it was cheaper for them to get the Asda bus but shop in a German supermarket just next to Asda. The Spar in Treherbert (Prop: Pritchard Esq with moustache) has seen a mild increase in trade since the bus was cancelled. The old town is on the up and up.