A relic from the 1911 Hopkinstown Rail disaster has made its way from Doncaster to A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum and is now on public display.
The louvre ventilator, which would have let air in and out of the train carriage, will be on display as part of the Trehafod museum’s Coal Society exhibition, which is open to the public.
The object was found in a cupboard in Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster and bears the inscription “A relic from the TVR collision at Hopkinstown, which occurred January 23, 1911: J Morris” and is now in the care of the Doncaster Grammar School Railway Collection Trust.
Over 110 years ago, in January 1911, a passenger train travelling from Treherbert to Cardiff was involved in a collision with a mineral train carrying 30-40 tonnes of coal from the Lewis Merthyr Colliery - now home to a Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum.
Eleven people were killed in the disaster, including local councillors and industrial stalwarts who were on their way to the South Wales Miners’ Federation Executive Council in Cardiff. Hundreds more were injured.
The disaster happened during an important time in history in Rhondda Cynon Taf as the Tonypandy riots were still ongoing and there was unrest in the area. The Miners’ Federation meeting many of those on the train were due to attend would have been a significant event as the industrial action continued. Find out more about the Tonypandy Riots here:
In fact, officers from London’s Metropolitan Police, in the area due to the riots, were some of the first to arrive at the scene of the train crash, which was likely caused by human error. There is a document of the investigation into the crash, which can be found here:
Cllr Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure, said: “It’s a mystery to think how an artefact from the Hopkinstown Train Disaster of 1911 ended up in a cupboard at a school in the north of England.
“We are extremely grateful to the Doncaster Grammar School Railway Collection Trust for loaning us this item, so we can place it on display as part of our amazing, interactive exhibition at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum.
“It’s a great way for our visitors to see even more of our history brought to life at this award-winning attraction.”
The louvre ventilator which was found all those years later has been loaned to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Heritage Service and is likely to remain in Wales to be seen for a year.
You can see it as part of the incredible exhibition at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum, which costs just £2 per person to view. It is filled with digital and photographic displays, artefacts, quizzes and real-life stories that bring to life the rich industrial and cultural heritage of the area.
Step back in time to the days of coal mining and industrial power that would have been the backdrop to the Hopkinstown Train Disaster.
Visit the exhibition and enjoy a trip back in time. You can also enjoy our courtyard, part of the former Lewis Merthyr Colliery and see the magnificent original chimney, outbuildings and industrial artefacts.
Stop for tea, cake or a hot meal at our on-site Caffe Bracchi and upgrade your visit by booking on to a Black Gold Tour where men who worked in collieries when they were boys take you on a tour underground and back in time.
They will share their moving, personal stories and memories with you as they show you what life was like for them and their communities.
Rhondda Heritage Park Museum is open 9am – 4.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Find out more.
Posted on 02/07/2025