A465 Heads Of The Valleys Dualling; Dowlais Top To Hirwaun

[SteveA30]

Interesting, I thought Trago Mills was only in Devon and Cornwall.

[JackieRoads]

Interesting, I thought Trago Mills was only in Devon and Cornwall.

In fact I headed to the one in Newton Abbot a couple of times.

[jeremai]

Merthyr is their only location outside of Devon and Cornwall. They owned the site for many years before the "castle" finally opened in 2017:

[Big L]

Last I heard, South Gloucestershire County Council intends to issue a CPO as the land owners want nothing to do with the road. I assume the narrow strip of land was being used as some kind of land bank, as they are rife in the Avon valley for some reason and the combined councils appear to be in somewhat of a crackdown with Bristol CPOing lots of run-down land banks for the public good. Rare to see.

Wrong thread?

The post directly above that one included a picture of the “junction” on the M49.

[AAndy]

I filmed this video on Thursday, just the Cefn Coed section. https://youtu.be/Fbbds5l7cm4

[roadtester]

I filmed this video on Thursday, just the Cefn Coed section. https://youtu.be/Fbbds5l7cm4

Thanks. It’s an amazing project.

[DB617]

Merthyr is their only location outside of Devon and Cornwall. They owned the site for many years before the "castle" finally opened in 2017:

When the Merthyr site opened, I remember the A470 having REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS on the matrix signs for weeks which I suspected was due to the nondrivers of Merthyr trying to find their way there. Looking back at the map now, it seems more likely that it was so busy that people were parking in the retail park on the opposite side which gave them no way of crossing to the store.

[AAndy]

I've made a new video!
here: https://youtu.be/lMr7eAg4ar0

Silent. Normal speed. Including new Aberdare bridge.
Since last time:
3:41 new bridge by Merthyr motor auctions lines painted and ready for switchover
5:05 onto the new alignment but the cutting
6.05 new cutting now reached finished depth
8:23 rock cut away on right
13:03 new temp. alignment
15:00 side road closed
15:35 new c road tarmaced
17:56 over new viaduct .
22:00 along temp alignment over new railway bridges
24:43 Over new bridge on Aberdare slip?

[jeremai]

Great video as usual, Andy, and the list of highlights is really useful. Despite being just a few miles away I haven't seen a lot of this progress due to the frequent weekend closures which is when I'm more likely to be heading in that direction.

You've captured the Welsh weather perfectly, too.

[Octaviadriver]

Merthyr is their only location (of Trago Mills) outside of Devon and Cornwall. They owned the site for many years before the "castle" finally opened in 2017:

When the Merthyr site opened, I remember the A470 having REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS on the matrix signs for weeks which I suspected was due to the nondrivers of Merthyr trying to find their way there. Looking back at the map now, it seems more likely that it was so busy that people were parking in the retail park on the opposite side which gave them no way of crossing to the store.

There is a footpath that goes under the A470. It's behind B&Q just here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QpNC9CLq83w9JfG58
It comes out at the other end here and if you spin around, you can see Trago Mills:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w3g5bFxKG1kcEFXL9

[DB617]

Merthyr is their only location (of Trago Mills) outside of Devon and Cornwall. They owned the site for many years before the "castle" finally opened in 2017:

When the Merthyr site opened, I remember the A470 having REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS on the matrix signs for weeks which I suspected was due to the nondrivers of Merthyr trying to find their way there. Looking back at the map now, it seems more likely that it was so busy that people were parking in the retail park on the opposite side which gave them no way of crossing to the store.

There is a footpath that goes under the A470. It's behind B&Q just here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QpNC9CLq83w9JfG58
It comes out at the other end here and if you spin around, you can see Trago Mills:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w3g5bFxKG1kcEFXL9

...Which makes it all the more baffling how pedestrians allegedly ended up on the A470!

[AAndy]

Great video as usual, Andy, and the list of highlights is really useful. Despite being just a few miles away I haven't seen a lot of this progress due to the frequent weekend closures which is when I'm more likely to be heading in that direction.

You've captured the Welsh weather perfectly, too.

Thanks.. I couldn't wait for a sunny day!!

Here is the Eastbound video https://youtu.be/eXr5Kv6Gzpg ....not the full works because of the queue up to do ASDA roundabout but I've included the detour down Rocky Road and up Dowlais high street which should provide some interest here as it includes that lovely section of D1 which can bee seen from 30:30 mins in.

Silent. Normal speed. traffic queue between 09:20 mins & 15:30 mins.
..........Since my last update, some of the recent changes are at:....
3:12 Aberdare road new bridge...
5:21 Temporary alignment over new railway bridges...
7:27 New bridge(or viaduct) nearing completion.....
9:26 Over the new viaduct ...
12:40 new tarmac on new dual section by hilltop GSJ...
15:58 new c road base tarmac layered..
19:40 new viaduct.....
20:13 up & back the A470 new cutting......
22:51 cefn coed viaducts......
23:50 new bridge over, was here last time but is double width now?...
23:57 rock cut out on nearside.....
25:37 onto new alignment through cutting.....
2755 off down rocky road because of traffic jam!! see westbound video for last section: https://youtu.be/lMr7eAg4ar0 .

[Alderpoint]

It comes out at the other end here and if you spin around, you can see Trago Mills:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w3g5bFxKG1kcEFXL9

And if after spinning round you zoom in a bit you'll spot a big steel fence, there is no way to get in here.

As far as I can tell, there is only one entrance into Trago Mills, and that is from the roundabout here, there is not even an entrance from the nearby bus stop. Another great example of planners not believing anyone walks or uses public transport.

[Octaviadriver]

It comes out at the other end here and if you spin around, you can see Trago Mills:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w3g5bFxKG1kcEFXL9

And if after spinning round you zoom in a bit you'll spot a big steel fence, there is no way to get in here.

As far as I can tell, there is only one entrance into Trago Mills, and that is from the roundabout here, there is not even an entrance from the nearby bus stop. Another great example of planners not believing anyone walks or uses public transport.

You're correct that the only way to walk in is from the roundabout further up Swansea Road through the one and only entrance. However, if you're going by bus, there's a bus stop in Trago Mills that drops you off within about 50 yards of the entrance.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JqY4vwX67r2acKuR6

[AAndy]

A nearside view of the works from nearly 2 weeks ago: https://youtu.be/cPdOd59ILu4

Hedgerows and Banks edited out and the drive begins approaching the new Hirwaun GSJ from Rhigos mountain/Treherbert and follows the roadworks to Dowlais top, but missing out the last bit from the screwfix roundabout because of taking a route down Rocky road away from the works, though the journey back is complete ( minus the banks etc).

[AAndy]

My latest videos of the roadworks.
Westbound: https://youtu.be/xG3JyISy5uU
for which I did chapters ;
Lots of changes. (since last vid)
Some of them:.............
1:03 Final Kerb laying
3:06 new temp alignment
3:29 new hole dug
4:04 viaduct demolished by Mertyr lorry auctions
5:39 work begins along the industrial estate
6:21 new alignment way up.
9:40 balancing act on existing viaduct adding extra lane bed both sides
10:10 Bedding layer being added and rock cutout nearing completion
11:00 Cefn coed viaduct construction
12:00 a glimpse of the excavations
15:25 new temp alignment construction?
18:39 a short drive up the new B4276 road
29:30 Excavation progressing under new bridges by the Aberdare GSJ?

Westbound Nearside view only: https://youtu.be/9XAjR_-ac38
Eastbound: https://youtu.be/2Rjz02CWsp4
Eastbound Nearside View: https://youtu.be/YxudomUishU

The construction is gathering pace...momentum....etc.

[jeremai]

I had a seven mile Boxing Day hike this morning from Rhymney to Cefn Coed, trying to find good vantage points of the road from above and below.

Dowlais Top:
Temporary roundabout and bridge construction of A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway by Jez Smith, on Flickr

Pant in the foreground, with the A465 and Swansea Road realignment climbing the hill to the west in the background:
A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction by Jez Smith, on Flickr

Bridge over Pant Road:
A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction over Pant Road by Jez Smith, on Flickr

Cefn Coed High Street bridge and Taff Trail footbridge from Gurnos:
St. John the Baptist Church and new Taff Trail footbridge over A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction by Jez Smith, on Flickr

A470 junction and Taff Fawr viaduct from Gurnos:
View of A470 juncion of A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction by Jez Smith, on Flickr

View of A470 juncion of A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction by Jez Smith, on Flickr

View of A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction by Jez Smith, on Flickr

Looking east from Cefn Coed bridge:
A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway construction and new Taff Trail footbridge by Jez Smith, on Flickr

A470 junction and Taff Fawr viaduct from Cefn Coed Viaduct:
A470 junction and viaduct construction work for new A465 section 5/6 dual carriageway by Jez Smith, on Flickr

[Octaviadriver]

That's a great set of photos, thank you. It's been a while since I last visited Merthyr Tydfil. I'd park in Cyfarthfa Retail Park and walk along the Taff Trail up to the bridge over the A465 and sometimes a bit beyond whilst SWMBO enjoyed herself going around the shops. I've not been for a while as we've had to go to Hereford for a course of injections in my left eye, but the last one is on 2 January and then they'll assess if any more treatment is needed. Hopefully not, then we'll start going to Merthyr again.

The Taff Trail bridge over the A465 was closed this summer when I tried to use it. Is the new bridge open to pedestrians yet? I don't always walk as far as the A465 in the winter anyway as I can manage about 5-6 miles if I can rest on the bench for 10 minutes at Cefn Coed, but at this time of year when it's wet, it's not possible!

[jeremai]

Thanks Octaviadriver. Yes, the new Taff Trail footbridge opened last week according to a Facebook post, although I didn't venture across it yesterday as I wasn't aware. I hope it's good news about your eye next week.

[AAndy]

I had a seven mile Boxing Day hike this morning from Rhymney to Cefn Coed, trying to find good vantage points of the road from above and below.

Thanks for putting these up , stunning set of photos.


I see that a landslide has closed the road (A465) today just to the west of the A470.... With 3"+ of rain in the last 12 hours or so its likely to be a real mess around there.