Port Talbot
or
Porth Talbot) is an industrial town in the
traditional county of
Glamorgan, south
Wales, UK, with a population of approximately 50,000. Port Talbot is also the name of an
electoral ward and a
community in
Neath Port Talbot county borough, which are closely related to the town.
The town grew out of the original small port and
market town of
Aberafan (English name
Aberavon), which belonged to the medieval Lords of
Afan. It built its wealth on the abundance of
coal in the vicinity and on the abundant water available in the
River Afan to power machinery and operate the docks.
The town got its new name from the Talbot family, who were related to the pioneer photographer,
William Henry Fox Talbot. They were patrons of
Margam Abbey, an ancient
Cistercian foundation, and also built
Margam Castle (
1830-
1839,
architect:
Thomas Hopper), a mock
Gothic residence, now partially restored and open to the public along with the surrounding park.
Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803-1890) was a wealthy landowner (and Liberal Member of Parliament for Glamorgan from 1830 until his death) who saw the potential of his property as a site for an extensive ironworks, which opened in early
1831. (This was just part of the industrialisation taking place across south Wales then; copper had been smelted at
Neath since 1584, and there were tinworks and ironworks at
Pontardawe.) CRM Talbot was also chairman and a major shareholder of the South Wales Railway.
His only son Theodore died in 1876 following a hunting accident. It was therefore his daughter
Emily Charlotte Talbot (1840-1918) who inherited her father's fortune and became just as notable in the development of ports and railways. With assistance from
engineers Charles Meik and
Patrick Meik she set about creating a port and railway system to attract business away from
Cardiff and
Swansea. The Port Talbot Railway and Dock Company opened a dock at Port Talbot and the Llynfi Railway in 1897, followed by the Ogmore Valley Extension and the South Wales Mineral Junction Railway (almost all these lines were closed as part of the
Beeching Axe cuts in the mid
1960s, but some bridges and viaducts remain). By 1900, the dock was exporting over 500,000 tons of coal; it reached a peak of over three million tons in 1923.
During the early twentieth century, the docks and a major steelworks attracted considerable investment, and this was followed by the establishment of a chemical plant at
Baglan Bay by in the 1960s.
The town saw serious decline in the late seventies and early eighties caused by the withdrawal or cutting back of major employers, especially the steel works. The borough council has been absorbed into the larger
unitary authority of
Neath Port Talbot.
Sporting teams in town include Aberavon Fighting Irish rugby league club who play in the
Rugby League Conference,
Aberavon Rugby Club (founded in 1876) and footballing clubs
Afan Lido F.C.,
Port Talbot Town F.C. and also the Second Division Welsh Champions
Goytre United F.C.In 2005 the area was granted its first dedicated radio station when a local group -
AfanFM - were awarded a 5 year Community FM Radio licence to serve Port Talbot and its neighbouring town of
Neath. It will broadcast a "music-based information service" targeting young people aged 11-25.
The town is built along the eastern rim of
Swansea Bay with
Swansea being located on the opposite side. The beach along the edge of the bay is known as Aberavon Sands which are protected from erosion by a groyne at the mouth of the
River Afan. The northern edge of the town is marked by the
River Neath.
|
Water vapour rises in front of the blast furnaces at Port Talbot steelworks |
Port Talbot Steelworks
Arguably, the most famous landmark in Port Talbot is the steelworks operated by
Corus Group. On the extensive steelworks site, smoke can be observed rising from the BOS plant and water vapour from the
cooling towers, a great distance away. When exiting Port Talbot in an easterly direction, the Abbey Works steel products plant (which is over 1 mile long) can be seen. The familiar 'smokey' smell of sulphur often hangs over this part of the town.
Movie director
Ridley Scott quotes the sight of Port Talbot Steelworks at night to be his inspiration for the dark, gigantic buildings in films like
Blade Runner.
Top Gear have used the Port Talbot steelworks to film, a number of times.
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Aberavon
