Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - The subway under the river Ely story . . .

On the last time I went through before it was bricked up at the Penarth side, there was quite a lot of water at the deepest point so I think the pumps had been turned off by then and the lights bulbs were in place but not illuminated. Sad to see. It would have been good for it to reopened in the Cardiff Bay development and I am aware that a survey was undertaken after the subway was opened and drained for inspection. But it was too expensive. Another loss of a piece of industrial heritage but I bet there are lots of big, happy rats down there!'

Vilis replied on: June 29, 2014 »

'My parents lived in St David's Crescent when I was born and most of my family were from Penarth. Great grandfather was a coal trimmer and my dad worked on the pontoon for a short while in late forties. When we moved to St.Fagan's St., Grangetown in about 1958, my sister used to take me through the subway to visit family in Penarth, or go to the dock beach. Later, when I was only maybe 5 years old, I used to walk through the subway ALONE! I'd tell my mum I was going out to play in Clive St., then walk down ferry road to the subway (by the smelly piggery). Sometimes the lights were out in the subway, but I'd go prepared for my adventure with a torch. The sound of the pump in the middle used to scare me a little. Very risky for a 5 y.o. but I'm still here!

We moved back to Penarth in '68, when I was 13 - the first tenants of 90 Highview Rd..... The brand new Billybanks! Overlooking Penarth dock, it was inevitable that I'd spend most of my time playing there. I recall going into the subway with my friend, Joe, around about 1969 - 70. (I was still in school). Because access was needed by the Electricity company, the Penarth entrance had been secured by a steel door, but someone (not me - honest) had broken the lock and we were able to go in. We went down some way before we hit water, so it was well flooded by then. Soon after our 'visit', the door was secured again. I worked on the dock after leaving school at 15. First in Mobile Pack, then Woodland Coal. The latter being an old building with it's yard near the dock wall.'