Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Even more aspects - The Ely River Subway 1900 - 1963 . . .

The subway remained in use during the war years, when for a time the Dock re-opened. Its final closure in 1962 signaled the end of the Subway's life. Complaints of vandalism and insanitary use were made, and on September 4th, 1963, the British Transport Docks Board announced that the Subway would be closed at the end of the month. On September 30th, 1963, the entrance at each end was sealed, though access for the Fire Service was retained at the Ferry Road end. By that time the toll house there had been used for some years as a piggery. The site is now occupied by the Penarth Motor Boat and Sailing Club. The remains of the toll house may still be seen there.

In 1976 the cast iron lining at the Penarth end was removed and sold for scrap, and the trench and tunnel mouth filled in.

The construction of the Ely River Subway was overshadowed by the great mining and railway developments then taking place in South Wales. It was designed by a distinguished engineer ; it was built using the most modern technology then available, without which it could not have been completed. Finally it was a dangerous and difficult task which was completed over a period of three years without a single fatality.

Once again many thanks to the Welsh Railways Research Circle for this informative article. - [WRRC Resource : TV 143] [737]