Abercynon Colliery was sunk between 1889 and 1896 as the 'Dowlais-Cardiff Colliery' for the Dowlais Iron Company (Guests) later, in 1899 known as the Dowlais Iron, Steel & Coal Company. The colliery was the last to be sunk in the Cynon Valley and by 1908 it employed just over 2,000 people. Soon after the digging commencemed ingress of water became a problem requiring large capacity pumping equipment to be installed ; they were reputed to be the deepest pits in the South Wales coalfield. [000] [002]

1979 - Memorial to Richard Trevithick at Abercynon (created by Glyn Davies). 

In commemoration of the achievements of Richard Trevithick who having constructed the first steam locomotive did on February 21st 1804 successfully haul 10 tons of iron and numerous passengers along the tramroad from Merthyr to this precinct where was situated the loading point of the Glamorgan Canal.

The connections of the iron and steel and coal industries are many-fold and interwoven with one another. [1285]

FATHER OF THE LOCOMOTIVE - Mr. D. A. Thomas has promised a gift of a statute of Richard Trevithick, "the father of the locomotive engine," to commemorate his 22 years' representation of Merthyr Burghs in Parliament—from 1888 to 1910. Trevithick was employed in a general capacity as engineer at Pen-y-darren, and during February, 1804, he experimented there with the first steam locomotive ever tried upon a railway. - The Cambria Daily Leader [1313] [361] 9th June 1914.