TRETHOMAS

'Trethomas' is a small village approx 2½ miles east of Caerphilly. It is part of the Caerphilly county borough and historic county of Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom.
With an original name of Thomastown, it was mainly built by William James Thomas, a co-owner of The Bedwas Navigation Colliery Company, (also of mines in Aberdare in the Cynon Valley). Most of the earlier parts of Trethomas were built in and around 1900 - 1913, when the mine was developing.
The terraced streets of Trethomas were appropriately named. Some were named after members of William Thomas's Family, whilst others were named after places and events. ie William Street, James Street, Glyn Gwyn street, Thomas Street, Mary Street.
The remainder were named Navigation Street (after the colliery), Coronation Street, after the crowning of the King George V in 1910. And also Standard Street which connects all of the streets.
The oldest building in Trethomas, is the Ty'n-y-pwll Inn, known locally as the 'Pike'.(Turn-Pike in english) due to the building being the original Toll House where tolls were charged for the use of the road between Caerphilly and Newport.
Thera are many shops near the Ty'n-y-pwll Inn including Glanmors caerphilly's biggest independant bakers. The Founder of Glanmors who lived nearby in Machen Died Recently
The railway that ran through Trethomas went east to Newport and west to Rhymney & Merthyr Tydfil. All the lines ceased in 1961 and very little remains. What does remain of the old trackbed between Trethomas and Machen has been updated by SUSTRANS as a cycle-track/walkway. This starts at the site of the Level Crossing between upper & lower Graig-y-Rhacca and runs almost to where the old Machen Station stood.
Nothing remains of the colliery, the Coke Ovens, and the British Benzol works that were at the top of upper Navigation street, next to Tynywern Terraces, aptly named 'The White City' mainly because the streets and houses were always dirty due to the coke ovens being so close and the coal dust stirred up by the emptying of the wagons into the hoppers. The Colliery and what was termed 'The Plant' disappeared in the late 1980s following the closure of the colliery after the Miners' Strike.
The ground on which the colliery and 'plant' stood is yet to be re-developed. The ground has reportedly high concentrations of Benzines in the soil at present and therefore it would be dangerous to re-use in its present condition.
Since the demise of the Collieries, the river Rymney, which passes through Trethomas, has gone from being a contaminated, black monstrosity, to a clean, aromatic river, now teeming with wildlife & fish after many barren years. Its banks have been the source of inspiration for many local artists, and at the lower end of Trethomas, close to Waterloo, a multiple-arch railway viaduct can still be seen where it used to carry the Caerphilly Branch line over the river.
This viaduct was on the railway that passed below the 'Fountain Bridge' on the main road between Trethomas and Waterloo. The bridge was so named because, for many years, prior to road alterations, there was a free running spring at the roadside close to the site of the bridge. The point where the spring emerged was fashioned into a stone 'fountain well' which was regrettably demolished during the road works.
Just a few hundred yards further along the main road, once stood a large tree that stood in the middle of the junction turning to Waterloo. Locals knew it as 'The Round Tree' until it was removed during further road works.
A little further along, is the farm known as 'The Gelli'. The original road past this farm, was a twisting, winding, uphill and downdale road, with a crossing point incorporating a stile
over which travellers could go to walk down to the Ffwrrwm at Machen.
Stories have it that both the workers at the old Tinworks, and various travellers through the area, had sighted a 'Black Dog' sitting in the middle of the road as they approached, and saw it disappear from their sight immediately they reached it.
The story relates that it was the dog of a tinplate worker who was killed on that spot in the early 1900s and the dog was 'waiting' for his master.
In the late 60's, the road was levelled and straightened, and the 'black dog' has never been seen again.
Over many years, Trethomas has continually expanded in all directions, not only in industry, but in housing as well, so much so, that it is now difficult to find where Bedwas ends and Trethomas starts.
In years to come, the same will be said of Trethomas and Machen.