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Cardiff - Old - The subway under the River Ely, which provided a short cut between
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Memory Lane
Cardiff - Old - The subway under the River Ely, which provided a short cut between
Cardiff - Old - The subway under the River Ely, which provided a short cut between Cardiff and Penarth for 63 years, has been closed to the public. British Transport Docks workmen have begun boarding and bricking up the entrances at Penarth Docks and Ferry Road, Grangetown. Construction of the tunnel started in 1899 and it was opened to the public the following year. It replaced earlier rowing boat and steam ferries across the river. When Cardiff and Penarth docks were thriving, the tunnel was a boon to dockers and others connected to shipping. A toll keeper, who collected a penny from pedestrians, two-pence for a bicycle and four-pence for a pram, was last employed in 1937. A spokes man said there was no further use for the subway which had been dammaged by vandals - 1st October 1965
Western Mail Archive
Mirrorpix
Cardiff
Wales
Media ID 21614962
© Mirrorpix
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Cardiff - Old - The subway under the River Ely, a forgotten relic of the past. This print captures the essence of a bygone era, showcasing the now-closed shortcut between Cardiff and Penarth. Once bustling with life, this underground tunnel provided convenience and ease for 63 years. Constructed in 1899 to replace rowing boats and steam ferries, it quickly became an essential passage for dockers and shipping personnel during Cardiff and Penarth docks' prosperous times. A toll keeper diligently collected fees from pedestrians, cyclists, and even prams until 1937 when its popularity waned. Now standing abandoned, British Transport Docks workmen are seen boarding up the entrances at Penarth Docks and Ferry Road in this poignant image from October 1st, 1965. Vandals have taken their toll on this once-thriving subway that had served as a lifeline for so many. As we gaze upon this snapshot frozen in time from the Western Mail Archive's Memory Lane Prints collection, we can't help but reflect on how progress has rendered this marvel obsolete. Yet within these faded walls lies a testament to human ingenuity and resilience—a silent witness to countless stories of those who traversed its darkened corridors. Let us cherish these remnants of history; they remind us that even as time moves forward relentlessly, fragments of our past continue to shape our present.
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