Victorian Ystradgynlais - a foundry and tin plate works

Ystradgynlais
The story of iron smelting 4

	A foundry and tin plate works
	By the 1870s the smelting of iron at Ynyscedwyn was over, but the site was still used. Instead of making iron for other factories to turn into machines or other goods, the Evans brothers set up the Crane Iron Foundry (below), which made tram wheels and sections of rail for the local colliery railways. The foundry also made other goods for houses like brass fireside fenders and this iron door (right) with the Crane symbol on it from a kitchen range.

In the later part of Queen Victoria's reign the Ynyscedwyn works was run by the Welsh Tin Plate Company, making tin for sale in the USA and elsewhere.
By the end of the Victorian years this too was in trouble, and in 1903 the Ynyscedwyn works closed.
The site later re-opened and the works continued until 1946, when the final end of production came and buildings dismantled.
The tallest chimney at the works still stood until the 1970s when it was finally demolished (right).

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