The Big Pit National Coal Museum
The Big Pit National Coal Museum is situated in the mining town of Blaenafon, and was a real working coalmine up until the 1980s. Today the attraction has been transformed into one of Britain’s leading mining museums and offers an educational and entertaining day out for all ages.
Original colliery buildings
Visitors to the Big Pit should allow 3-4 hours for their visit. The original colliery buildings can be seen around the site and these include the Fan House, Blacksmith's Forge, Stables and Winding Engine House. There’s a 20 minute audio-visual presentation that allows visitors to see what the colliery was like as a working mine and takes you through a replicated mine where a modern coal face is brought to life through sound and light.
330-foot deep underground tours!
You can also see the restored Pithead Baths where the miners used to shower and get ready. The most outstanding feature however has to be the chance to take an underground tour which involves dressing up in helmets and cap lamps before descending 300-foot down the mine shaft in a pit cage! These tours last 1 hour and are conducted by colliery personnel and ex-miners. Facilities on site include a coffee shop, canteen, gift shop and free parking.
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If you are planning a trip to London travel as the locals travel using an Oyster Card. It really is the essential "buy before you leave" product. You can use Oyster on ALL London underground, wbuses, Docklands Light Railway and trams, and on many regular train services within London.
For full details and to order click here (www.visitbritaindirect.com/en-GB/detail.aspx?ProductCode=T105)