Recent Sketches

 

Level Crossing Station Road

This is one of my favourite Port Talbot subjects for a sketch - the level crossing in Station Road. The crossing went when the centre of the town was redeveloped in the 1970s, and it's hard to argue that this was not a good thing to do - traffic apparently used to crawl through the centre of town due to this. I'm not sure when the photograph this one was based on was taken - 1950s I'd guess judging by the cars.

The rest of the pictures on this post are all of Baglan Past and Present. The art deco/modernist house above is currently owned by Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts. Its proper name is Sunray House.

McDonalds - A48 Baglan

The building in this picture still stands, but sadly it's not the Travellers Rest pub any more. This is a shame. I played in quizzes there when we had a quiz league in Port Talbot, and it was always a good evening when we played in the Travellers Rest.

This is the lodge adjacent to Baglan Park. 

I like this building a lot. I'm guessing that it was the lodge for the old Baglan Hall, which was originally a Jacobean manor house. 

Baglan Hall was originally built in the 1600s, although it was extensively remodelled more than once, It was eventually acquired by Port Talbot Corporation, and demolished in 1958, to make way for Baglan Park.

The Baglan Bay Hotel is another much missed venue, which was demolished c. 2005

Baglan shops

The West End Garage on the Pentyla Baglan Road - built before the M4, when this was the main route west out of Port Talbot. 

The former Baglan Community Centre. A few years ago it was a sad, unlovely run-down concrete block. Acquired by Baglan Community Church, it is now a smart, sleek and welcoming place. 

Cavalli's Transport Cafe stood where McDonalds now stands on the A48.