#sinkhole — Public Fediverse posts
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40 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗶𝗺𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺, 𝘇𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗱
Er zijn zo'n veertig woningen ontruimd in Rotterdam omdat er een grote waterleiding was gesprongen. Hoewel het water inmiddels is weggestroomd, is het nog de vraag of alle bewoners vanavond terug naar hun woning kunnen.
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Mystery deepens at Cwmfelin sinkhole as engineers uncover hidden tramway channel
The update comes from Cllr Peter Black, who said work at the former Cwmfelin Social Club has now exposed the culvert and cleared the first blockage. But instead of flowing cleanly through the system, water is diverting into a huge, fractured brick tramway running alongside it before dropping back into the culvert “further down the line”.
According to Cllr Black, the exact point where the water re‑enters the culvert is still unknown.
Engineers have uncovered a broken brick tramway arch beneath the Cwmfelin sinkhole, where most of the water is now flowing.
(Image: Peter Black)A damaged brick tunnel revealed by the dig shows water spilling through collapsed sections of the old drainage system. (Image: Peter Black)Fears over collapse risk
Cllr Black warned that the tramway route could become blocked if another collapse occurs inside the structure, which already has a break where water is spilling back into the culvert.
Because of that risk, he said pumps will remain on site “until such time that the council are content that the risk of flooding has been removed”.
The discovery adds yet another layer of complexity to a problem that has plagued the area for years, causing repeated flooding around Cwmbwrla roundabout and forcing the demolition of the Cwmfelin Club building after it was left teetering on the edge of the sinkhole.
The culvert and surrounding structures exposed as contractors dig deeper into the Cwmfelin sinkhole. (Image: Peter Black)Heavy machinery at the Cwmfelin site as crews work to reach a second collapse hidden beneath the ground. (Image: Peter Black)Four‑month operation ahead
Cllr Black said contractors will now remove material from the site to allow phase two of the operation to begin. That includes excavating down to a second collapse, clearing it, and assessing the damaged section between the two failures before re‑establishing the watercourse.
He added that the council is currently negotiating an agreement with Network Rail to allow the next stage of work to proceed.
The projected timescale for the operation is “potentially up to four months”, with Cllr Black describing the next phase as “a lot more complex than the initial dig down”.
A wide view of the excavation pit where engineers are working to trace the diverted watercourse beneath Cwmfelin. (Image: Peter Black)The former Cwmfelin Social Club pictured before demolition, with the original sinkhole visible beneath the building before excavation work began.Meanwhile, he said the council will continue monitoring Cwmbwrla for flooding during periods of heavy rain.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Huge scale of sinkhole that keeps flooding Swansea revealed as diggers tear into site
Engineers exposed the vast underground void beneath the former Cwmfelin Club as work began to trace the cause of repeated flooding.Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
The long‑standing club was finally torn down after being left perched above the unstable ground.Council points to Cwmfelin Club sinkhole works after Cwmbwrla flooding
#CllrPeterMay #Cwmbwrla #CwmbwrlaRoundabout #Cwmfelin #CwmfelinClubDemolition #featured #Sinkhole
Swansea Council said ongoing sinkhole repairs were key to tackling persistent flooding around the roundabout. -
Huge scale of sinkhole that keeps flooding Swansea revealed as diggers tear into site
The club — once a popular community venue — has now been completely demolished, clearing the way for Welsh Water’s contractors to dig down to a collapsed culvert buried around 10 metres beneath the site. The culvert is believed to have damaged a main trunk sewer and sits alongside the remains of a tramline that once served the old Cwmfelin steelworks.
The works mark the third phase of a long-delayed repair operation. The first phase involved filling the initial sinkhole beside the club. The second saw the building itself torn down. The third — now underway — is a full excavation to expose and repair the culvert.
A photo taken by local resident Mark Ludlam shows the scale of the operation, with heavy machinery working on a deep pit surrounded by fencing and pumping equipment.
Despite widespread assumptions on social media, the council is not responsible for the repair work. Responsibility lies with Cwmfelin Social Club’s insurers, and with Welsh Water and their insurers, who are overseeing the excavation and the complex sewer repairs beneath the site.
The sinkhole first opened up in August 2023, causing extensive damage to the club and its car park. Beneath the site lies a collapsed culvert, a sewer, and the remnants of a tramline — all of which have complicated the repair work.
The culvert collapse also damaged the main trunk sewer, forcing Welsh Water to install a temporary system running from the grounds of the former Libanus Chapel, along the pavement of Carmarthen Road, under the railway bridge and eastwards to a new connection point. The temporary pipework and pumping equipment remain in place, which is why one lane of Carmarthen Road between Cwmbwrla roundabout and Gors Avenue is still closed.
The issue has escalated over recent months, with repeated flooding incidents across Cwmbwrla, Manselton and Brynhyfryd. On September 14, the culvert collapse triggered a major flood at Cwmbwrla roundabout, leaving the junction impassable from all directions. It took a week to reopen, and the area has flooded multiple times since — including a November incident that left Reb’s Razors barbershop under two feet of water, destroying equipment and stock.
Cwmfelin sinkhole: Timeline of events
2021
A major water leak occurs on the main road outside Cwmfelin Social Club.January 2022
A small hole appears in the club’s car park near the toilets, described as the size of a dustbin lid.August 2023
Large cracks form and the club’s toilets collapse into a developing sinkhole, forcing the venue to close.September 2023
Severe storms cause major flooding at Cwmbwrla roundabout, with the collapsed culvert blamed for water inundating homes and businesses.October 2023
A sewer beneath Heol y Gors bursts, linked to the broken culvert and water backing up during heavy rain.October 2024
Investigations confirm a collapsed culvert 10 metres down, a disused tramline and a damaged sewer, complicating repairs due to the nearby railway line.July 2025
Plans are finalised to demolish the club to allow access for contractors to repair the culvert and sewer.September 2025
The club is formally slated for demolition as further flooding prompts renewed action.October 2025
Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins, two years after the major collapse.January 2026
Excavation work begins to reach the collapsed culvert beneath the former club.Residents have suffered too. Nigel and Ian Davies, who had lived in their home for 50 years, were rescued by boat after floodwater surged through their property.
The council has repeatedly stressed that the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is the cause of the flooding, and that the responsibility for repairs sits with the club’s insurers and Welsh Water.
Club secretary Mike Kennedy has said he hopes the venue could one day be rebuilt on the land, depending on funding and the outcome of the repairs.
With excavation now progressing, residents are hoping this long-running saga may finally be moving toward a permanent fix — and an end to the disruption that’s hit the area in recent months.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
Contractors moved in to start taking down the building after months of uncertainty.Council points to Cwmfelin Club sinkhole works after Cwmbwrla flooding
Officials say the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is behind the repeated floods.Councillor warns culvert collapse could leave Cwmbwrla at risk over Christmas
Fears raised over further flooding as repair delays continue.Cwmbwrla roundabout closed after cars submerged in flood water
Major disruption as councillor links the chaos to the collapsed culvert.Cwmbwrla flooding: Roundabout reopens but residents face long recovery
#A483 #CarmarthenRoad #Cwmbwrla #cwmbwrlaFlooding #CwmbwrlaRoundabout #CwmfelinClubDemolition #CwmfelinSocialCLub #demolition #Sinkhole #Swansea #WelshWater
Homes and businesses count the cost after another major flood.