Move any Mountain Ash

Saturday – West of England Rugby League 9s

What better way to spend a Saturday than watching over confident union sides getting dicked by average league sides. As it was at Supermarine, I took the normal option of walking from central Swindon via the myriad of Arkels pubs on the way. 2/3 of the gallon down when I arrived, I then had the joy of a mini keg of Summer Lightening. Anyway, I can remember Swindon St George and Bristol Sonics qualifying for the knock out stages. I have hazy memories of an almighty ruck in the semis, that meant one team had too many players banned/injured to play in the final. No idea what happened thereafter as was back in the club, still mesmerised by the Axa FA cup boards which adorn the far corner of the club house from the interviews following Supermarine’s first round appearance in 2012.

Sunday – South Wales Scorpions 16 Gloucestershire All Golds 36

On the 0949 HST from SWI to CDF, for a pair of 150/2s up the valleys to Pontypridd on the 1100 Treherbert. Guide ticks at the Bunch of Grapes (appears to be the Otley Tap), Llanover Arms and Patriot Bar, the latter being a travel agents converted into a Rhymney tie. Barman abruptly announced he was closing up to ‘wank over the bird from formula 1 and then watch Star Trek’.

Quick check of the trains showed I could get a Merthyr service to Abercynon where the remodelled high level platform was a tick. Headed into the town(?) for a bus up to Aberdare. Was the only one on the bus, whereby the driver gave minute by minute updates of how the Cynon Valley was home to the worst drivers in the world, non-emergency ambulances incurring the most wrath/

This passed through Mountain Ash. I’d been here once before as a 4 year old whereby the combination of my Dad believing an upbringing in West Berkshire meant I didn’t appreciate social struggle, and a much older cousin at Brunel university wanting to visit one of the last steam worked industrial railways in Britain, meant a visit to Abercwmboi Phurnacite works. I have no lasting memories .

Aberdare gave the opportunity to enjoy the wonderfull Whitcombe Inn, Grey Trees tap, GBG scratch and practice going on for superleague darts. Three different flavours of old skool fish and chips.


Back to the station for first pacer action with 142074 on the 1454 Barry Island. Taken to Mountain Ash for a riverside wander back to the RLFC ground for the game.

Scorpions had already conceded three un-kicked tries when I arrived to see them score and it all kick off with two home and one away sin bins.

Ground is in a dramatic location and a very photogenic stand when the weather is good,

Game is a a grudge match as Cheltenham based All Golds are backed by lawyer Lionel Hutz and pay well so steal all the Scorpions players.

A bit more needle as Scorpions score and convert early in the second half to make it 10-12 but Gloucestershire go on to win easily 16-36. No one has got round to bothering to change the home team name.

Wander back to the station for another nodding donkey with 142081 the back pair on the 1707 to Bridgend. Fell asleep but awoke on the ironwork of Bute Road junction, just in time for Central, where an impromptu M&S ywllow sticker cheese platter was enjoyed on the HST back to sunny Wiltshire.