Welsh Colliery Workmen's Railway Passes/Badges
These badges are the post 1947 equivalents of an earlier series of late nineteenth and early twentieth century metallic railway passes. These earlier passes have already been referred to elsewhere on this web site (see "Introduction to Mining Paranumismatics - Part II" plus article on "Collieries of the Sirhowy Valley in South Wales").
The later series of N.C.B. issued workmen's railway passes were restricted in use to just a few colliery railway halts and stations in the South Wales Coalfield. These later passes earn the classification of "badges" only in that they were specifically designed to be worn on the miners' jackets/caps via safety pin or button hole attachment devices on their reverses. The earlier series of colliery railway passes were either sewn onto their owners' jackets, suspended from watch chains as a fobs or kept loose in their owners trouser/jacket pockets. At least four different types of Welsh N.C.B. workmen's railway pass are known to exist.
Actual size: 30 mm diameter. Makers mark on reverse of each reads "H.W. Miller Ltd. Branston Street Birmingham". The first pass bears the issue number "455" and was valid for travel to/from Crane Street Station, Pontypool. The second bears the issue number "41" and was valid for travel to/from Pontypool Road Station, Pontypool. The last badge is un-issued and was valid for travel to/from Waunlwyd Station. The first two badges have button hole fasteners while the third has a safety pin attachment mechanism. An N.C.B. Marine (i.e. colliery) workman's railway pass badge is also known.