Homes Under The Hammer

[GaryCLockyer]

Over the last 2 years we have been watching this show on Foxtel.
In 2 recent shows they had houses in Maerdy.
I immediately recognised the first one as being the lower of the 2 houses in Station Road - where you turn right to go aver to Aberdare when coming up the valley.
The buyer had to create a rear access for the house next door up the hill as they had a right of way.
By all appearances he did a very good job, creating a level back garden with side access from the gully - geez, when was the last time I used that word - with a new access lane for the next door neighbour as well.
I googled the location and was surprised to see the way that the road has been altered. Instead of snaking down to the bottom, where the old station used to be, where the Institute St hill used to continue down over the narrow bridge, they have chopped off the corner by extending Station Street and crossing over to Aberdare road near the end of Maerdy Park.
Also Ceridwen Street has a big Dead End road sign at its start and the pub has also gone. Was that the Royal?
I see Christine the florist is still there, but what has happened about their Fruit and Veg shop, which Christine's husband John Ryan Davies used to own and run?
Times - they are a-changing.
This also reflects in the house prices - with both houses - from different shows being estimated in the region of 75,000 pounds.
Seems like only yesterday that I bought my first house in Rhondda Tce for 1,900 pounds.
As I was in google maps I also saw how they had changed the Strand, with Davies the Booksellers demolished so as to smooth out the bend.
All of these changes seem to have occurred some time ago, as the copyright on the google photos states 2012.
Doesn't time fly when you are having fun?
I look forward to some inputs please.
Gary