A Slate Mine- Gwynedd - March 2012

[-Walsh-]

Another day another mine! Visited with cunning corgi. Bit of a bugger to light this one, plus the amount of moisture in the air made taking photographs a bit of a problem!


History
The Quarry was reopened and re-equipped in 1872 and for a short period a workforce of over 100 produced an annual extraction of 100 tons per annum. A new larger mill with 40 machines was built on the valley floor. By 1894 the workforce had been reduced to 20 with 550 tons of slate being produced.

Production continued to decline until the quarry closed in 1925, by this time there were only 3 saws and 2 planers. Tramways throughout the quarry were an unusual gauge of 2ft 4 1/4in; today much of the tramway still remains in place both on the surface and underground.

On the opposite side of the pit is the adit into the underground workings with random headings and chambers; all workings below adit level are now flooded. It is possible to climb out through an air shaft of one of the chambers. Some plant still remains in place including several winches, climbing chains and a boiler.


1
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7120/6863543842_1ccdd3f8b9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863543842/)

2
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/7009670233_dcfe34daf3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/7009670233/)

3 The Lake
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7235/6863559564_20bf22c147_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863559564/)

4 Winch

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7224/6863568328_cc966c5bc3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863568328/)

5 Ladders

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/6863571846_e498f86802_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863571846/)

6 Boiler

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7099/6863599398_acf8e8e799_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863599398/)

7

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7073/6863621454_d89f908217_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863621454/)

8

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/6863630940_0a0b813094_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863630940/)

9

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/6863644710_364d629626_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863644710/)

10

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7224/7009773003_057317ab9b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/7009773003/)

11

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/7009793847_7ab3e81c0d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/7009793847/)

12

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6863616684_31fc480c5b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863616684/)


13 Cart
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6863684834_2360eec66d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863684834/)

14 View from the top of the incline
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7097/6863742834_b9b529e9c8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsh01/6863742834/)

All in all another good mine, hard to show how big the caverns actually are!

[chizyramone]

Nice one walsh, excellent report.

Doing some miles then? :smile

[-Walsh-]

Nice one walsh, excellent report.

Doing some miles then? :smile

Ta, yep clocking up some miles! I've got a few Pembs ones lined up but they look a bit dodgy.

[chizyramone]

Ta, yep clocking up some miles! I've got a few Pembs ones lined up but they look a bit dodgy.

I bet you are, the old Tesco card must be bulging with points.

Dodgy eh? Sounds interesting..............

[ROYALBOB]

Nice one

[the kwan]

Fantastic stuff mate, thanks for sharing it!