Penrhyn Quarry Turbine House
Water pipe supplying the Turbine House from the Afon Ogwen
| Date | 27 November 2011 | ||
| Location | Ogwen Bank, Bethesda | SH 62484 65553; 53.16925°N, 4.05868°W | |
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Information |
Compressed air to power pneumatic tools at Penrhyn Quarry was formerly supplied from the turbine house close to the banks of the Afon Ogwen. Kendal-based manufacturers Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon have been supplying small hydropower systems since 1856 and have now delivered over 6500 turbines worldwide. The Gilkes turbine installed here is dated 1929 and was fed via a pipeline taking water from further upstream on the Ogwen. Exhaust water leaving the turbine was channelled below what is now Lon Las Ogwen cycle track before being returned to the river. The turbine powered a 1918 air compressor manufactured by Fullerton Hodgart & Barclay. This firm was established in 1838 and operated from the Vulcan Foundry in Paisley until the company went into liquidation in 1977.
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Water supply pipeline
View inside the pipe close to its approach down to the Turbine House
Gilkes turbine with the air compressor behind to the right
Turbine House entrance. The water inlet to the turbine is at the bottom left.
Turbine - Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd Kendal 1929
Turbine - Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd Kendal 1929
Turbine inlet valve control
Air compressor. The flywheel on the left was driven by the output shaft from the turbine.
Compressor - Fullerton Hodgart & Barclay Ltd Engineers Paisley 1500 Cubic Feet Capacity 1918
Compressed air pipe leaving the compressor
Compressed air pipe leaving the building
Afon Ogwen at the site of the outfall from the Turbine House
Outfall below Lon Las Ogwen cycle track. Exhaust water from the turbine fed back into the Ogwen from here.
I’ve known one or two water turbines to survive, interesting to see this one as I wasn’t aware of it.
andy
December 2, 2011 at 7:41 am
Really awesome pics, compositionally they are all spot on. Very intriguing set, Graham!
Iain Robinson
December 2, 2011 at 8:58 am
These images are just so fun to go through. My mind was just so excited and like a little kid to read all those old dates and go around all the details. And in the first image, I was thinking how fun it would be to go in that tunnel and come out in your world, Graham.
Love this post!
KatiesCameraBlog
December 2, 2011 at 6:30 pm
What a great find! How do you find such great places? I love the way you share the history of place and fill our eyes with visual delights.
lynnwiles
December 27, 2011 at 3:51 pm
With some preparatory desk-based research followed by a spot of wandering about in the field, I guess
Thanks again for your comments and interest.
Graham Stephen
December 27, 2011 at 4:44 pm
I am very fond of the first photo. At first I was attracted to the C shape, it made me want to look further inside.
Jennifer Triplett
January 9, 2012 at 2:45 am
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January 22, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Reblogged this on prosiectpenrhyn and commented:
Just found this blog with some stunning photographs of the quarry/region as well as some interesting hostory.
catrinw
February 6, 2012 at 12:51 pm