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
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.

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.