Wrysgan Quarry I

Wrysgan Quarry Incline Tunnel, looking down on Tanygrisiau Reservoir

Date	17 November 2012
Location	Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog	SH 67834 45507; 52.99053°N, 3.97045°W
Information	One of the many slate mines at Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wrysgan Quarry is located on the eastern flank of Moel-yr-hydd above the village of Tanygrisiau. Extraction of slate there dates back to the 1830s and the site underwent major development in the 1850s. Underground workings were on five levels and in 1865 a water-powered mill was built at the middle level to replace a smaller mill constructed around 1850. However, with water coming from the small reservoir Llyn y Wrysgan, there were difficulties in maintaining an adequate supply. Operations at the quarry continued sporadically until the late 1940s. Originally, the exit route for finished slate was down an incline into Cwmorthin and it was then transported from there by pack animal. In 1850 a new incline was built from the mill level down to the Ffestiniog Railway, 190m below. At its summit, the incline passes through a tunnel and it was constructed with a catenary profile, very steep at the top and flattening out towards the bottom. In fact, the slope of the lower section proved to be too shallow for it to be reliably worked by gravity alone. Powered haulage was therefore employed, driven initially by steam, later by electricity and ultimately by lorry engine. Wrysgan Quarry (Slate) (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales); Wrysgan Quarry Incline (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales); Wrysgan – the Hole in the Hill (Treasure Maps); Wrysgan (Remains of the Welsh Slate Industry)

Incline tunnel, looking upwards

Looking down the incline from the Stwlan Dam access road

Looking up the incline from the Stwlan Dam access road

Ffestiniog Railway level crossing, with the Wrysgan incline in the background

Remains of winding machinery at the top of the incline

Remains of winding machinery at the top of the incline

Remains of winding machinery at the top of the incline (lorry engine)

Remains of winding machinery at the top of the incline

Remains of winding machinery at the top of the incline (steam engine)

Drilling machine in the mill area

Drilling machine in the mill area

Drilling machine in the mill area

Looking across the valley towards Llyn Cwmorthin and Cwmorthin Quarry