Dinorwic Quarry (21)

Ingersoll-Rand compressor in the Compressor House in the Australia area of Dinorwic Quarry

Date	28 June 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 59846 60524; 53.12340°N, 4.09590°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (20)

Line shafting that drove the saw tables in the ‘Australia’ slate mill, Dinorwic Quarry

Date	28 June 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 60032 60304; 53.12147°N, 4.09303°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (19)

Section of track left hanging above a collapsed level in the Matilda area of Dinorwic Quarry

Date	28 June 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 59875 60125; 53.11982°N, 4.09529°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (18)

Dinorwic Quarry

Date	20 June 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 59658 60635; 53.12434°N, 4.09877°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (17)

Blondin aerial ropeway, Dinorwic Quarry

Date	20 June 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 59658 60635; 53.12434°N, 4.09877°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Now and Then XIII: Gilfach Ddu, Dinorwic Quarry

Gilfach Ddu – Now and Then

Date	6 June 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 58297 60714; 53.12469°N, 4.11913°W
Information	“On the declivity of the mountain, and nearly opposite Dolbadarn castle, on the eastern side of the lake, are extensive slate quarries, the property of Thomas Asheton Smith, Esq. situated high among the rocks ; the mode of conveying the slates down the almost precipitous descent, to the margin of the lake, was formerly singularly awkward, and apparently very dangerous – The carts, each conveying about one ton of slates in winter, and two in summer, were drawn down a serpentine path by one horse in front, and one hooked on behind to counteract the rapidity of motion which other wise would endanger the whole. From the lake the slates were carted in great quantities to the Menai, from whence they were shipped to Ireland, Liverpool, America, &c. To avoid this great labour and danger, about ten years ago, a new railroad was made from the quarries down to the shipping place at Velin Heli on the Menai, a distance of about nine miles. By this road, the slates are conveyed down, at an average, it is said, of about 100 tons daily throughout the year. At this place of activity, generally designated by the name of “Dinorwic Slate Quarry,” above 1000 men are usually employed.” — Joseph Hemingway, Panorama of the beauties, curiosities, and antiquities of North Wales, exhibited in its Mountains, Vallies, Waterfalls, Lakes, Cities and Towns, Castles and Ruins, etc. Intended as a Pocket Companion to the Tourist and Traveller., 1839 Further Reading National Slate Museum; Dinorwic Quarry; Other posts in the Dinorwic Quarry series

Dinorwic Quarry (16)

Incline drum house

Date	9 May 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 59152 60605; 53.12394°N, 4.10631°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (15)

Looking towards an incline drum house from the 1921 slate dressing mill

Date	9 May 2015
Location	Llanberis	SH 59152 60605; 53.12394°N, 4.10631°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Vision in Grey

Watch Vision in Grey on YouTube

National Slate Museum

Saw shed

Date	23 March 2014
Location	National Slate Museum, Llanberis	SH 58555 60290; 53.12095°N, 4.11508°W
Information	National Slate Museum; Other posts in this series; Dinorwic Quarry

 

National Slate Museum, Llanberis

Gilfach Ddu workshops

Date	31 December 2013
Location	National Slate Museum, Llanberis	SH 58555 60290; 53.12095°N, 4.11508°W
Information	National Slate Museum; Other posts in this series; Dinorwic Quarry

 

Dinorwic Quarry (14)

Dinorwic Quarry on the slopes of Elidir Fawr above Llyn Peris, with Llyn Padarn in the distance (upper left)

Date	30 June 2012
Location	Llanberis	SH 59040 58890; 53.10850°N, 4.10723°W
Information	Dinorwic Quarry; See more posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (13) – National Slate Museum, Gilfach Ddu

The quarry hospital, purpose built in 1860 to treat occupational casualties

Date	5 February 2012
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	SH 58782 60224; 53.12042°N, 4.11167°W
Information	Slate was commercially quarried at Dinorwic from 1787 until 1969. When the quarry closed, its workshops at Gilfach Ddu were acquired by the National Museum of Wales and are now home to the National Slate Museum, which first opened to the public in 1972. The quarry was a hazardous place to work, as evidenced by the 362 fatalities recorded between 1822 and 1969. The hospital, located just above Llyn Padarn, was purpose built in 1860 so that those suffering injuries from accidents in the quarry could be quickly treated. The quarrymen and members of their families who fell ill received free treatment in the hospital. This was funded by the deduction of a shilling from the workers’ pay together with proceeds raised at charitable events. With a diameter of 15.4 m, Gilfach Ddu’s 140-bucket waterwheel is the largest in mainland Britain (the Laxey Wheel on the Isle of Man has a diameter of 22.1 m). It was built by De Winton of Caernarfon in 1870 and was in service — powering all the workshops via line shafting running throughout the works — until 1925 when it was superseded by a much smaller but more efficient Pelton-wheel turbine. The waterwheel was restored in 2000 with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and is in continuous operation. It is supplied with water via cast-iron pipes from an intake at Ceunant waterfall on the Afon Arddu above Llanberis. National Slate Museum (LustreBox); National Slate Museum (GeoTopoi); National Slate Museum (National Museum Wales); Dinorwic Quarry; Other posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (12) – 1938 Compressor House

Air pipe

Date	5 February 2012
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	SH 59206 60183; 53.12017°N, 4.10531°W
Information	The south-western aspect of Elidir Fawr, above the lake Llyn Peris and the town of Llanberis, is dominated by the sculpted landscape formed by the now quiet galleries of Dinorwic Quarry. Commercial quarrying of slate started there in 1787 and production continued until the business closed in 1969… Dinorwic Quarry; Other posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (11) – Anglesey Barracks

Anglesey Barracks

Date	5 February 2012
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	SH 58970 60209; 53.12034°N, 4.10885°W
Information	Anglesey Barracks, comprising two rows of 11 dwellings, served as accommodation for some of the quarrymen who commuted to Dinorwic from Anglesey. They would spend the week based in the barracks working in the quarry, leaving their homes very early on Monday morning and returning to the island on Saturday afternoon. Conditions were spartan. Each two-room unit had a living area with a fireplace and a sleeping area for four men. Facilities were scant — no running water, toilets or electricity, for example — and the workers had to bring all their week’s supplies with them when they arrived on a Monday. Public-health inspectors closed down these barracks in 1948. Dinorwic Quarry; Dolbadarn Castle; Other posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (10) – A3 Incline Drumhouse

A3 Incline Drumhouse

Date	5 February 2012
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	SH 59080 60264; 53.12086°N, 4.10723°W
Information	The south-western aspect of Elidir Fawr, above the lake Llyn Peris and the town of Llanberis, is dominated by the sculpted landscape formed by the now quiet galleries of Dinorwic Quarry. Commercial quarrying of slate started there in 1787 and production continued until the business closed in 1969… Dinorwic Quarry; Other posts in this series

Dinorwic Quarry (9)

Looking down on Llyn Peris and the outbuildings of Dinorwig Power Station in what was the Wellington district of the quarry. The pumped-storage hydroelectric power station itself is housed deep within Elidir Fawr mountain in what is the largest man-made cavern in Europe.

Date	5 February 2012
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	SH 59471 60212; 53.12050°N, 4.10137°W
Information	The south-western aspect of Elidir Fawr, above the lake Llyn Peris and the town of Llanberis, is dominated by the sculpted landscape formed by the now quiet galleries of Dinorwic Quarry. Commercial quarrying of slate started there in 1787 and production continued until the business closed in 1969… Dinorwic Quarry; Other posts in this series

Dark Places

Caban, Dinorwic Quarry · Fron-boeth Quarry Tunnel, Cwm Croesor · Llanberis Bomb Store · Moel Faban Quarry · Dinas Railway Tunnel, Tregarth · Braich Tunnel, Dinorwic Quarry

‘Dark Places’ on YouTube

Blaen-y-nant Molybdenum Mine Braichmelyn Coed y Dinas Copper Mine Croesor Quarry Cwm Ceunant Copper Mine Dinorwic Quarry Dorothea Quarry Fron-boeth Quarry Glyn Rhonwy Isaf Quarry Caseg Valley Moel Faban Quarry

Rhosydd Quarry Tan-y-garth Arsenic Mine Dinas Tunnel, Tregarth Dolbadarn Castle Roughcastle Tunnel, Falkirk Llanberis Bomb Store Llanddulas Jetty Penrhyn Quarry ROC Llangefni Coast Artillery School, Great Orme

Dinorwic Quarry (8)

Entrance to Braich tunnel, above Sinc Harriet (C)

Date	9 October 2011
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	(A) SH 59552 60640; 53.12436°N, 4.10035°W (B) SH 59573 60738; 53.12524°N, 4.10007°W (C) SH 59507 60662; 53.12455°N, 4.10103°W
Information	The south-western aspect of Elidir Fawr, above the lake Llyn Peris and the town of Llanberis, is dominated by the sculpted landscape formed by the now quiet galleries of Dinorwic Quarry. Commercial quarrying of slate started there in 1787 and production continued until the business closed in 1969… Dinorwic Quarry

Dinorwic Quarry (7)

Eyeing up the pitch. Slate face in the Morgan area. (a)

Date	24 September 2011
Location	Dinorwic Quarry, Llanberis	(a) SH 59641 60250; 53.12088°N, 4.09886°W (b) SH 59241 60535; 53.12333°N, 4.10496°W
Information	The south-western aspect of Elidir Fawr, above the lake Llyn Peris and the town of Llanberis, is dominated by the sculpted landscape formed by the now quiet galleries of Dinorwic Quarry. Commercial quarrying of slate started there in 1787 and production continued until the business closed in 1969… [read more…]