Welsh slate

Did you know there was a third line of which served the same mountain as Talyllyn and Corris? It,s quarry must have been very close to the one the TR served, with only a mountain peak between them. It ran down to the Dovey estuary, I'll recall it's name presently

 

Hendre Ddu Tramway above Aberangell?

 

Think so without checking, no Locos though

 

Here are photos by Les Tindall of Dinorwic quarry in 1967 - 1969 at the time of closure:

https://andrewstransport.smugmug.com/Britishnarrowgaugerailways/Dinorwic-slate-quarry-1967-1969/

and Llechwedd quarry in 1974:

https://andrewstransport.smugmug.co...echwedd-slate-quarry-Blaenau-Ffestiniog-1974/

Cheers

Andrew N

 

The workshops and other buildings in the first set now form the Welsh Slate Mining Museum. Well worth a visit if you are in the area with some of the Quarry Hunslets on display and it's free entry.

 

I was there in 2011 with my camera. Les Tindall was also at Llanberis in 1974 and 1975. For convenience all my NG photos are here:

https://andrewstransport.smugmug.com/Britishnarrowgaugerailways

Cheers

Andrew N

 

Now The Lake District's becoming a World Heritage Site, does anyone know how the bid to grant similar status to the Welsh Slate industry is going? They were going to nominate the key ng lines, the disused tips and quarries, Penryn Castle, etc. Seemed like quite a good idea to me, but would be interested to know what others think.

 

I read an article in the paper on the Lake District's new status which said that that was the UK's only application. So assuming that to be true, which "bid" do you refer to?

 

Probably this one http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5678/ http://www.llechi.cymru/en/HeritageAtWork/HeritageAtWork.aspx

They are currently working with the Department of Culture Media and Sport on the final submission to UNESCO.
Tim

 

You're thinking of the Pennal Tramway that ran down from Cwm Ebol quarry, which is south-ish from Bryn Eglwys. The Hendre Ddu Tramway was on the same slate veins as Bryn Eglwys and the Corris quarries, but was further east at Aberangell. I have a new history of the Hendre Ddu in preparation - I'm hoping to publish it next year. The Pennal Tramway was locomotive worked in its third incarnation as a WWI timber tramway (see my recent article in the IRS Record). The Hendre Ddu used a single Motor Rail, plus at least two home-built locos.

 

Cheers for that - looks good. I hope whoever's putting the bid in learns from Cornwall though, where the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site was threatened with in-danger listing from UNESCO in response to proposals to.....reopen the tin mine at South Crofty for mining operations!