The Slate Industry of North and Mid Wales

Photo gallery - page 6

Erosion

Many quite substantial buildings were erected on piles of waste rock.  As the
waste rock has settled over the years this is the inevitable result.  Many
irreplaceable structures have been lost in this way.


And corrosion

The very high rainfall in parts of North Wales means that all exposed metalwork is likely to rust away eventually.  In the view above there was formerly a tank fed from a pipe.  The pipe remains but the tank is now little more than a pile of rust.


The Cwm Llan incline

Two views of the Cwm Llan incline.  This incline and a well engineered tramway were built to connect the South Snowdon slate quarry to the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway.  Unfortunately the NWNGR was never built and slate continued to be carried by horse and cart from the bottom of the incline to Porthmadog.


 


Rubbish wagon, Dyffryn Nantlle, Snowdonia.

Still standing on a disused weigh bridge, this is the end
of the line for a rubbish wagon.


Cwm Eigiau

This lonely rowan tree graces the ruins of Cwm Eigiau quarry which closed in the 1870's.
It has thrived by rooting itself just a few inches away from the grasp of the omnipresent sheep.
This quarry was the starting point of a tramway to Dolgarrog which also served Cedryn Quarry.


Arthog quarry

Looking across the Mawddach estuary at the remains of Arthog quarry.


Now that's what you call a slate roof!

This splendid roof adorns a bungalow in the small town of Penygroes.


The beauty of slate

The simple beauty of a dry stone retaining wall made out of slate offcuts.


The goats of Dinorwic

Some of the wild goats of Dinorwic quarry.  In the interests of "conservation" 38 of these magnificent creatures were killed over the weekend of 11th and 12th November 2006 by a marksman employed by Gwynedd County Council.


Next page: Photo gallery Page 7

Back to the index page