# Cwmorthin Slate Mine, Blaenau Ffestiniog, May 2012



## cunningcorgi (May 12, 2012)

Visited with walsh and rod

*HISTORY*

Cwmorthin was run by several different companies as a venture in its own right during the 1800's. The earlier underground workings started at "Lake Level", so called due to the entrance being just above the surface of the nearby Llyn Cwmorthin, and ascended upwards in the mountain ultimately for 8 floors in both the Old and Back Vein. Poor working practices and reckless engineering decisions ultimately led to a substantial collapse and the end of that company.

A new company took the mine on afterwards and reused Lake Level but sealed off the shattered and dangerous upper floors. Instead, they developed new workings below, going down into the mountain. Ultimately this company sunk five floors on both veins, before itself being being forcibly closed in 1901 due to a legal dispute.

The now abandoned lower floors flooded up to Lake Level, containing an immense amount of water hundreds of feet deep, which remained until the early 1930's. The neighbouring mine (Oakeley Quarries) were at this time driving underneath the old Cwmorthin workings and were uneasy about having such a huge volume of water above them, so decided to drain it out. Special diamond-drilled bore holes were driven through into the deepest parts of Cwmorthin from Oakeley and the water drained out under controlled conditions.

When the water level reached the bottom, the mines were connected in several places by full-size tunnels and Oakeley (who'd taken over the ownership of Cwmorthin) actually re-opened some of Cwmorthin and put men to work in it. The Back Vein Incline was re-equipped and even a new incline was driven down another 90 vertical feet to open some more chambers.

Cwmorthin then operated essentially as just another part of Oakeley right up until 1970 when Oakeley itself closed. This marked the end of the mine's working life as a major concern, however, throughout the 1980's and early 1990's the mine was working on a limited scale by a small team of local men. Extraction occurred in a few chambers on Lake Level and Level 1, with the underground transport being provided by a Series 2 Land Rover 88".

Not our first visit but my first report on it as my pics were like mince on the other occasions (still are some would argue !). Long day as we went in around 10.15am and eventually emerged around 7.30pm

*THE VISIT*

1. The famous Cwmorthin stairs just after entering Lake Level adit, 10.15am






2. Abandoned carts on Back vein incline





3. Looking into Back vein West 1 chamber from above - crane, abandoned carts and flooded incline to Floor G visible





4. Bridge (or lack of), from Back vein incline leading to Floor C





5. Same position on Back Vein incline, a floor down, bridge to Floor D





6. Abandoned carts in flooded Floor E, Back Vein





7. walsh lamp testing on Floor E





8. Continuing along Floor E towards Oakeley workings





9. Ghost train turn in Oakeley workings





10. Chamber 32, Oakeley





11. Famous Air Compressor Chamber, Oakeley Floor DE





12. Winding drums, top of the Chamber 34 incline, Oakeley





13. Looking down the Chamber 34 incline





14. Bottom of the Chamber 34 incline





15. Queen Mary Cafe, Floor G, Oakeley





16. Serving tea and shovels





17. Catwalk, Floor G chamber, Oakeley





18. Trapeze artist bridge, somewhere of the Old Vein incline





19. Abandoned cart, same section





20. Heading out the Old Vein Chimney adit





21. Over 9 hours later and there was light





22. Lynn Cwmorthin, 7.30pm





Thanks for looking


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## matyb2k (May 12, 2012)

Nice shots there! Looks like an amazing explore!


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## Landsker (May 12, 2012)

Nice to get back in there!


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## flyboys90 (May 12, 2012)

Really enjoyed that that report,great pics.


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## chizyramone (May 13, 2012)

V nice, great report.


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## onthebusescrazy (May 13, 2012)

Great Find And Brillant Photos thanks alot


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## crickleymal (May 14, 2012)

Nice pics. Love it.


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## leftorium (May 14, 2012)

I'm going to use these pics as a warning to my niece and nephew who will insist despite uncle lefty's cautionary tales on wandering into some of the adits in the peak district when they come and visit


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