# Amazing Relics - A North Wales Slate Quarry Wander



## fluffy5518 (May 3, 2015)

What better way to spend a sunny Easter Monday than a wander through this place. I'm not going to reveal the name of this quarry to the masses just in case but those that are genuine DP'ers can PM me !! Theres not a lot i can tell you except that this is a pre victorian slate quarry in North Wales and was still producing commercially right up to the late 1970's. It is still worked today, although on a much lesser scale. The owners DO NOT appreciate visitors (apparantly).
This is an internal view of the lower mills - where the slate was cut to size.


and this is a drive shaft wheel which would have operated machinary via a belt


Next up are two drum houses used to winch the slate wagons up and down the levels





At the same level as the top drum house are the workshop areas, where there are many abandoned buildings in various states of decay


Notice the upper mills on the next level


General views from this level.
































Moving up farther are more delights, this is a former loco shed


and this is its associated water tank for filling the steam loco's


These are the quarrymans steps up to the upper level


where yet more delights await you .....





including one of the last remaining Blondin towers - used to transport wagons to and from the workings


and one of his not too lucky brothers...


This is the Blondin winding house


and this is a truly beautiful building which was the substation for the quarry


and finally a well weighted winch .....



Believe me when i say that this is only a small selection of 'goodies'. The place has to be seen to be believed. Probably one of the most relaxing and successful explores i have ever done !!
Hope you like it !!


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## fluffy5518 (May 3, 2015)

Forgot this one !!
A rubbish wagon still sitting on one of the sites weighbridges ...


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## Dirus_Strictus (May 3, 2015)

A superb set of images here and as stated, visitors are not welcome - however I think this is probably due to the 'still working' parts of the quarry. As these images show, this place has slowly drifted into a stark but rather beautiful state of decay that is somehow unique to Welsh slate quarries. Much has changed since I visited this place fifty years ago (a commercial venture), but I have always wondered what this place looked like in Victorian times - when many of the quarrymen lived on site with their families.


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## Newage (May 3, 2015)

Pants should of kept walking, nice one mate.......

Cheers newage


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## fluffy5518 (May 3, 2015)

Newage said:


> Pants should of kept walking, nice one mate.......
> 
> Cheers newage



To be fair mate we'd walked a fair bit already that day !! Now if you want to go back im sure theres some real treasures to be had at night !!


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## smiler (May 3, 2015)

Nicely Done, I enjoyed looking, Thanks


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## BikinGlynn (May 3, 2015)

That looks an extraordinary place, nice pics, thanks for sharing!


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## stu8fish (May 4, 2015)

Smashing set there. Like the Blondin towers (Proper description/name?)
Thanks for posting.


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## UrbanX (May 5, 2015)

Nice one, that cutting machine looks serious! Looks like you had a nice day for it too! 
Thanks for sharing


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## flyboys90 (May 5, 2015)

Wow what a belter! superb photography and thanks for sharing.


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## Dirus_Strictus (May 5, 2015)

stu8fish said:


> Smashing set there. Like the Blondin towers (Proper description/name?)
> Thanks for posting.



A set of steel towers used to support an aerial ropeway.
Interesting bit of info here - 

http://www.sunsteelandspray.com/pages/focusontheblondin.html

Most common UK use was in quarries and on coal mine waste tips. Their use on mine waste tips allowed a cheap and rapid method of expanding the tip as the height of the spoil heaps reached a maximum safe working level. Today the waste tips are more likely worked by large earth moving machines and scrapers pulled by large dozers.


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## fluffy5518 (May 5, 2015)

stu8fish said:


> Smashing set there. Like the Blondin towers (Proper description/name?)
> Thanks for posting.



Named (apparently) after the tightrope walker of Victorian times. He famously crossed Niagra Falls on a tightrope, pushing a wheel barrow which contained a stove. Half way across he stopped cooked an omelette and lowered it down to a waiting pleasure boat ' The Maid of the Mist' before carrying on !!
The BLOODY SHOW OFF !!!!!


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## borntobemild (May 8, 2015)

Aerial ropeway still intact. amazing find


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## smiler (May 8, 2015)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> A set of steel towers used to support an aerial ropeway.
> Interesting bit of info here -
> 
> http://www.sunsteelandspray.com/pages/focusontheblondin.html
> ...



Educational as well interesting, Thanks everyone.


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