A bit more on the Friday
Goginan was an incredible site at one time with at least 12 waterwheels running. A stream runs down from high ground, supplementd by leats on the high plateau at the top it gave steady supply and ran parallel with the main mineral vein. The deep adit was extended by cut and cover so that spoil could be dumped without blocking the flow of water from the adit, a common practice. The mine was at its height when worked by the ubiquitous John Taylor whos stroke of genius was the incline. This meant that trucks could be filled at the stope hoppers and hoisted to grass and the crusher without intermediate handling. There is evidence that there was a double track system which was probably automated.
Besides lead the mine was a major producer of silver.
The incline is currently accessible to water, and the upper adit to where there is an ongoing WMS digging project. This level cuts an underground quarry where building material for the wheelpits etc was extracted, this feature can also be seen elsewhere in the area.
The Wern was the site of the original Talybont Mine dressing floors and presents an interesting piece of 'immaginative interpretation' The footprint of the original mine offices etc can be seen, and circular areas where grass wont grow also tell a story, obviously the site of the buddles. There is the drainage culvert from the now covered over mine entrance which is about 3 feet high by 18 inches accross. This was mucked out by me some years ago to drain the mine, I was the only person who would work in it.
There are in situ Pelton turbines installed by the father of the current landowner about 1917 to generate electricity for the village. These are at the Wern and also at the adjascent Ceulan Mill.
The mine was pumped at one time by an iron flat rod system running through the adit from a 30 foot waterwheel, this wheel and another wheel at the mill (in situ) drew common supply.
I created a full size facsimile of the original mine plans and will try to have them available for viewing at the Uny.
My avatar is a poor likeness.