Blaenau quarries · AditNow Community

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

I know that Greaves/Llechwedd own most of the quarries these days, but who else owns (or is responsible for) anything else around Blaenau?

Vanoord
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Newbie

18 years ago

#2

iirc Greaves own a lot on the eastern side - Llechwedd, Maenofferen, Bwydd, Votty etc.

Then there's Bwlch, Cwt-y-Bugail and Manod (my mind's gone blank) and further over, Rhiwbach which is on Forrestry Commission land and I assume is theirs.

To the west, Oakeley is owned by McAlpines and they're also threatening to untop Rhosydd, but I suspect that may be through mineral rights but the actual ownership lies with the landowner? Then there's Cwmorthin, owned by the landowner/farmer. Probably Conglog as well?

As for Wrysgan, no idea!

Hello again darkness, my old friend...

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#3

I heard about that.
Didn't McAlpines buy Rhoysdd in the 1990s, but development is unlikely (someone told me). It would be a real shame; I've only visited Rhoysdd once, and to develop it would completely spoil the landscape. Last time I visited I'd been walking on Mount Cnikt, and it was very peaceful. If they were to quarry there the only way to get in would be via croesor.

are there any underground slate mines around Dolweddelyn or however its spelt?

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

#4

"LAP" wrote:
If they were to quarry there the only way to get in would be via croesor.

The road via Cwm Orthin was built in readyness for the untopping. So i would imagine that the incline from floor 9 would be trashed by wagons driving up to the old Rhosydd area. If the untopping ever happens. There must be so much rock from collapses that would hamper things

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#5

In my land (the lakes) large scale slate quarrying is illegal, because of the Lakes National Park.
Or rather - the quarrying is allowd, but tipping isn't.
I know very little about Rhoysdd. Of cource it would be more difficult to quarry there that it is at Oakley, because many of rhoysdd's tips are pretty unstable, so they would definatly have to change the place before they did anything.

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#6

Unfortunately Blaenau was left out of the Snowdonia National Park specifically for quarrying and industry to take place. I think Rhosydd is just inside the park though so it would be interesting to see whether the scheme would be allowed to go ahead.

Manod (now confusingly named Cwt-y-Bugail) is owned by McAlpines.

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#7

I'm confused!
Manod housed the national gallery's work in WW2, and has now been untopped to use for open quarrying. Cwt-Y-Bugail is still in it's original state.
Am I right?
I know Maenofferen is for power users only (which I have no objection to), but can anyonew tell me what kind of mine it is ie - whether the chambers were small or large etc... What angle the cleavage plain is?

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#8

You are correct, Manod Quarry was used to store paintings during the Second World War and is now being worked by McAlpines who have renamed it Cwt y Bugail for some reason. Cwt y Bugail proper is the old open cast and underground working about 1/2 mile along the Rhiwbach Tramway.

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#9

Who ownes Croesor?

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#10

Not sure who owns Croesor. The last owners I know of were Cookes' Explosives works of Penrhyndeudraeth who used it as an underground store.

As for Maenofferen - the plans have been deposited in Merioneth County Archives in Dolgellau - I think they are on display in Blaenau Tourist Information Centre at the moment and they show quite a big mine although as with most mines, some parts will now be flooded and others collapsed.

It was the 5th largest Slate Mine in the district and employed 450 men in 1911. Output peaked in 1897, when 14,065 tons of slate were produced.

Hope that helps a bit.

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#11

thanks for your help!
What is the deepest mine in Ffestiniog?

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#12

A complete quess but I would imagine it would be Oakeley. The floors were lettered down all the way to R. G was at the level of the valley floor and came out near the portal of the Ffestiniog Railway Tunnel (L&NWR). I think, although again not sure that R was actually below sea level.

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

#13

"merddinemrys" wrote:
I think, although again not sure that R was actually below sea level.

R floor is approximately at sea level, think i read it in Caban magazine?

There is another way of looking at this, deepest could also be depth from top floor to bottom, but i reckon Oakeley would win that category too!

There is a mine somewhere in Wales, cant remember where, that goes out to sea.

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#14

Doesn't the Point of Ayr Colliery go out to sea?

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#15

I've been looking through Boyd's history of the Festiniog Railway and he's got Rhywbryfdir (Part of Oakeley) as the largest in the region, Llechwedd as third and Maenofferen as fifth largest. Any idea which ones come second and fourth?

Not sure what he's using to base size on - could be tonnages I suppose or no. of people employed there. Don't know.

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#16

I know rhoysdd isn't one of the top ones. Do cwmorthis & oakley count as one?
perhaps Rhiw Bach is one, but its unlikely.

Moss Head quarry which I was once taken to by my grandad -is small but the chambers are massive! I presume by miles of passage or amount of rock removed.

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

#17

In the height of production, Diffwys was quoted as being the largest in the region, but i think it had a head start as it was the first to begin work (?). However, as Merddinemrys points out it depends on the factors that have been used. Output, employment, land mass e.t.c.
Oakeleys shear size (land mass) is due to several smaller workings being swallowed up to create one big working.

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

#18

"Barney" wrote:
Do cwmorthis & oakley count as one?

Thats not my quote !!!!

The story goes that Cwmorthin suffered a collapse of such proportions, the mountain moved. Worried by Cwmorthins working practices, Oakeley bought Cwmorthin and connected through on several levels. I dont think they extracted any rock, more to stop any more dodgy work and preserve their own quarry. Cwmorthin was used as drainage for oakeley. So then, they are seperate, but do connect underground

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#19

How many of the ffestiniog workings link up?

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

18 years ago

#20

I'm sure there are others, but...

Croesor and Rhosydd (to settle a boundary dispute)
Cwmorthin and Oakeley
Llechwedd and Votty/Bowydd
Maenoffern and Votty/Bowydd

Anybody got any others 😉

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by