Dorothea Slate Quarry · AditNow Community

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

#1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6440713.stm

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#2

My garandad was obsessed with visiting the C. beam engine so my dad took us. Amazing palce when you think, the actual air-space in the quarry is comparitavly small compared to what's below.

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

#3

The article says more than 20 deaths since 1994. That's shocking. Remind me not to take up diving in quarries or mines.

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

merddinemrys
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

#4

They are shocking statistics. I'd love to have a go at diving there but its obviously no place for beginners!

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#5

Then again, you could just not dive at all.
According to the article, there are tunels down there, never knew that.

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

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#6

I believe there are at least 3 tunnels. What appears to be one big pit at surface of water level is in fact at least 2 pits further down. The tunnels connect different pits at the lower levels. No I haven't been diving there! Or anywhere else come to that!

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#7

To comment further on this thread. Whilst there is public access on foot to this quarry because of public footpath's I am amazed more hasn't been done to prevent vehicle access to the quarry. There are no gates, mounds of slate rock or indeed anything to discourage entry. With today's (draconian) Elvin Sayftee laws I am surprised the site owners havn't been prosecuted after so many deaths.

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#8

Anyone got the exact, deepest depth?

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

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#9

102 metres although I have also seen it quoted as 108 metres. So just a tad deep for Miles' CWD

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#10

There is an article in today's C & D Herald about the proposed diving centre at Dorothea. It is also viewble online:-

http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/conwygwynedd/tm_method=full%26objectid=19180061%26siteid=50142-name_page.html

[tweak]Link edited to make clickable - vanoord[/tweak]

squirrel
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#11

is it right there is an old steam crane underwater at Dorothea?

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#12

There doesn't seem to be anything that could fit that description on the underwater plan I have (for divers). Only one ref to "old machinery" on a ledge where the pit goes deeper. There are still various cables strung across below water level.
If there is such a thing, following on from recent actions elsewhere, maybe CADW should list it! Do they have divers in their team do you think? :lol:

mlatt
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#13

There is a crane on the ledge at a round -12m, the deepest point is around -104m at the base of a pit which ends in a small horizontal shaft. There is a work hut above it at around -97m with an old cast iron stove and from there its a sheer set of walls with a couple of high level tunnels one at -87m and one at -59m (which must have given access to tho other pits). There is another hut at -43m and then another hut at -23m leading to another tunnell in the shallows.

At the bottom its a constant chilly 5-6°C all year round.

🙂

Gwyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#14

The stats are apparently most interesting. I'd need more info such as numbers of divers and time spent in water etc but that level of death appears very high. Are there other diving related incidents such as decompression, narcosis? How is this got past the Health and Safety Executive, Coroner, Police, Insurers etc? Makes mine/quarry exploration seem tame!
Anyway, the Cornish beam engine at Dorothea was the first industrial Scheduled Ancient Monument in Wales. It was operational until the 1950's and is the only complete beam engine complex in Wales. It was made by Holman's of Camborne having a 68" cylinder and 10" stroke. I haven't been there for years and suspect that the condition of the site and buildings has changed considerably and not for the better.

carnkie
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#15

Very interesting engine house. Just been looking at the photos. As you no doubt know David sallery's web site has some fine photos that supplement the ones here. http://www.penmorfa.com/Slate/beamengine.html

On that subject I think The Cornish Engine House site is a useful link.

http://www.users.bigpond.com/nqsearch/minehist/mining.html

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

16 years ago

#16

Another diver airlifted from Dorothea with the bends at the weekend.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7904499.stm

Quote:

A 43-year-old diver who was suffering from decompression sickness has been airlifted to a hyperbaric chamber from a quarry in Gwynedd.

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

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#17

Just looking up the thread - if you search on U Tube there is video of a crane in the Dorothea. Probably the one at -12m - I am no expert but would guess that there would not be enough light to film artifacts at a deeper depth.

I did read about the diver getting the bends. Very glad that it is not yet another fatality.

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

16 years ago

#18

Found these three:

Crane at 7m: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIu8Gijy9Ck

Crane body adnd jib: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3pME13yGvs

Not the sort of crane I was expecting!

Tunnel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krBNwIlBLl8&NR=1

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

Gwyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#19

I've just uploaded the British Sub-Aqua Club's document on diving at Dorothea. It's in general interest of the documents.
Although apparently dated 2002, or there abouts, the PDF appears to have been opened/modified July. 2008.

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#20

"simonrl" wrote:
Another diver airlifted from Dorothea with the bends at the weekend.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7904499.stm

And Another this weekend.

[URL]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8111791.stm[URL]

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.