A message has just appeared on Facebook from Andrew Roberts, Managing Director at Llechwedd. It read:-

Just to let you all know the weighing scale at the Llechwedd Pant yr Afon sidings as shown in this image has been stolen. The padlock on the gate has been compromised to gain access - the padlock was taped back together presumably by the culprit(s) perhaps hoping we wouldn't notice.

Anyway, this is very regrettable for obvious reasons. I don't want anyone thinking that Llechwedd have uplifted the historic item. If any of my fellow enthusiasts come across this item please let me know.

They seem to be getting even more daring. What next, Penmaen from Penmaenmawr? :guns::thumbdown::guns::thumbdown::guns:

I thought there had been a clamp down on stuff being sold for scrap? Certainly round our way someone got done for trying to offload stuff which they had nicked from the allotments at one of our local breakers

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Since his original post Andrew has posted this:-

Scrap is of course one possibility although the price is currently 'low'. The trouble whoever has gone to suggests to me that the interest in the weigh scale was more meaningful but unless we find out we will never know. Now, the padlock has been replaced. ......... Thanks to all for their concern, much appreciated.

I will try and copy across the photo (taken some while back) that he has posted of it.

Here is the photo of the weighing machine that has been stolen.

🔗Llechwedd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-95714[linkphoto]Llechwedd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-95714[/linkphoto][/link]

how on earth did they remove that without being noticed by anyone, how long has it been gone for?

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how on earth did they remove that without being noticed by anyone, how long has it been gone for?

Probably just picked it up and carried it out...

Have you ever picked up a large piece of wrought iron?
:lol:

Especially if the base is part of the same piece.

Mind you, that steam cylinder from Wrysgan wasn't exactly light, and in a far more difficult location.

The stealing of these large artefacts is extremely despicable!
I often wonder how the end tipping waggon(picture in 'Yesterday's Golcondas), was removed from the high flat horizon of the Gin Hill flats in Brownley Hill Mine.
Presumably someone cuts them up then rewelds them together on surface.
I assume that they are then put in a closed shed, and looked at only by the recipients.
Rather similar to these people who receive stolen old masters.

how on earth did they remove that without being noticed by anyone, how long has it been gone for?

Probably just picked it up and carried it out...

I don't think this was quite as simple as that :thumbdown: Whether they noticed or not you'd still be taking a big risk to steal something like that, I got the impression Llechwedd was pretty active most of the day when I was last down that way.

The Wrysgan thing was a big shame, I guess some private collector who could afford someone to take the stuff 'off site' somewhere

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Is everyone on here a bit of a wimp or something? That weighs what? Probably 150kg? Pretty easy to pick up and move...

At work a typical ccast iron section of boiler is 200-300kg and 2 of us can pick it up and move it, I'm not exactly he-man either... Albeit it is a very big struggle but it is possible. So to move a nice small bit of wrought iron like that a couple off men would shift it easy.

And a couple of guys in fluorescant jackets and hard hats wouldn't even be noticed during the day it could be done right in front of everyone. It is an experiment I have enjoyed participating in numerous times, if you look like you should be somewhere, then no one will question what you are doing, if you don't look like it then you will stand out.

Put on a hard hat, fluorescant jacket and some work clothes, turn up at any supermarket back gate, tell them you are there to fix their flux capacitor and they would open the gate and let you in to where ever you need to go...

The amount of supposed "high" security facilities I have worked in and never been questioned what I am doing or why and never shown I'd etc for would really worry you!

Yup! it has often been said that a high vis jacket makes you invisible.

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Is everyone on here a bit of a wimp or something? That weighs what? Probably 150kg? Pretty easy to pick up and move...

Bloody hell, I've stumbled on Testosterone is Us!:lol::lol:

I too lift my bodyweight (and more) at work. But I have a nice even concrete floor to work on, not an uneven ruin site.

And I thought cast iron boilers went out with the Victorians.....:lol:

Especially if the base is part of the same piece.

Mind you, that steam cylinder from Wrysgan wasn't exactly light, and in a far more difficult location.

Or the stove from Y Caban Dinorwig

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I like the comment about high viz.

It's something I've done myself a few times. Mooching around in camo has it's place, as well as High Viz. As does walking your dog. (or taking a dog lead and looking for a lost dog).

Regarding "nicking". I am aware that there are a certain breed of explorers who have permission from their own moral compass to remove what they like.

I can imagine the boss of a local contractor firm with a 4x4 pick up with a trailer and a couple of his lads. "As we've finished early, can you give me a hand with this"....probably make a nice bird table/etc. I don't imagine its 3.1415 Keys.

Interesting thought, are there any of those "garden furniture reclamation" firms in the district? (old lamposts, telephone boxes, village pumps, etc.)

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That's the first place I'd look.

The gippos know that's worth more money than scrap.

That's the first place I'd look.

The gippos know that's worth more money than scrap.

Where there's muck there's brass as the saying goes - along the with artifacts etc etc 😉

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I suspect they are not liable to the same new strict licensing laws as scrappers.

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3.1415 Keys

Gippo to 4 decimal places. Nice.