Maenofferen - Hunter's Tunneller 1864

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Vanoord
54.4% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

18 years ago

I've always wondered what the fabled Hunter Tunneller looked like - thank you Graham!

Whereabouts were the other tests in relation to Cookes level?

I fear that the bores at Cookes level may well have been lost due to the recent untopping work?

Can DylanW shed any light on whether they will be heading in towards Cookes and into the mountain that way or whether they'll be going further into Foty...?

🔗Maenofferen-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-031[linkphoto]Maenofferen-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-031[/linkphoto][/link]

Hello again darkness, my old friend...

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simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

18 years ago

I don't think it'll have been lost, although I believe it has been shortened over the years? The end of the machine bored tunnel was set back a little from the tip, and they're not actually quarrying that face IIRC, but certainly undermining the tip so I suspect it might end in a plummet.

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

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

The other bores are in the open pit (North side thereof) Known as 2 1/2 quarry or David Jones Quarry.

Aren't there some at Corris too? Abercwmeiddiau? Or were they done by a different machine?

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

18 years ago

Here I believe?

Is that just up the track from mill level? Visible from the Rhiw Bach incline?

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

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

"simonrl" wrote:
Here I believe?

Is that just up the track from mill level? Visible from the Rhiw Bach incline?

From where you were standing taking that photo Simon it would be "kind of under your feet". It is at same level (give or take 10 feet) as the mill "plateau".

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

18 years ago

Not my photo, borrowed from Wikipedia, but I know where you mean 🙂

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

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

I think I have a photo of it, I will dig it ut tomorrow.

DylanW
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

Is that on wikipedia?! Didn' t know that! Any chance of a link?

There are no plans, presently, to go after the pillars where the cook's level is, that I am aware of, however, it s not the safest place at the momenent!

A sibrydodd yn welw ei wedd, rhowch garrag las ar fy medd, o chwaral y Penrhyn, lle''r euthym yn blentyn i''r gwaith.

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

18 years ago

Here it is...

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:David_Jones_quarry.jpg

It appears to be just the image rather than any supporting detail, although there is a page on Maenofferen.

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

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#10

The Abercwmeiddau is reputedly a Hunter or Hunter & Cooke bore, but I'm sure I've also seen it attributed to Brunton's tunnelling machine. Coincidentally J D Brunton was surveyor and engineer to Maen Offeren in the 1870's. The tunnelling machine apparantly was still lying around at MaenOfferen in 1873.

There are photos of the Abercwmeiddau "binocular" Miles' site.

I'll post some more of David Jones' Quarry to the Archive in a bit.

Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#11

Ok - there are some more distant shots of that end of the old quarry uploaded to the archive.

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#12

I have now uploaded a photo of the bored adit in David Jones Quarry taken last year.

🔗Maenofferen-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-016[linkphoto]Maenofferen-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-016[/linkphoto][/link]

The right hand bore goes further than the laef as can be seen.

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#13

Yes - shows it was the single head tunneler at work rather than the double - otherwise both bores would be the same. The level is clearly shown on Brunton's map of (I think without looking) 1877 - as is the level under the Back Vein Incline house.

Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#14

Brunton's map of c 1877? that sounds interesting! Is it in an archive somewhere?

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#15

"JohnnearCfon" wrote:
Brunton's map of c 1877? that sounds interesting! Is it in an archive somewhere?

Yes - there are several maps of MaenOfferen of that era in the archives at Dolgellau - they are actually in the Votty & Bowydd collection, whose catalogue is not, unfortunately, on line.

Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#16

H, I did find a couple of maps of Maen Offeren in the Votty collection. One I remember is a buetiful coloured one with all the chamber and tunnels on each floor being in a different colour. It was huge though, and impossible to get a copy of.

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#17

Nothing is impossible with a large roll of tracing paper, a pencil (they don't allow pen) and some suitable weights to hold it down. Doesn't get all the colour etc. but you can get the gist.

When I get my normal workstation back on line, I'll see what I've got in my scans....

Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.