Inaccesable artefacts · AditNow Community

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Barney
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Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

In another thread AR mentions rumours of a Newcomen steam engine trapped underground. What other rumoured artefacts lay buried in the UK mines???

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jagman
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Newbie

17 years ago

Four waterwheels and two Armstrong Hydraulic Engines beneath a village in Northumberland.
Below water now sadly

JohnnearCfon
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Newbie

17 years ago

A two foot gauge Bagnall(?) steam locomotive at Glynceiriog. Although this is rumoured to be accessible.

A former steam loco, converted to battery electric at Aberllefenni.

SimplyExploring
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Newbie

17 years ago

"JohnnearCfon" wrote:
A former steam loco, converted to battery electric at Aberllefenni.

There is no loco at Aberllefenni, The one they used us to closing is now in the hands of the Corris railway museum.

JohnnearCfon
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Newbie

17 years ago

"SimplyExploring" wrote:

"JohnnearCfon" wrote:
A former steam loco, converted to battery electric at Aberllefenni.

There is no loco at Aberllefenni, The one they used us to closing is now in the hands of the Corris railway museum.

No, Simply, I am not referring to the 1974 Clayton loco! now on the Corris Railway (a fact I was aware of). I am referring to the 5 h/p battery loco built at Votty Slate Quarry circa 1939. This was built using the frames from a steam loco (as well as a few other bits I believe). The loco was "Taffy" built by Vulcan Foundry (possibly their number 810 of 1878 ). It fell down into one of the deep pits in July 1971 and abandoned. I understand it was subsequently tipped over.

Over the years Aberllefenni had a total of 4 locos. All of which survive (if you include the former Taffy!).

Edited to get rid of a smiley that mysteriously appeared in middle of the text!

Clunk
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Newbie

17 years ago

Makes sense that there is something left behind. Quite often I have looked at a wall of deads, or a pile of rubble and wondered what lay beneath/behind.

merddinemrys
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Newbie

17 years ago

It would be an interesting one to recover - there is a photograph of Taffy converted to Battery Electric power in one of the Caban magazines. One of its side tanks survives in the Welsh Highland Railway Porthmadog's Museum in Port.

JohnnearCfon
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Newbie

17 years ago

Simon Hughes writing in 2007 on ME of his time there in 1980-81 writes:-

"There was an electric locomotive in this flooded chamber, driven in there by a careless driver, but it was deep and the walls were scaling so badly that it must have soon been buried. Salvage was not a commercial proposition."

merddinemrys
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Newbie

17 years ago

I always understood that Taffy had been used to backfill a chamber and that after its accident they continued to tip and bury it. That quote seems to suggest that may not be the case! We need some cave divers!

hcd563
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Newbie

17 years ago

#10

There's a good photo of the battery loco, taken in the 60's , outside the adit in Industrial Locomotives of North Wales. I've always understood that it was buried by further tipping after it fell into the chamber in 1971. Apparently the contacts in the controller had welded themselves closed and the driver abandoned ship, a wise move I think.

Martin

Clunk
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Newbie

17 years ago

#11

"hcd563" wrote:
Apparently the contacts in the controller had welded themselves closed and the driver abandoned ship, a wise move I think.

Martin

I had a Forklift do that on me. I went through a wall and door. Did £10,000 worth of improvements. :oops: