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Moelwyn quarry

1865 establishments in the United KingdomFfestiniogFfestiniog RailwaySlate mines in GwyneddUse British English from January 2018
A crack in the Dam geograph.org.uk 1321414
A crack in the Dam geograph.org.uk 1321414

Moelwyn quarry is a defunct slate quarry located to the south of the village of Tanygrisiau, north Wales. Some initial prospecting was carried out in the 1820s and again in the 1840s, but it was 1860 before a company was formed, and chambers were excavated. The quarry was never a financial success, and operated sporadically until its demise in 1897. Despite the poor results, a spectacular series of seven inclines were constructed, to enable slates to reach the Ffestiniog Railway. The quarry was hampered by lack of a good water supply, and the mill was constructed between inclines 4 and 5, where water could be obtained from Llyn Stwlan. As in many quarries, barracks were provided, but these were occupied by whole families, living on the mountain, rather than used as lodgings for the quarrymen during the working week. Even in its remote location, there was still a concern for education, with basic literacy classes being run in the 1860s.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Moelwyn quarry (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Moelwyn quarry
LLyn Stwlan Mine Railway Walk,

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Wikipedia: Moelwyn quarryContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 52.974555555556 ° E -3.9730277777778 °
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Address

LLyn Stwlan Mine Railway Walk
LL41 3TP , Ffestiniog
Wales, United Kingdom
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A crack in the Dam geograph.org.uk 1321414
A crack in the Dam geograph.org.uk 1321414
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Nearby Places

Tanygrisiau railway station
Tanygrisiau railway station

Tanygrisiau railway station (grid reference SH683449) is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway The line was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog for export by sea but official passenger services began in 1865. The station serves the slate mining village of Tanygrisiau and was opened in March 1866. It closed to passengers on 15 September 1939. The new station opened for passenger traffic on 24 June 1978 and was the passenger terminus until 25 May 1982. Tanygrisiau station is at a height of 669 ft (204 m) and a distance of 12 miles 10 chains (19.5 km) from Porthmadog. The new station is on a different alignment and grade from the old, the two alignments joining just to the north of the Blaenau end of the station. The old line was on a continuous downward gradient from that point through the station, but the new line is on an uphill gradient (to pass the nearby power station) and is more sharply curved. One of the old buildings still remains, visibly lower than the new trackbed. Tanygrisiau station has an operational passing loop but is normally operated as an unstaffed halt and trains only call on request. Intending passengers are advised to check with the Ffestiniog Railway Company before embarking on their journey. The station is close to the Cwmorthin water falls, and the train passes Tanygrisiau hydro-electric pumped-storage power station and Llyn Ystradau.