real time web analytics
Report - - Rhos-Goch quarry, Cwm-machno, North Wales, April 2022 | Mines and Quarries | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Rhos-Goch quarry, Cwm-machno, North Wales, April 2022

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
1. The History
The history of the site as a whole can be found HERE on my previous report. There isn't a lot of history about this specific place, beyond that the quarries are located on the slopes of Moel Marchyria and opened in the 1830's. Consisting of two pit workings with some underground chambering, they were "subsidiary" quarries of Rhiw Fachno, with their output being processed at Rhiw Fachno.

2. The Explore
These two large quarries, with sizeable waste tips, lie East-South-East of the main quarry of Penmachno – or Rhiw Fachno as it is also referred to as. On previous visits, I’d eyed these workings with great interest given the size of their waste tips, but with no obvious way over there and it being a reasonable distance, I didn’t have a look. I struggled to ascertain whether they had their own name as they looked like a separate operation and then, just as I was about to post the report, found that they were in fact known as Rhos-Goch quarry.

A map published in 1888 shows both workings to be present, but unlabelled and with no inclines in situ. A 1913 map shows both workings present with the lower northerly quarry (A) now connected by the main incline, but no spur up to the higher quarry (B) - see below:


52094613294_e277de7e8b_z.jpg


However this latter(?) map shows the second incline to be present:

52094875725_ea5101c0db_c.jpg


The main incline is now totally grassed-over but the waste tips are unmissable and are visible from all around the local area. The exit incline dropped down to a tramway that then ran around Cwm Machnos tips to meet with the latter's internal mills.

I really didn’t know what to expect here as, having searched high and low on the internet, I couldn’t find a single photo of this part of Penmachno. This further fuelled my desire to check them out. Hence on a family walk up Penmachno, as the family decided to make the return descent along the footpath back to the car, I decided to make a beeline for the quarries. It was a foolish move. There was no footpath, and although it didn’t involve any climb, it involved yomping over the open moor. Exhausted, I finally arrived at the top quarry. It looked impressive and interesting with the many shot holes and an intriguing little adit where underground extraction of slate had undoubtedly taken place. Sadly though it was a wellies job and I had only walking boots. I looked at the second quarry and didn’t get past the entrance as it was so marshy. So I headed back down the very steep and grassy incline.

Fast forward two days and a rainy April morning. Having parked up, I headed up the quarry’s main track, then left along the bottom of the massive waste tip. The bridge over the river has long since collapsed so having negotiated the river-cum-stream, started off at the bottom of the incline. It’s heavily grassed and easy enough to follow but very steep. After a leg-straining climb I arrived at the lower of the two quarries. The lower quarry had looked promising, but after having got past the bog at its entrance, it proved to be a bit of a disappointment. If there had been an adit here, it had long since been covered up by a collapse. Downhearted, I made my way up the shorter but equally as steep incline on to the second quarry, where I knew there was an adit waiting for me. The water at the entrance was toward the top of my wellies, but the adit soon opened out to the right and into a medium-sized gallery. I pushed on as the drive dried out. Another smaller gallery ran along the right size of the tunnel and then after another 50 or so metres, the adit came to a dead end. Again, to the right was an entrance to the smallest of the three galleries. However, this one was a perfectly oblong gallery and had the miner’s haulage chains in situ. After I’d finished taking pictures of this small but interesting underground part of the quarry, I made my way back down the two inclines, only falling over once, before getting back to the car, with the satisfaction of having finally cracked this part of Penmachno.

3. The Pictures

On the reccie day. Here’s the quarry keeper’s lodge outside of the top quarry:

52035658832_0660a83216_b.jpg


This looks like an up-turned slate wagon:

52036745818_c59b6a978f_b.jpg


Here’s the view inside the top quarry:

52036952359_3642417b04_b.jpg


52036694501_45d9c58591_b.jpg


And a close-up of the adit:

52036745313_6385d12349_b.jpg


Looks promising but with no wellies it’s a no-go today:

52036695116_d5df1cf114_b.jpg


Loving the shot holes in the quarry wall:

52037217770_99fb9d625b_b.jpg


Bottom of the second, shorter incline:

52036744293_32fb08eed9_b.jpg


And some old iron work, looks like some kind of iron ladder or swing-arm:

52036744063_82863a1bb5_b.jpg


One of two quarrymen’s refuges at the entrance to the lower quarry:

52036950549_c45583dd08_b.jpg


Here’s the other:

52035656522_eb6da04b9c_b.jpg


The entrance to the lower quarry is just too boggy:

52037224235_e1843508c4_b.jpg


So it’s back down to the bottom. The view back up the main incline having headed back down:

52035656427_3aebcc2b2a_b.jpg


Here’s where the bridge over the river has collapsed:

52036957839_ee06d4f67c_b.jpg


So on to the revisit a couple of days later. I’ve got to climb that!

52035656272_2046364213_b.jpg


52036741028_a9d9e229b5_b.jpg


At last, were at the top of the main incline:

52035665152_7e303b8dba_b.jpg


Overview of the lower quarry:

52036691206_da65f91bb1_b.jpg


And the waste tip on the right hand side:

52035654337_6df934c583_b.jpg


52037224460_4fb5a18389_b.jpg


Window frame in one of the quarry master’s refuges:

52037215535_579f544790_b.jpg


Which a tree now grows out of:

52035655867_654081699a_b.jpg


The remains of the original door in the other refuge:

52036770253_c96d5a1e66_b.jpg


Through the boggy bit:

52036693071_d2ce5d41a2_b.jpg


And into the first quarry, for the first time:

52036743353_6246183bda_b.jpg


Is there an adit somewhere under there?

52036947574_6b024e29ce_b.jpg
 
Last edited:

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
CONTINUED:

Onward we go:

52036949449_3419b291c1_b.jpg


Looking down from the rim of the quarry back down:

52036742973_bc1741c77f_b.jpg


And over across at the main slate quarry:

52036752273_4eec89152c_b.jpg


Up the second incline:

52037242135_0d1729e1e9_b.jpg


And into the second quarry where the adit is:

52036767413_acc59cd418_b.jpg


In we go into the adit:

52036741958_e06e8a306b_b.jpg


52035654777_7c0030b6ec_b.jpg


There’s quite a bit of water:

52036974129_1baab04ab8_b.jpg


From the adit off to the right is the largest of the 3 chambers:

52035654852_7d0149ce37_b.jpg


52035681047_40fbbb39f4_b.jpg


There’s the money shot!

52036973584_600afff595_b.jpg


On we push:

52036717986_b53561cabf_b.jpg


The second chamber opens up to the right off the adit:

52037240820_532b5638e4_b.jpg


Moving on:

52036974519_fdcb6b2d1a_b.jpg


Looks like a winch or engine was mounted on this stone block:

52037213310_9a4c58e3c5_b.jpg


The small chamber at the end. Really tidy and well cut:

52036952669_fa4576e381_b.jpg


52036740818_b3dff1d2f0_b.jpg


52036975449_f3f7af06af_b.jpg


A bit of mineralisation:

52036769028_a2b1426f8e_b.jpg


Looking back into the adit:

52036768888_1c4a4a792a_b.jpg


And back out we pop:
52036768588_4a7565553f_b.jpg


52035654662_0f4de43ba6_b.jpg


And back down the main incline:

52036947894_5610e1c5ed_b.jpg


That's all folks!
 
Last edited:

urbanchemist

28DL Regular User
Regular User
That's a nice one - the metal ladder looks like the base of a trailer or similar.
And when are you going to learn that wellies are obligatory, and waders advisable, for these things?
 

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
That's a nice one - the metal ladder looks like the base of a trailer or similar.
And when are you going to learn that wellies are obligatory, and waders advisable, for these things?
Learnt for this trip as actually bought my waders with me on my hols this time!
 

CantClimbTom

Enthusiastic Idiot and prolific BS talker
28DL Full Member
Very odd.. the first time there you were out walking in walking boots? As Mr. Slate quarry... surely you should ban your family from using walking boots, on principle?

Great report
 

Fluffy5518

28DL Member
28DL Member
Thanks for this post HughieD - i have eyed this one up a couple of times but never got ant further than that ..... Now i know it is worth a trip i will stick it on the agenda. Lovely pics mate and loving that small chamber with the climbing chain .....
 

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Thanks for this post HughieD - i have eyed this one up a couple of times but never got ant further than that ..... Now i know it is worth a trip i will stick it on the agenda. Lovely pics mate and loving that small chamber with the climbing chain .....
Cheers mate. Yup, deffo worth the effort but take yer wellies!
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 153) View details

Top