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Report - - Rhosydd Slate Mine - North Wales - April 2015 | Mines and Quarries | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Rhosydd Slate Mine - North Wales - April 2015

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Lenston

Bajo Tierra
Regular User
Visited with The Kwan

History​

Slate was first discovered here in the 1830's when quarrying commenced on a very small scale. Operated by a string of different owners each developing and enlarging the workings. But the story is not one of steady expansion. The ups and downs of the slate trade, the difficulties of raising capital, geological problems and dangerous underground working practices also brought periods of closure and industrial unrest. Peak output occurred in the 1880's when over 6000 tons per year of saleable slate was mined. This was also the period of greatest employment when over 200 workers were engaged. A major blow to the quarry occurred in 1900 when the "Great Fall" occurred underground, in the south eastern section of the workings. This destroyed a large part of the most profitable reserves. From this major blow the quarry never fully recovered.

The first world war brought about a period of complete closure followed by reopening in 1919 and a brief flurry of activity. A slow lingering existence followed until final closure in 1930. However in the hope of the market for slate improving it was decided to keep the underground pumps working. This proved to be a futile gesture and the pumps were finally turned off in 1948 causing much of the underground workings to flood. The life of the quarry had ended and the scrapmen moved in. The final ignominy being the wholesale demolition of many of the quarry buildings to recover the workable slate. This accounts for the ruinous state of much of the surface remains today.​

Some Pics

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Thanks for looking​
 

The Kwan

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Top photos Lenny Boi, what a fantastic trip out to this deathtrap of a place, the walk up was fantastically beautiful and long and strenuous as anyone who has ever been here knows but it was spoiled this time by being asked every 10 minutes "are we nearly there yet" :p , but seriously thanks again for the great company!

some shaky video that I took on the day
 
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