Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry (Remains Of The Welsh Slate Industry)

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* Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry - Main pit and cuttings (Remains Of The Welsh Slate Industry) *

[Pic 01] Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry - Main pit and cuttings (1990)

High up the forested slopes above Llyn y Gader, and just below the Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor ridge, lies the small quarry of Bwlch Ddeilior. There is little information available on this small remote site, which has almost been obliterated from view by swathes of Forestry Commission conifers. To reach the quarry involves a trek through the maze of paths within Coed Beddgelert (Beddgelert Forest) but even when close to the site, it is possible to walk straight past without noticing its existence, such is the density of forestry around it. Pic 1, above, shows the only pit with (later) exit tunnel at pit bottom - The other end is untraced due to forestry disturbance beyond the pit. Of the two cuttings, the left one runs north onto small tips, while the far one runs out to buildings a short distance from the pit. Both cuttings became redundant when the pit became deeper than their level.

* Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry - Buildings (Remains Of The Welsh Slate Industry) *

[Pic 02] Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry - Buildings (1990)

Close to the (north east running) cutting entrance are these building remains - Possible dressing sheds? The nearest has a weighbridge right in front of it, the plate with rails is visible. The slab pillars indicate a launder ran out to a (possible) waterwheel with a pit next to the far pillar.

* Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry - Cutting (Remains Of The Welsh Slate Industry) *

[Pic 03] Bwlch Ddeilior Slate Quarry - Cutting (1990)

Pic 3 shows the narrow north running cutting which heads (behind camera) to tips. Full of barbed wire and very wet under foot!

Notes: Today the site is even more overgrown and disturbed than it was then, but i like small remote sites like this - They can be enigmas. Also:-

Bwlch Ddeilior has also been known as: Bwlchyddeilior Slate Quarry / Bwlch y Ddwy Elor Slate Quarry / Bwlch-y-Delior Slate Quarry

Home Office List of Mines 1883-1893: Bwlchyddeilior Slate Quarry: 1887-1893 Operator: BWLCH Y DDEILIOR QUARRY SLATE, CAERNARFONSHIRE,BETWS GARMON - SH552511

Alun John Richards (GOSQIW Revised 2007 - Pg 121) quotes an output (in 1883) of 160 tons with 7 men, material carted to Caernarvon.

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