Cwm Machno

On the extreme north eastern edge of what i call the Ffestiniog group of quarries, and close to the secluded village of Cwm Penmachno, is the large isolated Cwm Machno quarry. Mostly developed in open workings, there were also ventures underground on several levels. Despite a very constricted site there was internal use of Loco power but the quarry never had an external rail connection - which was a constant problem throughout the workings history.

[Pic 1] Cwm Machno Quarry - Entrance through to the workings (Aug 1982)

Visitors arriving at the quarry must have wondered if they'd come across a remote castle with a seemingly walled entrance (see Pic 1 above) through which a short tunnel pierced through to the workings. This elaborate walling infact carried a rubbish tramway across to tips on the eastern side of the quarry. The structure had however become unsafe and was totally removed during the 1980's landscaping project - more of which later.

[Pic 2] Cwm Machno Quarry - View of the main workings (Aug 1982)

As can be seen from Pic 2 (above) the main workings were a large pit (partially infilled by later tipping) with adits leading into the underground sections - one opening can just be viewed in the lower pit wall - and the walled rubbish route (with main entrance tunnel) seen in Pic 1 runs across between the two mill buildings. Note the two uphaulage inclines just sticking out of the later waste (to the left of the nearest mill) and the unusual 'A2' incline head - more about which below.

[Pic 3] Cwm Machno Quarry - 'A1' Incline winding house (Aug 1982)

One of the main balanced inclines around the site was the 'A1' * incline (Pic 3 - above) which dropped down 2 levels to the main mill level, and connected at its lower end to a tramway (running along the newer waste in the pit bottom) with neat slab flooring along part of its route to the mills. The incline itself was twin tracked, with the eastern track on a slightly lower level as presumeably it carried a counterbalance. Note the relatively intact condition of the winding house and the water pipe entering the rear wall.

* Labelling of these inclines is purely of my invention, and used as reference only in the absence of other sources.

[Pic 4] Cwm Machno Quarry - 'A2' Incline and raised winding house (Aug 1982)

Pic 3 (above) shows the 'A2' incline head with its unusual raised winding house and remains of pillars which once supported large metal pipes that carried water from a reservoir located to the south, and above, the quarry. Balanced inclines abound in a lot of quarries but this example is one of the strangest i've seen, and further down its course (on an intermediate level) is another raised section which is pierced by a neat arched tunnel through to the waste tips on the eastern side. Note the neighbouring Rhiwfachno quarry in the background - which was often worked as part of Cwm Machno, and connected to it by a tramway that led to the latters main mill level.

[Pic 5] Cwm Machno Quarry - Wal on upper workings (Aug 1982)

A Wal (open fronted slaters hut) is a common site throughout the slate industry, with many examples to be found - but few are as good as this one (Pic 5 above) located high in the upper workings of Cwm Machno. This, and several examples close by, make it well worth the climb up through the workings to see. Note the excellent stone work and the large slates used on the roof.

[Pic 6] Cwm Machno Quarry - View of the 1980's landscaping (Sept 1986)

Cwm Machno, Like many remote quarries, never enjoyed the success that rail connection* could have bought it but somehow managed to keep going until it finally closed for good in 1962. Just over 30 years later the site was changed by a landscaping scheme designed to remove the unsafe walling and tip (which contained the entrance) and use it to part fill the main pit - which had began to fill with an unnoficial kind of waste. Pic 6 (above) shows the scene after completion of the scheme. As well as the entrance, one of the mill buildings has disapeared and all the remaining openings into the under ground workings have been buried. Note that the stone flooring for the tramway - from the base of 'A1' incline and seen bottom left corner - still partly exists.

* Cwm Machno (& nieghbouring Rhiwfachno) used road cartage from the very beginning, first to the wharves at Trefriw - over 15 miles to the north, then to Bettws-y-Coed once the LNWR reached there. South west, and high uphill, lies the Rhiwbach quarry and its connection through to the Ffestiniog railway via the Rhiwbach tramway - tantalisingly close, but no connection to Cwm Machno ever materialised despite various plans to do so - including the often muted plan to utilise Rhiwbach's long drainage tunnel which emerged in the hillside just to the west of Cwm Machno's main workings.

Notes: More detailed information (especially on the inclines) can be found in: The Slate Regions of North and Mid Wales / Alun John Richards / Gwasg Carreg Gwalch / Page 109)

Return to Main Menu

Page Top