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* [Pic 06] Prince Of Wales Slate Quarry (1990) *

[Pic 06] Prince Of Wales Slate Quarry (1990)

Taken on a hot, hazy day, Pic 6 shows the view down the long Upper Incline at the Prince Of Wales quarry. The quarry had a very short heyday (early 1870s to late 1880s) but in that time this incline was twice extended in height as the workings were developed uphill, resulting in two redundant drum houses along its route. From the base of this incline a tramway ran to the next, lower, incline (the drum house of this is just visible in the distance) that descended to the valley floor and made connection with the incredible (but short lived) Gorseddau Junction and Portmadoc Railway.
* [Pic 07] Rhiwbach Tramway - Blaenau Ffestiniog (1987) *

[Pic 07] Rhiwbach Tramway (1987)

Above is a view showing the Rhiwbach Tramways #2 incline in its full abandoned glory, complete with wagons stored at its base. Dating from the 1860s, this incline was last used in 1976 (by Maenofferen quarry) and during its heyday it carried the finished product from all the quarries east of Blaenau Ffestiniog that connected to the tramway. Although the incline still exists today, the scene around it has changed dramatically in recent years with large scale untopping work wiping out many relics. Note the house amongst the trees - this was Quarrybank, the Votty quarry managers home.
* [Pic 08] Croesor Slate Quarry (1988) *

[Pic 08] Croesor Slate Quarry (1988)

Croesor is an unusual site in that all the workings are underground (stretching over 7 levels, accessed by one long tunnel, all connected by internal inclines) with its mill sitting atop a large heap of waste high up the mountainside. The only external incline on site was this one, the exit incline, which dropped steeply down to the valley floor. Note how the incline is carved through rock further down, then enters a cutting at its base. The tramway from here then crosses the Afon Croesor via a bridge, has a junction with the tramway from Rhosydd quarry (whose own exit incline can be seen rising upwards) then finally heads west to the Blaen-y-Cwm incline (just off camera) down to the Croesor Tramway.
* [Pic 09] Diffwys Slate Quarry - Blaenau Ffestiniog (1982) *

[Pic 09] Diffwys Slate Quarry (1982)

I chose this wide shot of the Diffwys (New Quarry) upper incline to show the enviroment it was located in. Dropping down from floor 3 to floor 5, beside the floor 5 adit, it is situated high up, and slightly east of, the old Diffwys workings. Constructed during the early 1880s, it was part of an attempt here by Diffwys to open new ground - But it was short lived and the incline never had to cope with large tonnages. A second (larger) incline, located just to the west, descended to a tramway connection with the Floor 6 mill.
* [Pic 10] Pen yr Orsedd Slate Quarry - Nantlle Railway (1990) *

[Pic 10] Pen yr Orsedd Slate Quarry (1990)

Pen yr Orsedd was, and still is to some extent, a treasure trove of fine relics - especially when it comes to building remains. This is the drum house of the middle exit incline, still remarkably intact (in 1990) with a fine banksmans shelter that appears to have been added at a later date. The incline descended (from the Workshop level) down to the Lower Mill level where another incline then continued down to a connection with the Nantlle Railway. Both of these inclines, plus a third upper incline, were twin tracked and laid to a gauge of 3ft 6ins in order to raise and lower Nantlle wagons. Unfortunately this drum house is now showing signs of deterioration with many roof slates missing and the incline bed (with slate steps beside it) has become overgrown.
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