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Maenofferen Slate Quarry
Blaenau Ffestiniog
 
Gauge : 2ft gauge
Status : Ceased
(click on photos to enlarge)

 
 

 

Date: 1988

Date: March 1982

Date: 1969

The Maenofferen slate mill was situated further up the hillside from Llechwedd and was the last mill in the area still to use narrow gauge railways to transport slate.

Another couple of photos from Mike Jackson, a Wingrove and Rogers battery loco shunts wagons outside the mill in March 1982.

The last stretch of the overground railway to be used here was for taking runs of slate wagons from the mill to an incline round the corner of the hillside. The slate wagons were lowered down the incline for onward shipment by road transport. A Motor Rail was in charge of the train when seen in 1969.

 

Date: October 1992

Date: October 1992

Date: October 1992

Many years later, the Wingrove and Rogers battery loco seen in the above photo was found out of use in the mill building in 1992.

The unloading gantry still in place in 1992 at the bottom of the incline that had been used for the last slate trains in the photo above. By this time all the tracks on the incline had been taken up.

Although not in use on the day of the visit, the internal incline at the back of the Maenofferen Mill was still operational, and was the last such rail served incline to be used here.

Date: October 1992

Date: October 1992

Date: October 1992

A further two locos had been left in the disued half of the mill for a long time. At the time of the visit in 1992, it was reported that one of the fitters had recently been able to start up on of them.

The second disued Ruston loco.

By 1992, the only track left in use was the track through the mill to the cutting table and slate dressing stalls. Here an unidentifed Wingrove and Rogers battery loco waits beside the cutting table.

Date: October 1992

Date: June 1996

A similar view of the battery loco in the cutting room.

By June 1996, the railway was still in use for moving the uncut slab through the mill. This time a different Wingrove and Rogers loco was in use, seen here waiting for the bolsters to be loaded just outside of the mill.

 
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© Steve Thomason 2020
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