We Explore The Worlds Biggest Abandoned Slate Mine
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- In todays video we go deep underground and explore the worlds biggest abandoned slate mine.
History of the mine
Maenofferen slate quarry is situated near the North Wales town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, between the Manod and Moelwyn Mountains. Situated at 400m, it was first worked by men from the nearby Diphwys mine circa 1800 and by 1848 slate was being transported via the Ffestiniog Railway. This ceased in 1857 but traffic resumed shortly after as a steady flow of slate was dispatched via the railway. The quarry was initially named "David Jones" mine until it was renamed in 1861 when the Maenofferen Slate Quarry Co. Ltd. was incorporated. That year it produced around 400 tons of slate and the next year the leasing of a wharf at Porthmadog for onward distribution.
During the nineteenth century the quarry flourished and expanded, extending its workings underground and further downhill towards the nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog. By 1897 it employed over 400 people with nearly half of the men working underground. The Ffestiniog Railway continued to be the quarry's major transport outlet. However, given there was no direct connection to Ffestiniog's terminus at Duffws, slate was sent via the Rhiwbach Tramway which ran through the quarry. This put the quarry at a slight disadvantage to its rivals as it incurred extra shipping costs. In 1882, it produced 8,600 tons making it the fifth largest producer in the Ffestiniog area
It began large-scale use of locomotive power on its internal tramways from around 1900 and in 1908 the company leased wharf space at Minffordd, installing turntables and sidings, allowing finished slates to be shipped to the standard gauge railway there. Following the First World War, Maenofferen had moved up to the third largest slate producer in the Ffestiniog region and in 1918 it introduced hydro-electric power. Two years later in 1920 the company solved its high shipping costs by building a new incline connecting its mill to the Votty & Bowydd quarry. This allowed it to ship its products via that company's incline which was in turn connected to the Ffestiniog Railway at Duffws. In 1928 Maenofferen purchased the Rhiwbach quarry, continuing to work it and use its associated Tramway until 1953.
After the Second World War, fortunes declined and then in 1946, the Ffestiniog Railway ceased operation. In response, Maenofferen leased a short length of the railway's tracks between Duffws station and the interchange with the LMS railway, west of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Slate trains continued to run over this section until 1962. Maenofferen became the last slate quarry to use any part of the Ffestiniog Railway's route. From 1962 slate was shipped from the quarry by road, although the internal quarry tramways, including stretches of the Rhiwbach tramway, continued in use until at least into the 1980s.
By 1972 the mine was only employing 60 men and had an annual output of 1,200 tons. The quarry was purchased by the nearby Llechwedd quarry in 1975 and underground production at Maenofferen continued until November 1999. Production briefly recommenced via the "untopping" of underground workings to recover slate from the supporting pillars of the chambers along with the recovery of slate from the quarry tips, for crushing and subsequent use.
Documenting the decay of abandoned buildings, forgotten places, theme parks, mansions and theatres. Join me on my adventures as I capture my passion for urban exploring also known as urbex.
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#Abandoned #Abandonedplaces #mines
I used to live here!!!! 😭 Not in the mine, but at the foot of the mountain. My dad used to work in the mine gift shop carving slate into trinkets and signs for tourists and I had my own little child-sized hard hat so I could ride the railway down into the heart of the mountain... I take it the underground railway and the bungee adventure assault course are also abandoned now? I can't wait to see it again, it's been almost 30 years since I went down this mine!!! 😮
Oh brilliant that’s so cool thanks for the comment 😀
@@Thecyclingexplorer No problem, thank you for exploring the world!! I have been in a wheelchair for the past 2 years and channels like yours provide freedom and exploration that just would not be possible otherwise! It also inspires me to keep getting stronger and learn to walk again so I can explore myself one day! 😁
@@searchfield keep us updated on your progress thanks again 😀
@@searchfield sending you love, light, strength and healthy well wishes. You got this xxx
You're thinking if Llechwedd
I pretty sure the 3 drums are liquid rheostats.
The further the metal plates are lowered into the saltwater, the more current they will pass.
They are used to regulate electric current for high power machinery.
They are rheostats but I think the vessels were filled with sodium carbonate (washing soda) as a electroyte. The steel plates were raised or lowered by the pulleys to increase or decrease the electrical power to control the winch for the incline.
@@keithwhiddon5842 You are right about the soda.
This salt water bath system was still used to control the speed of the main winder at South Crofty tin mine in 1997 where I did the first year of my apprenticeship, before the mine closed. We’ve come a long way in high voltage control since then.
@@portreathbeach you still mining Craig ?
I take in your Cornwall way .
@@johnhodgkinson9674 only did a year until it shut and then continued my apprenticeship as an electrical engineer at South West Water. Was a cool experience going down the mine all those years ago.
All my grandmother's brothers and dad mined here in the early 1900's. Thanks, for this video but wow, this video gives me anxiety!
Another banger mate, good to see you looking so well 👍
Great Chanel good one
Next time, do yourselves a massive favour (and others with the same idea): wear a hard hat - a £5 builder's hat is better than nothing!
Damn, what an interesting video. Subscribing for sure.
Such a Beautiful explore thankyou
Great drone footage. Another brilliant episode. 👍🏻
What an eyesore on a stunning landscape
Nice video. Very interesting
Its not and never been the biggest slate mine in the world, please get your facts right. And you probably only saw 2% of the mine. 3 barrels to clean the slates? 🙈. Wow, its an incline head with all the winding gear and motors. The barrels are for brine and electrolites to control winding speed. The hobnail boots i put them there 😂😂
Wow ok like I said I don’t know anything about mines chill out it’s ok mate you will be ok 👌
Oh just seen your channel your an expert in mines cool mate I’m not 😂😂😂😂😂
And put a helmet on. Shame if others have to put themselves in danger to get you out
I enjoyed the slate mine , I hope you do more mines
This was a great explore! So cool! I absolutely loved the intro as well!
Absolutely love your videos sir
Thank you appreciate it 😀
Hello 1 person
Hello
Great video been caving here myself a few years ago subscribed to your Chanel 👍
Nice
Nice video buddy
I made a mistake by having a poo just before climbing back up the incline we see in the video , unfortunately due to me not wiping my arse probably I had a rash for days after , I always think on that God awful sensation whenever I watch footage of this mine
Cool
At 24:40 was the biggest air compressor that i have ever seen wether on a video or in person
Totally agree - make sure you subscribe. Guaranteed no regrets
like the vid mate but u only did the first part of the mine that place is huge theres 100s of chambers there.
I went to the one in Blaenau
Title of the video is incorrect Dude, that mine is not the worlds biggest. That honour belongs to a couple of mines under a neighbouring mountain
@Whoop!!
Little fun fact for you mate, those trucks with the new (ish) wheels were bought from the royal navy and they had about 3 or 4 if im correct
I'm sure it's not the biggest mine in the world but still non the less huge
Where is this do you have a post code to park near by?
😂😂😂😂
No way I could walk in there
Not the biggest slate mine in the world.... abit click bait
Although the biggest is in the same town.
So did you find any skeletons?
It's sealed up now can't get in
Got fed up with "cool", "wicked", "wow" and "guys". Also, you could easily have done some research, as you clearly know little or nothing about the mine system.
No problem thanks for your comment bud
Hi there
third person .
Get helmets