I’ve only visited two slate quarries (Dinorwic and Pen-yr Orsedd) but every time I visit North Wales I am reminded of the physical impact this industry had on the landscape.
Although some slate quarrying continues, it is on a much smaller scale than in days gone by, largely due to the building industry’s preference for roof tiles over roofing slates. However unlike the manufacturing industry or coal mining, you cannot just close a quarry and knock it down. Huge scars in the landscape are a constant reminder of the generations of men who braved harsh, dangerous conditions and the Snowdonia weather to drill, dynamite and transport slate from the cliff faces to the local ports or railway yards. And then there are the piles of slate ‘rubbish’ – the offcuts from an industry where yields of 10% were common.
Pen-yr-Orsedd – this quarry had been abandoned but reopened a few years back, so was operational when I went a couple of years back (albeit shut for the weekend). I’d mainly gone to see the remains of the blondins, but they’re not the easiest things to make an interesting photograph of, it’s fair to say.
Dinorwic – I’ve visited twice and each time I’ve been blown away by the sheer scale of the workings. The railway track stretched precariously over the canyon has since collapsed, so I’m glad I managed to make a memorable image of it when I did!
Mechanical Landscapes 
I have visited the area as well, and this made me thinking that one day I have to do something with my material as well. I absolutely love your main b/w image.
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Thanks Katriina, the one of the railway track is one of my favourite photographs and one of the few of my own that I have on the wall of my study!
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Great set, full of atmosphere. I’m surprised to see so much of the old hardware is still there. Scavenging and scrapmetal and souvenier hunters usually destroy the interest of these sites quite quickly.
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Thanks Keith. The quarry equipment was auctioned off after closure and all the remaining steam locomotives were lowered down the inclines and survive in preservation. I’m not sure how much of the other equipment was sold as I presume it was only worth scrap value, and with the difficulty of getting it down the inclines, it’s no surprise really to see so much left up there.
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Yeah, nice one Andy. Some familiar sights there. 🙂
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Thanks Graham, so much to see in North Wales!
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