Welsh Slate Museum
Welsh Slate Museum
The Welsh Slate Museum at Llanberis is situated in the original Gilfach Ddu workshop buildings of the Dinorwig Slate Company.
Quarrymen
The Assheton-Smith family from Cheshire owned the company and in partnership with the Penrhyn family. became a major part of the Welsh slate trade (about 25 percent by the turn of the 19th Century). At its zenith during the 1870s. the mine in Llanberis employed 3.500 men and remained an integral part of Welsh industrial life until its unexpected closure in 1969
blasting notice
Slate mining has been an integral part of Welsh communities. especially in the
north. for generations.
picking the piece of slate to be cut
Visitors are able to watch
demonstrations of slate splitting by skilled craftsmen.
splitting the slate
the larger roofing slate sizes
trimming to size
showing pictorial slate etchings
At the Llanberis Welsh Slate Museum. nestled in the valley below Mount Snowdon. the history of the industry since the 19th century is brought to life with workshops. a foundry. forges and water powered machinery. The museum houses the largest working waterwheel in the UK.
The Waterwheel
from the movie showing its operation
used to power many operations in the shop
using belts from the overhead drive shaft
the iron foundry in the shop
wood saw mill operations
overhead crane in the yard to remove cargo from the rail cars
large steam driven rail mounted crane
shovel for use in the mines
The Slate Railroad
narrow gauge engine
in the yard
mine rail cars
yard switching engine
mine hopper cars
mine cars loaded with slate slabs
the narrow gauge train used to haul visitors
the adjacent slate mine
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