Locomotive Llanberis
Dinorwig Quarry
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This is the oldest of the three Llanberis lines, originating with a 1' 10¾" horse-drawn line to Port Dinorwic, a village midway between Bangor and Caernarfon from where slate from the mine was shipped to provide roofs for housing all over Britain. With the advent of steam, a more level 4' 0" gauge line was constructed along Llyn Padarn in 1843 and continued to Port Dinorwic. At its peak in 1882, the quarry produced 87,429 tons of slate and employed 2757 men. The industry declined in the 20th century, such that the railway was closed in 1961 and the quarry itself in 1969 following a major rock fall. The quarry is beautifully situated above Llyn Padarn and part of it was incorporated into the new Padarn country park. This incline was restored, the former quarry hospital is open to visitors and the main buildings at Gilfach Ddu form the Welsh Slate Museum, well worth a visit. |
The line was ripped up after closure but the section along the lake relaid
at 1' 11¾" gauge as a tourist attraction in the country park and named
the Llanberis Lake Railway. No 1 Elidir, built by Hunslet in 1889,
sets off from the Gilfach Ddu terminus.
Llyn Padarn, or in English Llanberis Lake
No 2 Thomas Bach, built in 1904, awaits its next duty.
It's possible to trace parts of the trackbed of the remainder of the line
The stone above the door is inscribed 1895. These buildings lie along the
route of the line near Penisarwaun, close to my home.