List of quarries served by the Ffestiniog Railway

The Festiniog Railway served a cluster of quarries around the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales. Most of these were slate quarries, although granite quarries and zinc mines were also connected by narrow gauge tramways to the railway.

Map

The quarries NameMineralOpenedClosedYears connectedNotesBlaen y CwmSlate182019111876–1911Connected to the FfR via the Rhiwbach TramwayBowyddSlate180018701854–1870Merged with Votty to form Votty & Bowydd quarryBrooke'sGranite1919??Connected by a tramway branching off at the north portal of Moelwyn TunnelBwlch-y-SlaterSlate182419601866–1956Connected via the Rhiwbach TramwayCesailSlate182718771836–1877Became part of the Oakeley QuarryConglogSlate18721920?1874–1920Remote quarry connected by the Cwmorthin TramwayCwmorthinSlate181019371850–1937Connected via the Cwmorthin Tramway; became part of the Oakeley quarry in 1900, the two quarries were connected undergroundCwt-y-BugailSlate183519721867–1961Last quarry using the (by then partly lifted) Rhiwbach TramwayDiphwys CassonSlate176019721860–1955Last of the major quarries to be connected to the Ffestiniog RailwayGraig DduSlate18401946Connected via the Festiniog and Blaenau RailwayGroby GraniteGranite1901Circa 19321914-c.1932Connected by a short, steeply graded branch worked by FfR locomotives.Hafodty (Votty)Slate180118701851–1870Joined with Bowydd quarry to form Votty & BowyddLlechweddSlate1846Present1848-1980sCurrently worked on a small scale and the site of the Llechwedd Slate Caverns tourist attractionMaenofferenSlate184819991848–1975Became the major owner of quarries connected via inclines at Duffws station, continued to use the stub of the FfR through Blaenau into the mid 1970s. Untopping operations continue in 2007.Nyth-y-GigfranSlate1840s18821867–1882Sometimes known as Glan-y-Pwll quarry. Became part of the Oakeley QuarryMatthews (Rhiwbryfdir)Slate182518711842–1871Became part of the Oakeley quarryManodSlatec1850Present1866-1930sSometimes known as Bwlch y Slaters and now given the name Cwt y Bugail. Connected to the Festiniog by the Rhiwbach TramwayMoelwyn SlateSlate1826c 19001867–c 1900Remote quarry connected to the FfR by a series of seven inclines; worked intermittently and never successfully.Moelwyn ZincZinc, Manganese and Silverc1892by 19191892-by 1919Zinc mine just west of the north portal of the old Moelwyn Tunnel.OakeleySlate187820101878-1950sFormed by the amalgamation of the Cesail, Matthews and Glan-y-Pwll quarries. Was the largest single quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Was the home of the Gloddfa Ganol tourist attraction in the 1980s and 1990s. Now worked as an open pit by Alfred McAlpine Ltd.RhiwbachSlate181219531860–1953Remote quarry situated east of Duffws station and connected via the Rhiwbach TramwaySyenite SettsGranite18741916?Quarry later worked as Brooke'sVotty & BowyddSlate187019641870–1962Formed by the amalgamation of the Hafodty and Bowydd quarries.WrysganSlate1830s19461844–1946Connected to the railway near Tanygrisiau via a single long incline ending in a tunnel.

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See also Conwy Valley Line British narrow gauge railways Slate industry in Wales Ffestiniog railway

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