Abandoned Slate Quarry Tramway off the Ffestiniog Railway

Welcome to North Wales. Today I am starting at Tanygrisiau on the Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Railway. I'm going to be looking at one of the many quarries that was connected to former slate railway line down to Porthmadog. I chose to look at this particular Cwmorthin Quarry as it had a great disused tramway that was well worthy of an explore.

The Cwmorthin Tramway left the main Ffestiniog Railway just to the north of the station of Tanygrisiau where there were a series of sidings. It was built in the 1840s/1850s, rising through two inclined planes to reach the main Cwmorthin Quarry mill and its internal incline. It was later extended to reach the Conclog slate quarry further up the mountain.

We can see plenty of remains of the first of the inclines - the village incline. Which elevates above the village, under a bridge and continues to the first drum winding unit. With use of the drone we can see remains of the incline, drum support remains and the cuttings as the tramway arcs it's way towards the quarry. As we make our way up on foot, we can follow the flat section over a raised embankment before it climbs the stunning 2nd incline carved between slate walls.

At the top, we burst out into the lower area of the Cwmorthin Quarry.

The tramway fell out of use at the break out of the Second World War.

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