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All Photographs of Bowydd Slate Mine

175 Photos of Bowydd Slate Mine

There are 159 additional photos of Bowydd Slate Mine available to registered members.

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Tuxford-Down Shot: Looking downwards-Tuxford arch. (Bowydd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-001)
Add to Favourites Tuxford arch (Bowydd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-002)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Arch (Bowydd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-003)
Add to Favourites Tuxford arch (Bowydd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-004)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Arch (Bowydd-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-005)
Add to Favourites Foty (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-005)
Add to Favourites Foty & Bowydd floor A, date unknown (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-006)
Add to Favourites Eira Foty Chwef '07 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-007)
Add to Favourites Votty & Bowydd Open Workings 1981: A view taken from the Tuxford tip tramway. At the top are the Back vein workings, in the middle the Old Vein (the flat ledge is floor A), and below that the hard over the New Vein workings. The retaining wall is over the Tuxford Incline and constructed to protect the incline from the extremely dodgy layer here between Old and New veins - exposed to the weather, it frequently collapsed. The foot of the Tuxford was on floor C, which was at one time open like the rest. The roof of another New vein chamber can be seen on the extreme reight, below the Cooke's level leading to Maenofferen, with its deccaying drainage pipe. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-008)
Add to Favourites Votty & Bowydd Open Workings 1981: Another view from the Tuxford tip tramway, this time looking west above the
Add to Favourites Votty & Bowdd - Tuxford Incline 1981: This is what the Tuxford Incline remains looked like in 1981 - the longitudinal timbers which carried the rails were still visible, as was the bridge at the old Diffwys Floor 0 - the original Tuxford tip level of around 1900. This was superceded by the higher Tuxford tip at Diffwys floor 3 level in 1911-12. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-010)
Add to Favourites Votty & Bowydd - Tuxford Incline 1981: Taken from the new road which cut across the incline just above the old Floor 0 bridge. Visible is the slabbed tunnel under the retaining wall which carried the incline down to Floor C. Evidently the archway was not sufficient and so the upper part was blocked off to give the rectangular form seen here. The arch can still be seen though. Just visible in the chamber above the incline is the wooden power pole which at one time carried the elctricity supply to the Old Robey incline, also on floor C , but in the Old vein. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-011)
Add to Favourites Old Hafodty Quarry - 1981: The original Hafodty quarry - which gave its name to the larger enterprise as
Add to Favourites Tuxford Area 1981: I've annotated this image to explain some of the features. I have archive refernces for the uses of floors 3 and 4 at Votty, I've guessed at floors 2,1 and 0 as shown by the ? marks. Votty's floor numberings in the 1870's were confusing. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-018)
Add to Favourites View of Foty (Votty) Bowydd: A veiw of Foty (Votty) and the Maen Offeren tip from the Diffwys mill. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-028)
Add to Favourites Foty 'Cavern': View looking towards Tuxford Incline which came in at the tunnel low centre. Note telegraph poles high right. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-032)
Add to Favourites Foty 'cavern' looking inbye: This is a view looking inbye towards the Robey Incline. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-033)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: View from the west side (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-040)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Drumhouse from Incline Crimp (looking South) (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-041)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: View North and Down from the drumhouse stage level. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-042)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: View North and Down from drumhouse steps. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-043)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: View North along old Tuxford Tip Tramway level from Drumhouse. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-044)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The crimp and landing looking North (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-045)
Add to Favourites Looking down on Tuxford 1981: Viewed from the heights of Diffwys - You can see the actual Tuxford west tip with perched on it the erstwhile Maenofferen (Rhiwbach Tramway avoiding) Incline drumhouse (1920-28). Just visible (with chimney) above the Tuxford drumhouse is the Diffwys Floor 4 mill ruins. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-046)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Part of the safety stop mechanism on the crimp. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-047)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Another view of the landing and crimp (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-048)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The drum platform and stage. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-049)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The main drum platform/stage from the east, showing the drum location and (left) the water tank. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-050)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Water tanks at drum level. Since the timber tank was insulated underneath (see another photo) I guess this was actually the liquid resistance for the speed control! (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-051)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: View underneath the drum platform, looking up to the Water tank. Note ceramic insulators! (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-052)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: At the back of the drum platform - there was this old air receiver - possibly for the motor brakes? (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-053)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The motor platform, looking south. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-054)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The motor and drivers platform looking east from the drum location. Note the two fireplaces! (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-055)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Looking West from the drum platform. The weighouse belonged to Votty for handling the waste raised by the Tuxford. (There was another weighouse for Maenofferen!) (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-056)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The buildings looking west. On the right was a small loco (tractor) shed. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-057)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The buildings from the east side. The original small loco shed on the right was used to house the transformers. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-058)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: The loco shed/transformer house from the drum platform. Looking North(ish) (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-059)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: A more distant view from the east - note how the building was right up against the rock face. This used to be Floor 3 of Diffwys. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-060)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Further east still. The area on the left was very confused - an old incline from DIffwys Floor 6 came down to here, and a little bit further round, out of shot and under the waste(!) was the foot of the 1920-28 Maenofferen (Rhiwbach Tramway avoiding) Incline No.1 from the Maenofferen Mills Level. The tunnel in the distance led round the back of the Tuxford buildings and dates from the establishment of the Incline here in 1911-12. I believe it was intended to allow Diffwys continued access to Floor 3 after the incline was constructed, avoiding the Diffwys traffic crossing Votty traffic. As designed the traffic came off the Tuxford Incline towards the camera and then under the Rhiwbach No.2 Incline to tip into the old Hafodty Quarry tips - now buried under the main Maenofferen tip. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-061)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Another distant view showing the crimp. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-062)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Looking down on Tuxford from Diffwys Floor 4. I think the other entrance to the avoiding level was just behind the tree in the foreground. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-063)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Head 1981: Actually Diffwys Floor 4 here, Tuxford is just at the bottom left, but included for completeness. You can see the one of the old floor 4 levels in the distance. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-064)
Add to Favourites Floor B Mill 1981: Looking down from Floor A (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-065)
Add to Favourites Floor B Mill 1981: Looking down the
Add to Favourites C Mill 1981: Viewed from Floor B - the wheelpit is obvious in the middle, with the office ruins behind. In the distance is the drumhouse of the DIffwys/Votty Incline to the FR. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-068)
Add to Favourites Floor C Buildings 1981: This shows the ruins of the loco shed, fitiing shop and smithy. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-069)
Add to Favourites Entrance to Floor C main level 1981: Above this there were also levels on floors B and A, though not exactly on the same alignment. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-070)
Add to Favourites C Floor Entrance 1981: The C floor level carried the main mine drainage below it's slabbed and timbered floor. It was interesting for the considerable variety of strengthening methods used to keep it open! These included a variety of iron girderings, slabbing, timbering and even concrete. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-071)
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Add to Favourites The Diffwys/Votty Incline Ca.1977: Looking down to the site of the FR station and the Queen's Hotel beyond. I spent many an interesting evening in the bar there chatting and listening to the quarrymen. The bridge carried the C floor waste tramway from the C mills over the incline. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-078)
Add to Favourites Diamond Saw Mill Floor C 1981: This was a (relatively) small building in which the diamond saw was installed, along with the overhead crane to handle the blocks. In this shot you can see the remains of part of the structure. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-079)
Add to Favourites C & B Floor Mills Ca. 1977: In this shot, taken from above floor A, you can see B mill on the right, below it the Diamond Saw Mill, on the left hand side of the trackway the remains of the fitting shops and smithy, with C mill ruins in the distance. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-080)
Add to Favourites Looking South(ish) Ca.1977: Immediately below the camera is the B Floor platform, and you can clearly see the line of the tramway from the B floor level in the immedaite foreground leading off towards the mills. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-081)
Add to Favourites Looking South(ish) Ca.1977: A similar view from a slightly different angle clearly showing the old tramway bed form the FLoor B level towards the mills. There are the reamins of a stairway from floor C up to B as well. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-082)
Add to Favourites Floor A Level - from mills end. Ca. 1977: This connected the A Floor mill to its working floor in the Votty pit and corresponding underground workings in the Old and Back Veins. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-083)
Add to Favourites C Floor Main level from floor B Ca.1977: As you can see there was little sign of the B Floor Level entrance itself - but the main level on C was very clear. The big bastion with its hut was peculiar - it may have allowed a tramway connection from the B mills to the Long Waterbalance but no plans I have seen show such a connection. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-084)
Add to Favourites A-B Water balance ca.1981: A and B mills were connected by a single-acting water balance. This was all that remained of the bed in 1981. Apologies for the fuzziness - I was trying a new wide-angle zoom, and it was not a great success! (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-085)
Add to Favourites A-B Water Balance ca. 1981: A view of the water balance site from the western side. The tall pillar once carried the launder from the A mill wheel discharge to feed the B mill wheel. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-086)
Add to Favourites A-B Water Balance Bed ca. 1981: A closer view of the built up incline bed. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-087)
Add to Favourites Sluice control A floor ca. 1981: This may have been part of the water balance - or the discharge from the water wheel. Long gone now. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-088)
Add to Favourites A-B Water Balance ca. 1981: I had very little time, on the evening I was wandering around Votty, so regrettably I was never able to measure up these bits of ironmongery at the top of the A-B balance. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-089)
Add to Favourites A Mill in Winter ca. 1984-5: Again the pillar carried the water launder to the A Mill wheel. It was in the ruins of the A Mill that we found the remains of a solitary Mathews Dressing machine dating from 1850 or so. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-090)
Add to Favourites The Mathews Dresser unearthed. Ca. 1984: Unlike subsequent dressers, the Mathews machine was substantially built into the mill structure, working like a vertical guillotine. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-091)
Add to Favourites A Mill in Winter ca. 1984-5 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-092)
Add to Favourites A Mill wheelpit and dressing position ca.1985: All this has now disappeared. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-093)
Add to Favourites A Mill in Winter ca. 1985: The arrow shows where we found and dug out the dresser in the summer of 1984. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-094)
Add to Favourites Remains of saw table A Mill ca. 1984: Also buried in the floor of the old mill were the remains of various saw tables. This is the two-speed gear wheel for a table with a wooden frame. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-095)
Add to Favourites SAw TAble sides - A Mill 1984: Two side plates and the saw axle. Markings on the measuring pole are metric feet (30cm) (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-096)
Add to Favourites Saw Table Gears A MIll 1984: From an Iron framed table this time. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-097)
Add to Favourites Gears in colour - A Mill 1984: I was running out of film - so only a few colour shots survive of the discoveries. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-098)
Add to Favourites C Mill Wheelpit Ca.1981: Note the wall scored by the wheel ring gear, and the bed for one of the electric motors which replaced it in the 1920's. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-099)
Add to Favourites C Mill - South End Ca. 1981: A view looking from the extreme south end towards the central wheelpit. The office ruins are on the right. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-100)
Add to Favourites C Mill Norther Section Ca. 1981: View looking from the North towards the central wheelpit. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-101)
Add to Favourites C Mill from Floor B ca. 1981 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-102)
Add to Favourites C Mill from Floor B ca. 1981: Note the diamond saw base (concrete) to the left of the wheelpit. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-103)
Add to Favourites North end of C Mill from floor B ca. 1981: This was actually the older end of the mill - constructed and in operation before C floor was connected to the Diffwys/Votty Incline. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-104)
Add to Favourites C Mill Diamond Saw base ca. 1981: Taken from the
Add to Favourites C Mill wheelpit ca. 1981: A view of the top of the truncated wheelpit. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-106)
Add to Favourites C MIll Wheelpit CA.1981: A view of the
Add to Favourites Looking down from Diffwys ca. 1977: The Drumhouse is on Floor 0 Diffwys (
Add to Favourites Booster House - Ex Mill ca 1982: This was the southern part of the old Writing Slate Mill which was converetd to be a Booster House for the DC electric system. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37426)
Add to Favourites Booster House remains - ca 1982 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37427)
Add to Favourites Booster House - Ca 1982 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37428)
Add to Favourites Booster House - ca 1982 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37429)
Add to Favourites Booster House - ca 1982: The wheelpit site at the end of the old Writing Slate Mill (note beams). (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37430)
Add to Favourites Booster House - ca 1982: The wheelpit end of the old mill - note the incline bed. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37431)
Add to Favourites Old V&B Smithy - above the old Writing Slate Mill ca 1982 (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37432)
Add to Favourites Writing Slate Mill /Booster House ca 1982: Another shot of the old wheelpit. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-37433)
Add to Favourites Cookes Level 1981 - above Votty: Looking west along the
Add to Favourites Cookes Level 1981 - above Votty: Another view of the ledge and drain pipe. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-45808)
Add to Favourites Cookes Level 1981 -above Votty: The part of the ledge near the Maenofferen Office had a handrail. The tunnel in the background was originally much longer. Old plans refer to this as
Add to Favourites From Cookes Level 1981 - Votty Back Vein Chambers: All sadly gone - this was the fascinating site of chambers and pillars seen from Cookes level. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-45810)
Add to Favourites Cookes Level - Inscription 1975/81: SOme parts of Cookes Level above Votty seemed to consiust of slabs laid across the tops of openings from the Votty Chambers below. Several had deep inscriptions in them. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-45811)
Add to Favourites Old Lord Tunnel 1975: Another shot of the old tunnel this time from my first visit in 1975. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-45812)
Add to Favourites Old Lord Tunnel 1981: Looking east from the Maenofferen Lower Mill site (Ex-Percival's Mill) towards the Old Lord tunnel and Cookes Level. The footbridge was over the open drain. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-45813)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline 1981: Viewed from the Lower Maenofferen Mill Floor - ex Percival's Mill. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-45814)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Tip Tramway Bridge 1981: Taken from the Maenofferen tip, with the main mills beyond. Looking down at the Votty culvert (dry) - actually the diverted and channelled Afon Bowydd. At the bottom are the ruins of the Maenofferen cottages. In the centre is the route of the Tuxford tip tramway carried over the culvert after which it tunnelled under the Rhiwbach No. 2 Incline. The route to the right has been buried in this shot by the new road to the mills. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46334)
Add to Favourites Cwm Bowydd - 1981: A more distant view of the same area. Additionally in this view you can see the Maenofferen Office at bottom right. Immediately above it is the serrated edge of the Votty & Bowydd pit - notice how far back it cuts towards Diffwys. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46335)
Add to Favourites Tuxford tip tramway bridge 1981: Looking down onto the bridge from the Maenofferen tip. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46336)
Add to Favourites Cwmbowydd looking west - 1981: Looking down from the Maenofferen tramway, close to the head of the Rhiwbach No. 2 Incline. In the foreground are the pillars which originally carried the Votty leat over towards old hafodty. On the left is the Votty culvert and then the ruins of Maenofferen cottages. Beyond them is the maenofferen office. To its left is the solitary remaining pillar of the leat to Percival's Mill. Next comes the
Add to Favourites Percival's Mill site - 1981: Looking down from the Maenofferen tip. On the left is the Maenofferen office, in the centre the
Add to Favourites Old Lords Tunnel - 1981: This was the way onto Cooke's Level. Originally the tunnel carried on to the left, but at some time this entrance for foot traffic only was cut into the side of it. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46339)
Add to Favourites Percival's Mill Wheelpit - 1981: All that remained , looking west. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46340)
Add to Favourites Percival's Mill wall - the 'Garage' - 1981: Not much else to say about this! (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46341)
Add to Favourites Cooke's Level 1981: Here a chamber from Votty came out above (and below) the level. You were effectively walking across a slab bridge! (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46342)
Add to Favourites Old Lord's Tunnel 1981: Looking along the path towards Cooke's Level. Notice the sheer edges of the Votty pit. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46343)
Add to Favourites Cookes Level and Votty 1981: Looking east across the Votty northern
Add to Favourites Votty pit 1981: Looking down onto the remains of Floor A. Note the remains of the pipe which carried the high pressure water to the Hydrostat pump. (Foty-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-46345)
Add to Favourites New transformer - Votty - 1: In the 1950's (I think) it was necessary to install a new transformer and rectifier at Tuxford - the only problem was getting the gear up there. A temporary track was laid to the old Diffwys floor 0 /Old tuxford level and the transformer manhandled along it. Here the transformer is being carefully hauled up onto the incline track. (Original photographer uncertain) (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-001)
Add to Favourites A new Transformer - 2: A view of the operation from a different angle. (Original photographer uncertain) (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002)
Add to Favourites A New Transformer - 3: This was the connecting track onto the Tuxford incline at Floor O/old tuxford. (Original photographer uncertain) (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-003)
Add to Favourites A New Transformer - 4: A view up the Tuxford incline towards the winding house. (Original photographer uncertain) (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-004)
Add to Favourites A New Transformer - 5: The transformer is ready for its haul up tuxford... (Original photographer uncertain) (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-005)
Add to Favourites A New Transformer - 6: ...and arrives at the top. A job well done - now it has to be installed! (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-006)
Add to Favourites A New Transformer - Completed: This is the transformer after installation in the winding house extension that was built for it. (Photo from
Add to Favourites Tuxford - at work 1: This sequence is from a 1930's publicity film. The quality is not great in a still, but interesting! here a wagon is being hauled up Tuxford from C floor - the archway visible, but already partly blocked in the background. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-008)
Add to Favourites Tuxford - at work 2: A little higher and the old Diffways floor 0 bridge comes into view. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-009)
Add to Favourites Tuxford - at work 3: A wagon is hauled up on a parallel track at the same time (both drums clutched in). (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-010)
Add to Favourites Tuxford - at work 4: At the crimp, an empty wagon is attached to the rope and pushed over the brink. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-011)
Add to Favourites Tuxford - at work 5: Away it goes... descending on the brake, the drum clutched out. Meanwhile on the third track... (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-012)
Add to Favourites Tuxford - at work 6: A wagon load of waste slabs is hauled up and arrives at the crimp for tipping. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-013)
Add to Favourites Foot of Tuxford - Caban - 1950's: One of the classic
Add to Favourites Votty from the air - Caban - 1950's: An aerial photograph from the
Add to Favourites Old Robey - Caban: A
Add to Favourites Driving the Old Robey - Caban: With the BTH motor in the background, here we see the driver of the Incline. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-017)
Add to Favourites Old Robey Incline Head - Caban: This is the view looking from the entrance to the tunnel to the Tuxford incline North towards the head of the Old Robey - lit up under the drum beams. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-018)
Add to Favourites Driving Tuxford - Caban: A rare photo of the men working Tuxford incline itself. From the light, the photo was taken from behind the drums looking towards the stage of the incline, the driver having turned round to show his face to the camera. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-019)
Add to Favourites Hydrostat 1 -Caban: The water pressure from the old Hafodty quarry reservoir was used to help the electric pumping by driving a
Add to Favourites Hydrostat 2 -Caban: Another view of the hydrostat pump. For those who like to know these things, the water operated a 24inch cylinder which worked a 40inch pumping cylinder, working at 6 double strokes per minute, raising 200gallons per double stroke with 50 gallons of motive water against a delivery head of 55 feet. Working inlet pressure was 157lbs per sq. in. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-021)
Add to Favourites New Robey ?: A publicity drawing of Robey's. Showing
Add to Favourites New Robey 2 ?: Again a Robey publicity drawing - this time showing the sort of engine used in the other drawing, although here with drums at the same level rather than elevated. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-023)
Add to Favourites Old Robey ?: A typical drawing showing a Robey undertype semi-portable engine coupled to winding drums. The 1881 quarry plans show a plan view of this sort of arrangement, with two drums and a crank. The 1913 inventory for the Old Robey reads as follows (apart from electrics): 1 20 NHP Undertype Robey engine & Loco Boiler 2 drums x 6 ft dia Ropes 7/8
Add to Favourites Fotty & Bowydd (Lord) date unknown (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-025)
Add to Favourites Fotty approx 1900: Fotty approx 1900. Note the men wearing hard bowler hats worked underground. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-026)
Add to Favourites Foot of tuxford - photographer unknown: A view looking down the
Add to Favourites Loco at Votty 1936?: The loco from
Add to Favourites Loco at Votty 1936?: Another view of the loco on C floor as it trundles its load of slabs towards C mill. I'm guessimng this is 1936 because of JohnC's date for the Ruston loco on the same film (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-029)
Add to Favourites A typical train in Votty -1936 ?: Here we see the new ruston loco hauling its train of blocks and rubbish. 10 waggons in all, with the brakesman(?) perched on the last slab. (The last pair of wheels on this wagon were NOT turning!). The waste wagons would be destined for Tuxford (imagine those going up an incline at a sharp angle) while the slabs would be for C mill. Notice the chalked on origin of each load so that the tonnages could be appropriately assigned. From
Add to Favourites Ingersoll-Rand ER-1 Compressor: There were no less than 3(!) of these electric motor driven compressors at the Old Robey Incline head, two of one size and one slightly larger! From an old IR catalogue of the 1920's. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-031)
Add to Favourites Ingersoll-Rand ER-1 Compressor: A different view showing an alternative to loose belt drive - not known which arrangement was installed at Votty. probably the loose belt drive as it gave more flexibility. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-032)
Add to Favourites Votty & Bowydd Open Workings from Tuxford Ca. 1914: This is the view looking down from
Add to Favourites Slate Quarries school approx 1889: Slate Quarries school approx 1889 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-034)
Add to Favourites Votty Tunnel - maybe ca. 2000?: One of a small number of photographs which appeared on an AOL website page credited to
Add to Favourites Votty Tunnel - ca2000?: One of a small number of photographs which appeared on an AOL website page credited to
Add to Favourites Votty Tunnel - ca 2000?: One of a small number of photographs which appeared on an AOL website page credited to
Add to Favourites Votty Incline foot - Tuxford? Ca.2000?: One of a small number of photographs which appeared on an AOL website page credited to
Add to Favourites Votty New Robey Incline ca2000?: One of a small number of photographs which appeared on an AOL website page credited to
Add to Favourites Old Robey 1987 -1: Looking in from Tuxford (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-040)
Add to Favourites Old Robey 1987 - 2: Old Robey looking towards Tuxford Incline (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-041)
Add to Favourites Sheep shearing at Hafoty late 1800's (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-042)
Add to Favourites Votty Workforce at Closure 1963: From
Add to Favourites Pillar: One of the huge pillars at entrance to one of the 'caverns' on I think Middle Vein. About 1987 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45977)
Add to Favourites Looking towards drainage adit: Looking towards drainage adit from region of Robey inclines, about 1987 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45978)
Add to Favourites Smithy and shop?: Looking towards the Old Robey incline. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45979)
Add to Favourites Building: This is looking towards where Tuxford Incline came into the 'cavern'. The building on the left had
Add to Favourites Telegraph room 1987 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45981)
Add to Favourites Telegraph room 1987: The newspaper is dated 1935 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45982)
Add to Favourites Telegraph room 1987 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45983)
Add to Favourites Foty cavern, C late 1980s misty weather (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-46223)
Add to Favourites Huge chambers: Here is aview into one of the huge chambers, now lost. C 1989 (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-46225)
Add to Favourites Percival's Mill from Tuxford 1912-14: Enlargement from a glass negative print. This mill originally was built for Votty & Bowydd - it was probably their first mill, as it was always known as
Add to Favourites Rhiwbach No.2 Incline from Tuxford 1912-14: Enlargemnt from glass negative print. This shows the Rhiwbach No.2 incline. From left to right we have: The Percival's Mill Launder over the tracks.
Add to Favourites Quarrybank from Tuxford 1912-14: Enlargement from a glass plate print. This shows Quarrybank, the Votty manager's house, with its garden perched above the launder to Percival's Mill. The water fed, in order: Percival's Mill, The Slate pencil Mill, and the
Add to Favourites A Floor Mill ca. 1912-14: Enlargement from a glass plate print. Note both mill wheels in motion and the access ladders to the launders! Plenty of slates in the stacking yards. A-B water balance just visible in front of A Mill with the B-C water balance on the extreme left of this enlargement. See the B mill enlargement. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-46330)
Add to Favourites B Floor Mill 1912-14: Enlargement from glass plate print. (Foty-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-46331)
Add to Favourites C FLoor Mill 1912-14: Enlargement from glass plate negative. Foot of
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline uncovered: Recent untopping work has uncovered this section of the Tuxford incline. The Tuxford ran from high on the mountainside to floor C within the mine. The bottom of the incline ran in an arched tunnel to protect the incline from falls from the poor rock above. (Bowydd-10-06-2007-Image-001)
Add to Favourites Tuxford Incline Arched Section: Looking to daylight from with the recently uncovered section of the Tuxford incline. (Bowydd-10-06-2007-Image-002)
Add to Favourites Stalactites, Tuxford Incline at Bowydd (Votty): Stalactites hanging from the arched roof of the section of the Tuxford incline that ran in a tunnel. (Bowydd-10-06-2007-Image-003)
Add to Favourites Bowydd (Votty) Pit: The pit at Bowydd (Votty). The lowermost visible chamber is floor C at the landing of the Tuxford incline. (Bowydd-10-06-2007-Image-004)
Add to Favourites
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