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Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales

Crane at Former Llechwedd Sidings

Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales

A Grade II listed building in Llechwedd Slate Mine, Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, designated on 2 November 2001.

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913) covering the location of Crane at Former Llechwedd Sidings, Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Designation
Listed building, Grade II
Broad class
Industrial
Date of designation
2 November 2001
Locality
Llechwedd Slate Mine
Community
Ffestiniog
Unitary authority
Gwynedd
Country
Wales
Coordinates
53.00290, -3.94319
Cadw reference
25851

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
  • 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1896 · Sheet 7. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1899 · 119 Snowdon (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Get directions ↗

This record in Cadw's own full report ↗

Cadw's description

Location

Located by the side of the road on the former railway sidings, near the mouth of the Blaenau tunnel.

History

In 1879, the LNWR opened a standard guage branch line from Betwes y coes to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Narrow and standard guage sidings were installed at Pant yr Afon to allow the transport of slates from the Llechwedd quarry on the LNWR. The crane house dates from approximately this time.

Exterior

Cast-iron manually-operated hoist on coped sidings platform. The hoist consists of a tapering iron Doric column, the base of which has a swivel mechanism enabling rotation of the crane arm from side to side. A crankshaft operates a large spoked wheel which manipulates the arm; this is a tapering octagonal mast of painted pine, roughly 5m long. Foundry plate: W and J Galloway, Manchester.

Reason for designation

Listed as a complete late C19 manual crane with group value with other listed items at the former Llechwedd sidings.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 2026-09-07, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ Cadw, the Welsh Historic Environment Service · Open Government Licence v3.0
All Industrial in Gwynedd All Unitary authority Gwynedd records All Wales Heritage registers Historical markers (US)National Register of Historic Places (US)
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