The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum

This object is sponsored by Alan Holmes in memory of Joan Holmes

This simple rugged wagon built about 1860 was used for carrying large blocks of slate from the quarry face to the mills for dressing into finished slates or slabs. The wagon was propelled by hand often on rough track with sharp curves. Many quarry faces were underground and on rope-worked inclines the slate was attached to the wagon by a chain fixed to the hooks on the side frames.
It stands on two sections of original bridge rail spiked to replica half round sleepers.
TR032 Quarry Spike is displayed on the wagon.

Restored by Alan Holmes, 2001

Two wheels are by Hadfields Steel, Sheffield and have seven spokes; one wheel is by S. Osborne and Co. Ltd, Sheffield and has seven spokes and the other wheel has no information cast in and has six spokes.

A slab wagon and workers at an entrance to the quarry

WAGEN SLABIAU O CHWAREL BRYNEGLWYS
Adeiladwyd y wagen syml, arw, hon tua 1860 ac fe’i defnyddiwyd i gario slabiau mawr o lechi o wyneb y chwarel i’r felin i’w torri’n llechi neu slabiau gorffenedig. Roedd y wagen yn cael ei gyrru â llaw ar drac garw, allai fod yn arw yn aml, gyda chorneli crwn. Roedd llawer o’r wynebau dan ddaear ac ar inclein oedd yn cael ei gweithio â rhaff byddai’r llechi’n cael eu clymu wrth y wagen gyda chadwyn fyddai’n cael ei bachu yn y bachau ar ochrau’r ffrâm.

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