Talk:Slate industry in Wales

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Contents

[edit] Misc

This is a splendid article! Congratulations on getting it on the Main Page!

I have just one comment: the picture of the three men at work in the quarry didn't scan well. If you try again and check your scanner adjustments, you may find the software can remove the Moire fringes. User: BlairRMartin

[edit] Pictures

Added picture of waste truck into the 'Decline' section - assuming Rhion is happy with this, it may be worth reformatting the pictures below so that they are stepped left - right - left? Vanoord - Done, 29/09/06 Vanoord

[edit] "Beginnings"

Gwilym ap Griffith records that several of his tenants were paid 10p each for working 5,000 slates. - so did he pay ten pence (10d) or two shillings? (2/-, 24d -- 10p in modern currency) -- Arwel (talk) 23:36, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Banned why?

There was some increased demand for slates to repair bombed buildings after the end of the war, but the use of slate for new buildings was banned, apart from the smallest sizes. This ban was lifted in 1949.

Why was the use of slate banned? This should be explained here.

By the way, what a cool esoteric article to be a feature article. Congrats. Tempshill 01:24, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] protection

the featured article should be protected somebody adds some meaningless things to it.. with the advant of an... se...

It's normal for the featured page ot be frequently vandalised. We just keep an eye on it and hit the "revert" button often. -- Arwel (talk) 13:00, 3 November 2006 (UTC)
where is the "revert" button? I saw some vandalism but could not figure out how to fix it. Jeepday 15:18, 3 November 2006 (UTC)
That's for administrators. Ordinary users can just go to the last good version in the history, hit "edit" then save that version. It's not as quick but works just as well. -- Arwel (talk) 15:38, 3 November 2006 (UTC)
You can also get scripts to add to you user account that give you revert buttons, not logged in now so can't remember the details but there are around if you look for them. -- 86.128.253.74 21:00, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hydro Power

We've visited one of the quaries which is now part of a Hydro-Electric Scheme - Maybe someone has more info to be added? or a link?

Regards,

Pieter

That's the Dinorwig power station mentioned at the start of "Welsh slate today". -- Arwel (talk) 13:00, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Quarry versus Mine

From my understanding:

A mine is where you extact precious stone or ore; it can be an open pit or a shaft/tunnel into the earth. A quarry is where you extract rock or building minerals; it too can be an open pit or a shaft.

I originally learned this on a Discovery show episode discussing the mineral extract industry, where they had a shaft quarry to extract aggregate for concrete. Since then I have seen it correctly referenced elsewhere. I doubled checked merriam webster: it has quarry as an open pit for stone, and mine as excavating minerals. It seems the sentence at the top of the article "...where the slate was mined rather than quarried." should be changed. Davandron | Talk 15:24, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

In British English, quarry is an open pit mine for any material, not just specifically for stone and mines are underground workings, for any material. As this article is about a British subject, it is appropriate to use the British terminology. Gwernol 16:53, 3 November 2006 (UTC)
I have heard of a colloquial definition from Cornwall that if you can see the sky, you are in a quarry Favouritesnail 17:00, 3 November 2006 (UTC)
When I was growing up in Vermont (another area renowned for its stone industries), the British English distinction Gwernol cites was standard usage. Slate was almost exclusively quarried; marble could be either quarried or mined.
I'd agree with Favouritesnail that a mine is underground and a quarry is opencast: it certainly seems to be the standard usage for north Wales slate mines / quarries. Vanoord

[edit] Great article

Super to see an article about Welsh industry on the main page - a really interesting read. Thanks very much to everyone who's worked on it! --YFB ¿ 20:07, 3 November 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Dinorwig?

Surely the quarry should be referred to as Dinorwic? It was known by this name for virtually all its life, and the slate is still referred to in the industry as Dinorwic. Certainly historic references should use this name.--86.31.225.198 21:32, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

I agree. In fact we need a separate article on the quarry as opposed to the village. The quarry has a rich history that should be covered on Wikipedia. At some stage I hope to work on one from Boyd's books. Gwernol 21:34, 3 November 2006 (UTC)
There's a new book on the quarry just out, by Reg Chambers Jones. I had a quick glance at it in a bookshop yesterday and it looks good. Rhion 08:41, 4 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Geological map

I couldn't help noticing, that the map highlighting the major areas of slate mining in the "Beginnings" section is a little sloppy. I'd be willing to produce a neater geological map if anyone thought it was helpful/necessary AuldReekie 12:34, 4 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dandy Waggon

Jeepday 13:43, 4 November 2006 (UTC) Ok, this one got my attention, and there is not a Wikipedia entry and well I want to know more. I am just beginning my research and not sure where it will go. A couple questions

  • What spelling of Waggon or Wagon would be most correct to use with Dandy?
  • I did a Google search and have found a couple of references to follow up any ideas for further research?
The Ffestiniog Railway was the major user of dandy waggons. Traditionally all goods stock on the Ffestiniog has been spelled "waggon" rather than the more usual "wagon", so "Dandy waggon" is the correct spelling. The best source for material on the history of the Ffestiniog is James Boyd's two volume history of the railway, though there has been a lot written on this famous railway. See the Ffestiniog Railway article for a more complete bibliography. You can also visit the railway itself which still operates, and you can join the society that supports it. The society has a group involved in Ffestiniog Railway historical research who can answer any questions you have about the Dandy waggons. Further details available at the railway's website [1]. Gwernol 14:29, 4 November 2006 (UTC)
Dandy waggon it is, thanks it has been a very educational few hours. Jeepday 04:34, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Vandalism?

I'm pretty sure this ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Porno.jpg ) is not a drumhouse, but that's the picture up there... Can someone who knows more about this fix this? - Kevingarcia 05:00, 6 November 2006 (UTC)