The Miners' Tramway at Llechwedd threatened with closure.

[45669]

Evening All,

Bad news from North Wales - Quarry Tours at Llechwedd Slate Quarries in Blaenau Ffestiniog are proposing to close the Miners' Tramway.

However, there is a campaign to get them to change their minds and an on-line petition has been set up to with this end in mind. If you feel that the Miners' Tramway is an important part of North Wales' heritage, please add your name to those that have already signed :

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitio...pt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

You can also let them know your views in an e-mail :

bookings@llechwedd.co.uk

This is their web site for anyone not familiar with what Llechwedd has to offer :

http://www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk/

We must hope that if enough people sign the petition and e-mail their views, they will reconsider their plans.

Edited January 10, 2014 by 45669

[45669]

I have had an e-mail from Llechwedd with an attached Press Release :

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

Llechwedd Slate Caverns have announced that they are creating a new heritage tour for the 2014 season. Combining the best of the existing Tramway and Deep Mine Tours the new tour will begin at the same point as the existing deep mine tour and finish in the Old Mill where the Tramway Tour currently concludes.

Michael Bewick who heads the Llechwedd team said: "we are responding to customer feedback - people love our tours but want more. They also love the guides which is why this new tour is guided throughout."

The new tour will include the tour of the spectacular caverns, stories of life for Victorian Miners and their families, demonstrations of the tools they used and some great new effects including a chance to start a blast!

Michael added that "because all tours will be guided there will be more employment. For the many people who love our little yellow train do not fear - we have plans to use it again in 2015. We are also opening up more Caverns underground so visitors will be able to see even more of this amazing place".

Llechwedd has suffered dropping visitor numbers for over ten years to the point where the future of the site was in jeopardy. This new initiative combined with the work of Antur Stiniog and the developments from Zip World are going to see visitor numbers climbing back again and secure Llechwedd and its undergrouind tour for generations into the future.

For further information call Michael Bewick on 01766 830522

 

 

 

 

Quarry Tours Ltd, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3NB

01766 830306 Ext 251/254 bookings@llechwedd.co.uk

VAT Registration Number: 160 5440 91

Edited January 12, 2014 by 45669

[ForestPines]

I've always thought the various options for visiting different parts of Llechwedd was a little bit confusing and could well have been losing them money overall.

[centraltrains]

Still devastated that one can no longer visit the miners tramway. Best childhood memories there. Don't think I'll ever recover.

[brack]

On 13/01/2014 at 08:06, ForestPines said:

I've always thought the various options for visiting different parts of Llechwedd was a little bit confusing and could well have been losing them money overall.

5 years on and I've been looking at going with my family this summer whilst we're in Wales. The website is very poor at informing what the choices are and navigating it is a pain... certainly theres a healthy chance my business goes elsewhere.

[CovDriver]

Further to the previous post I somewhat agree the website is a bit plain and difficult to navigate.

But we visited the Llechwedd deep mine as it's now called and wow what a great decision we made it was very interesting indeed the trip on the mine train down was great as we had a view from the front.

Then a fully guided tour through the tunnels and caverns and finally down to level (B) which is the lowest we could go which is 500ft below as the rest was flooded down to level (I).

 

I can honestly say it's well worth foing if your in the local area as we have just spent a week in Blaenau Ffestiniog. 

 

Cheers

 

Colin