Drawing by Falcon Hildred
Pant yr Afon - general view from tip, 1969
The nexus of transport routes and engineering features at Pant yr Afon has fascinated Falcon since he arrived in Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1969, though it has changed dramatically in the time since. This view looks down from one of the tips. The central feature is the tramway viaduct that connected Oakley quarry with the Glan y Don slate tip: both viaduct and tip were removed in the 1980s, leaving only the abutment on the right and one pier. The Conwy valley line, still operated by Railtrack, comes out of the tunnel mouth at the bottom of the picture and passes under the viaduct. There are remains of sidings and serving Oakley quarry on the right, with a counterbalance incline to the tramway above, and Llechwedd quarry on the left, with a crane for loading. A series of girder bridges cross the river. The Llechwedd hydraulic power house is at bottom left, beneath the A470 climbing the hill towards the Crimea pass.
Ref. FHA 01_33