Changes

The slate industry that Blaenau epitomizes is today only a fraction of its former size. In the  1880's the industry employed over 400 men. In the 19th century such men were renowned for their “..hard drinking, their singing and their sexual prowess” <ref> see the description in:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/mining/pages/slate_mining.shtml</ref> . To say that these men were responsible for the today’s slag  spoil is to misunderstand thew history of Blaenau. Today the town has reinvented itself as a tourist destination with former quarries <ref name="Lech">See the website for the  [http://www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk The Llechwedd Slate Caverns] </ref> offering trips on the miner's tramway into the side of the mountain and into  the massive underground caverns built by the slate workers. At Llechwedd, for example it is possible to recreate the experience of the miners. Riding down the underground cliff railway into the dramatic Deep Mine, provides a stimulating audio-visual presentation as a miner from long ago takes you through the various chambers. On their way to the mine, visitors can experience the slag at first hand, going down the [[Slaty Cleavage|slaty cleavage]] into dark, damp musky recesses. These cavernous spaces drip with a slimy substance, where miners would often would feel their helmets starting to become damp. Reaching the very depths, with a horn, the miners would all stand up and slip into the vast cavernous spaces. The activity that ensued would be prolonged and exhausting, with several miners often being squeezed into the same recess for extended periods, returning to the cleavage repeatedly during this time, going in and out of passages, before coming together. Finally, when the tramway shudders to a halt, the miners all get off, and travel homewards for an evening’s drinking and singing<ref name = "Lech">a</ref>.  

The slate industry that Blaenau epitomizes is today only a fraction of its former size. In the  1880's the industry employed over 400 men. In the 19th century such men were renowned for their “..hard drinking, their singing and their sexual prowess” <ref> see the description in:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/mining/pages/slate_mining.shtml</ref> . To say that these men were responsible for the today’s slag  spoil is to misunderstand thew history of Blaenau. Today the town has reinvented itself as a tourist destination with former quarries <ref name="Lech">See the website for the  [http://www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk The Llechwedd Slate Caverns] </ref> offering trips on the miner's tramway into the side of the mountain and into  the massive underground caverns built by the slate workers. At Llechwedd, for example it is possible to recreate the experience of the miners. Riding down the underground cliff railway into the dramatic Deep Mine, provides a stimulating audio-visual presentation as a miner from long ago takes you through the various chambers. On their way to the mine, visitors can experience the slag at first hand, going down the [[Slaty Cleavage|slaty cleavage]] into dark, damp musky recesses. These cavernous spaces drip with a slimy substance, where miners would often would feel their helmets starting to become damp. Reaching the very depths, with a horn, the miners would all stand up and slip into the vast cavernous spaces. The activity that ensued would be prolonged and exhausting, with several miners often being squeezed into the same recess for extended periods, returning to the cleavage repeatedly during this time, going in and out of passages, before coming together. Finally, when the tramway shudders to a halt, the miners all get off, and travel homewards for an evening’s drinking and singing<ref name = "Lech">a</ref>.  

In preparations for the [[United Kingdom]]'s millenium celebrations, the [[Welsh Development Agency]] (WDA) in conjunction with the ''Beautiful Blaenau'' campaign sponsored research into how the slag may put to use in an environmentally-friendly way. In [[2001]] the Welsh Aggregates Company launched a range of composite building materials that have been used extensively in the regeneration of [[Cardiff]]'s historic waterfront.  Indeed, traditional Welsh slags can now be found throughout the city centre.

In preparations for the [[United Kingdom]]'s millenium celebrations, the [[Welsh Development Agency]] (WDA) in conjunction with the ''Beautiful Blaenau'' campaign sponsored research into how the slag may put to use in an environmentally-friendly way. In [[2001]] the Welsh Aggregates Company launched a range of composite building materials that have been used extensively in the regeneration of [[Cardiff]]'s historic waterfront.

The mined slate was taken on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway which links Blaenau Ffestiniog with Porthmadog on the coast. The [[Festiniog Railway Company]] is the world's oldest independent railway company, established in 1832 by [[Act of Parliament]]. <ref> http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/history/pages/festiniograilway.shtml

The mined slate was taken on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway which links Blaenau Ffestiniog with Porthmadog on the coast. The [[Festiniog Railway Company]] is the world's oldest independent railway company, established in 1832 by [[Act of Parliament]]. <ref> http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/history/pages/festiniograilway.shtml