Identification please - Dinorwic

[Quarryman]

On the NAMHO weekend I was up in Dinorwic quarries and we saw this and were at a loss to work out what it was. Which slate expert would like to be first with an ID? Thanks!

 

[ChrisJC]

I am not an expert, but I have my doubts that it's specifically related to the slate industry. It just happens to have been in use, but I wonder if it's application is wider.

Chris.

 

[Quarryman]

We found at least one other - I think it was up near the Australia Mill. Cast iron, seems to have involved heat, and there is a flue at one end. We speculated some sort of specialised forge.

 

[BertyBasset]

Given the size of the place, it could well be they had ancilliary forges and facilities to maybe re-sharpen tools, and maybe do running repairs on wagons without bringing them down.

They could probably bring maybe half a cart of coke up counterbalanced with a full wagon of slate.