Hendre Ddu Tramway
The Hendre Ddu Tramway was a 1ft 11in gauge railway that ran west from Aberangell in mid-Wales into the mountain. It was originally built by Sir Edmund Buckley in 1874 to serve his Hendreddu slate quarry and for 64 years it carried slate down to Aberangell station. Over the years the tramway changed ownership and added branches to serve quarries at Gartheiniog, Maesygamfa and Talymeirin. During the First World War several long branches were laid into tributary valleys to carry pit props out from temporary sawmills.
From 1920 onwards, a series of companies owned the tramway and quarries. The last use of the tramway came in late 1938, and the last slate from Hendreddu was shipped out in 1941. After the Second World War, the Forestry Commission installed two new tramways to support timber operations in the forests west of Aberangell. The last of these fell out of use in the 1970s.
Despite the obscurity of the tramway, located in one of Britain's most remote valleys, it had a surprising number of connections to the larger world.
If you are on Facebook and interested in the tramway, please join our friendly group discussing the history of the tramway.
Hendre Ddu book
My book on the shelves at the Talyllyn Railway's excellent bookshop. Thanks to Steve Bowers for the photo
About the Hendre Ddu Book
I have written a new book about the Hendre Ddu Tramway, the slate quarries and timber industry that supported it, and the people who created and worked on it.
The book was published on December 10th 2022 by Lightmoor Press. The first print run of 500 copies sold out within a month.
Second printing
A second print run of another 500 copies has been ordered. They are likely to arrive with Lightmoor in March or April 2023.
Reader and reviewer quotes
"Dan Quine, author of this new work on the tramway... is certainly an author who does his homework.... The tramways and their operations are fully described, as is each individual quarry, and there is a chapter on rolling stock which includes excellent scale drawings... Plenty of top quality period photos and multi-coloured maps help create a full picture of what is a definitive work... All narrow gauge enthusiasts will find the book of great interest... especially if you are a student of the slate industry" - Review in Narrow Gauge World, Issue 174, May 2023
"Excellent book, well written with lots of information and pictures. If you are a narrow gauge enthusiast it is well worth adding to your library" - John Sutton of John Sutton Books
"There are other fine books about mining and quarry operations, about tramways and the like, but very few come anywhere near the quality of research and graphics of this one. I can unreservedly recommend it." - Falcon Blackwood
"Brilliant book. This really sets the benchmark for what a great quarrying book should look like" - Colin Lea
"The book is stunning! A long overdue work and destined to be a classic" - Anthony Coulls, Senior Curator, National Railway Museum
"Book is fantastic. Far surpasses my expectations. Easily one of the best industrial archaeology books I’ve ever seen." - Kumar Desai
"Dan Quine has.. [scoured] all manner of original sources to assemble a comprehensive account of the tramway itself, the quarries and mines it served and the people who owned, promoted and managed those businesses.... The number of historic photographs available to illustrate this book is quite surprising; Dan has unearthed a reasonable number of ‘new’ images... [and the book has] the usual, excellent, Lightmoor Press treatment, including printing in full colour. Recommended." Extract from a forthcoming review by Adrain Gray for the Festiniog Railway Heritage Group.
Places to buy the book
The book is now in its second printing. Copies are available from these sellers:
Reader photos
Photographs of some of the good folks who have purchased copies of the book.
The first book delivery - to Gillian Crow, the author's mother
David Mees enjoying his copy
Steve and Linda got their copy in time for Christmas
Kumar travelled half way round the world to pick up his copy.
Stephen settling in for a Christmas read
Richard's furry friends are looking forward to a good read
Phil's has arrived in Cornwall
Tom's copy has arrived. Lass is eager to see what all the fuss is about.
On sale at Caffi’r hen Siop in Dinas Mawddwy. It's wonderful that the book is available locally.
Becky with her copy, taken at Hendre Ddu Cottages, which were built for the quarry families of Hendreddu.
Cyril, the grandson of John Breese and nephew of Bill Breese
Keith, who helped a great deal with quarry research, showing one of his photos that appears in the book
Suzanne outside Pen-y-banc in Aberangell, which features on the cover of the book
Adrian with his copy
MRFS, one of the book's proofreaders and a great collaborator
Pred adding to his library
Alan with his copy
Steve, another contributor, with his Christmas copy. Thanks Kes!
Simon's tree with a special present under it
Daniel settling in for a Christmas read
Simon's copy on his wonderful coffee table, a Corris slab with Dorothea inlay made by Inigo Jones.
Andrew's Christmas haul
Jonathan, who painted the main cover image
Dafydd's book between two sets of Hendre Ddu wagon wheels.
Steve, a member of the Bullock family who feature in the book
Michael's Christmas present
John, whose father Bill was the preeminent historian of Aberangell. Thank you for all your help, John.
Alasdair, another enthusiastic contributor to the book
Richard with his copy
My brother Greg, with his Christmas present
Peter with his book collection and magnificent train sweater
Peter's copy with some of his collection of narrow-gauge chairs
My sister Natalia, with her copy