Historic Challenge For Graduate Bethany

A UNIVERSITY of South Wales (USW) graduate has taken on the challenge of helping to bring an important piece of Welsh industrial history back to life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bethany Carnegie, 21, from Corby in Northamptonshire, who’s just completed a BEng Mechanical Engineering degree course at USW, has been working on a six-year project to restore a slate auto dressing machine held in the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The machine was used in the Gloddfa Ganol quarry in North Wales to shape slate after it had been quarried into perfectly uniform roof slates. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The machine demonstrates the change from an industry with a large, skilled workforce, becoming one where a single operator could produce 7,000 roof slates in a day. Once renovated it will be used for demonstrations at the National Slate Museum at Llanberis in Gwynedd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bethany is the second USW student to be involved in the project. Last year Daniel Wood made digital copies of the machine’s blueprints for use by other students, who will take the project to completion. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Being involved in the project has helped Bethany achieve a childhood ambition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I grew up in China and watched massive bridges and skyscrapers being built, which sparked my interest in projects which need careful planning,” said Bethany, who is now planning to move into manufacturing engineering. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Getting involved in the restoration of the machine has given me a chance to get a more detailed understanding of the engineering process. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The machine is out of order due to severe corrosion, missing parts and a faulty electrical system. These could very easily be replaced – but an aim of the renovation exercise is for as many of the original parts to be refurbished and used. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a very unusual opportunity as I have been able to take part in a refurbishment of an artefact which will eventually be on display in a museum. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is a nice feeling that my hard work would have gone into creating a display to teach about the history of slate.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​