# Help with a Welsh Book



## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

I recently became interested in the Welsh slate quarry railways and bought a book. In the text are numerous reference numbers ie " Rhosydd quarry (SH664461)". 

What are the letter/numbers in parenthisis refering to???? I have searched the book over and over but not a clue as to what these letters/numbers are.

If I can figure out what these letters/numbers are and how to pronounce the Welsh names I might better understand the book!

TIA

Jack


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## tmtrainz (Feb 9, 2010)

The numbers refer to a geographic grid reference system specific to the UK. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_national_grid_reference_system 

Also, an interesting web site about that particular quarry: 

http://www.penmorfa.com/Rhosydd/ 

Good luck with the pronunciation of Welsh words!!! 

Iechyd da, 
Tom


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

Rhosydd was a quarry (put the grid reference into google and it will come up with the York University caving club, and also 'locate on Google maps' - click on that) its now shut and as you will se in in the middle of a large quarry area that is north east of Tan -y - Grisiau FR station. 

This is/was the prime area for slate working (it is virtually all derelict, I think there is only one quarry working now - it is a very rapacious industry - I think is was 90% of it was discarded for the 10% that was sold) - most was dug out in the caves and the roof of those is in imminent danger of collapse - and what the FR was built for as the quarries connected with it, and it has a continous downwards gradient to the coast at Porthmadog.

It originally used horses to drag the wagons back up to the quarries. Trade grew and the horses could not cope, so the first narrow gauge locomotives came to be buiilt. Even General Palmer came to look on his European tour before the D&RG was built, quite rightly at 3foot gauge instead of the FR (after the quarries started it ) of 2 foot gauge! The FR stayed at 2 foot gauge as they could/would not afford the large expense of changing it - cost of land etc.: even the builder suggested rthat 2.5 foot gauge would have been better. 

Now it is a heavily used tourist line with much greater (except for winter) traffic than it ever had from slate.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

It's not easy for most Americans, with their strong native accent, to pronounce almost anything in the Welsh language, but both my wife and I are Welsh speakers, and we'll try and help as much as we can. 

The RH sound is pronounced with a rolling R combined with a hard H sound - try HuH-Ro [very close together] - the o sound is pronounced almost as 'aw'. the s is just like any letter s. The rest of the word - the 'ydd' is pronounced approximately like the 'oth' in the word 'other'. The place-name 'Rhosydd' means, approximately, flat heathlands. 

This is a pretty quick translation of the first paragraph of Peter's post - you can see that you will have your work cut out for you!! Welsh is the original Brythonic language of the island of Britain - the very name comes from the word 'Prythain'. This is much the same language that the romans would have listened to when they arrive around 2000 years ago.

_Rhosydd oedd chwarel (rhowch y cyfeirnod grid i mewn i Google, a bydd yn dangos y Brifysgol Efrog ogofa clwb, a hefyd roi cynnig ar 'lleoli ar fapiau Google' - dewis hynny) ei gau yn awr ac fel y byddwch yn gweld i mewn i mewn'r canol chan chwarel fawr sy'n lleoli i'r gogledd ddwyrain o orsaf Tan-y-Grisiau FR. _

Best of luck 

tac 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Tom, Peter and Tac, 

Thanks! I was amazed whith this response! Many thanks!!! Now to learn more about the slate railways of Wales. 

Regards, 

Jack


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