Greetings from Mid-Wales!

[Adokforme]

Thanks for the heads up Maxi, I'll have to be careful how I tell the missus as she is sure to be disappointed.
We've a few days in the area so will try to get a view of the lake etc while there in an attempt to get an idea of the scale of it. While accepting that much of it is hidden away.
Guess we'll just have to go back another time, maybe when some other renewable project over there comes on stream!

[MW0OMZ]

Hi MW and welcome from a Newby.
Sounds like you'll be up to all sorts of renewable projects going forward then!
We're heading over to the Graig Fatha open day on 23rd July calling in at Uskmouth PS the way then heading up to Rhayader for three days before moving on to Caer Menai for another four taking in a visit to Dinorwig Hydro while there.
My wife is really looking forward to it.
Keeping fingers crossed the weather holds.

Thanks for the welcome
Yes, always fiddling about with stuff here.

Sounds like an amazing tour you have lined up.
There is a reverse Archimedes screw in Felindre
just outside Llanidloes. And there's the centre
for alternative technology near Machynlleth.

https://cat.org.uk/

[MW0OMZ]

Welcome in MW

Thanks MR Gus.

Where are you?

[Mr Gus]

Edge of the fens, (excuse any spelling errors, the webbed fingers really mess up the keyboard layout)

You referred to the "Gravyminer" ..that name is a blast from the past

I was, & remain, Mr Gus.

[openspaceman]

Thanks for the heads up Maxi, I'll have to be careful how I tell the missus as she is sure to be disappointed.
We've a few days in the area so will try to get a view of the lake etc while there in an attempt to get an idea of the scale of it. While accepting that much of it is hidden away.
Guess we'll just have to go back another time, maybe when some other renewable project over there comes on stream!

That's a shame if you can no longer go inside as the scale and tunnels are a sight to see but the best of it is outside, 5 years ago we parked at Tal Y Win and walked around the top reservoir, looking over Llanberis we could see jets flying below us.

I'm sure Dinorwig is a great success, reused old mine workings and joined two reservoirs, but I guess it is thoroughly unnatural and sterile, no fish would survive the turbines and the upper and lower lakes must be isolated from the other water bodies and streams, I guess the water is also dosed with something as the colours didn't seem quite right.

It's all made me think that for longer term storage than the days my battery stores my electricity that compressed air is a good option at an intermediate power and energy level.

[Adokforme]

Hi MW and welcome from a Newby.
Sounds like you'll be up to all sorts of renewable projects going forward then!
We're heading over to the Graig Fatha open day on 23rd July calling in at Uskmouth PS the way then heading up to Rhayader for three days before moving on to Caer Menai for another four taking in a visit to Dinorwig Hydro while there.
My wife is really looking forward to it.
Keeping fingers crossed the weather holds.

Thanks for the welcome
Yes, always fiddling about with stuff here.

Sounds like an amazing tour you have lined up.
There is a reverse Archimedes screw in Felindre
just outside Llanidloes. And there's the centre
for alternative technology near Machynlleth.

https://cat.org.uk/

Thanks for both of those MW, will certainly pay Felindre a visit while in Rhayader and have booked tickets to CAT for when we are on the way upto Caer Menai. If I'd known about it earlier we could have booked a night or two there as well. But there's always another time, so the visit will serve as something of a scouting mission as well. Thanks again MW our two week visit is beginning to pad out nicely. Other than Festiniog etc we have nothing definitely planned while at Caer Menai so maybe just some free time to take in the glorious scenery of Snowdonia. Weather permitting of course.

[Adokforme]

Thanks for the heads up Maxi, I'll have to be careful how I tell the missus as she is sure to be disappointed.
We've a few days in the area so will try to get a view of the lake etc while there in an attempt to get an idea of the scale of it. While accepting that much of it is hidden away.
Guess we'll just have to go back another time, maybe when some other renewable project over there comes on stream!

That's a shame if you can no longer go inside as the scale and tunnels are a sight to see but the best of it is outside, 5 years ago we parked at Tal Y Win and walked around the top reservoir, looking over Llanberis we could see jets flying below us.

I'm sure Dinorwig is a great success, reused old mine workings and joined two reservoirs, but I guess it is thoroughly unnatural and sterile, no fish would survive the turbines and the upper and lower lakes must be isolated from the other water bodies and streams, I guess the water is also dosed with something as the colours didn't seem quite right.

It's all made me think that for longer term storage than the days my battery stores my electricity that compressed air is a good option at an intermediate power and energy level.

Thanks for that Info OS, it's really helpful. I've looked up Tal Y Waen to see where it might be so will have a walk around once we've found somewhere suitable to park. Booked a trip on one of the heritage steam trains, I know it goes against all we are working towards but hey, we're not flying abroad or embarking on a cruise so thought a nostalgic fix wouldn't go amiss by way of compensation.

[openspaceman]

Thanks for that Info OS, it's really helpful. I've looked up Tal Y Waen to see where it might be so will have a walk around once we've found somewhere suitable to park. Booked a trip on one of the heritage steam trains, I know it goes against all we are working towards but hey, we're not flying abroad or embarking on a cruise so thought a nostalgic fix wouldn't go amiss by way of compensation.

Yup I got spelling wrong. The other thing I got wrong is the jets must have been traveling on the other side of the hill alongside the A5 but it was a good walk although the route up the access track was a bit boring, there is space at the side of the road at the gate to park.

we also walked up to the Ffestiniog pumped storage scheme which is much smaller, as you walk up the road you can look up the slate incline which features a tunnel bored through the hill. after walking by the top reservoir you can descend via the slate quarry workings and spoil heaps, featuring the slate walls of old buildings an a few relics, like an old lorry chassis with winch rusting away. We did it on a very hot day and whilst you cannot walk into the mine there was a blast of cool air coming out of the mountain, via the shaft and grating.