In reply to UKC/UKH News:
Not sure how I feel about this. It's a shame that some level of preservation in the slate quarries wasn't undertaken many years ago. As a regular visitor to the various North Wales quarries for the last 20 years (have explored most of them pretty extensively) there has been so much degradation, vandalism and general change in that time that a lot of the history that was visible even 20 years ago is now a shadow of it's former self.
At Dinorwic, a lot of the old slate mills, metalwork and infrastructure was leveled with the arrival of the pump storage station. The huge saw shed towards the top of the site has lost its roof and it's interior is now rapidly deteriorating. The 'stairway to heaven' is now much collapsed and the workmens clothes/boots hanging in the huts have now largely disappeared (or been burnt).
At Maenofferen near Blaenau the once amazingly intact surface workings (workshops, incline houses, offices, slate processing sheds) have been extensively vandalised, looted and/or demolished by it's current owners and others.
I've got a feeling that this is a bit too late and preservation of this unique landscape (if that's what is wanted) should really have started 30+ years ago. That said, there are still areas where preservation of certain unique features will make a difference.
Can't see CEGB allowing organised tours of Dinorwig quarry though and part of the appeal of exploring these places is the fact that not many people go there (or have the skills to go there). Generally you have to have your wits about you to stay safe, accept a level of personal risk, sometimes considerable risk for some of the most inaccessible areas - and even then rockfalls can happen as we have seen in Lost World recently.
Lets hope this doesn't impact climbing! Perhaps the secret of the quarries is now finally out?