Reading around the subject
Many threads were woven together to create Then, There Were Mines but many more were omitted. As time passed and more information became available, I revisited some of the shelved threads and gathered them, together with some new information, in to this Some Sidelines section.
Pearls from Perales
More about the railway. Luis Siret’s railway did not close when MASA ceased using it. Later, ore from the Los Tres Pacos mine in the Sierra Almagro was carried on it to the loading pier at Villaricos. The owner of one of the mules recounts their time working the line. The curious flower bed which blocks the pavement on the way down to Villaricos centre is revealed as the base of a ventilation chimney for the conveyor belt to the loading pier.
Also, the mystery of the Calle las Torvas is solved. In the black humoured Tale of the Peruana Mule the origin of the local expression, "hungry as the Peruana mule" is revealed.
View or download Pearls from Perales PDF.
Whims, Gins and Bartitels
On a Whim takes a closer look animal powered winches. Both the cog and rung gin and the whim gin were used in the Sierra Almagrera and given, the shortage of water, were slow to give way to steam powered winches.
The Better Baritel. An exploration of a second baritel discovered in the Sierra Almagrera. Locally, the term baritel is only applied to a whim where the extraction shaft is outside the circular path of the mule while one where the shaft is circled by the animal is known as a malacate.
View or download Whims Gins and Baritels PDF.
More about El Arteal
El Arteal. Its Bricks and Mortar. Why was the cement and mortar used in the construction of the El Arteal pumping station so durable? The answer lay in an 1898 paper presented to the Institute of Civil Engineers in London which led me to an investigation of 19th century lime production.
Falling Down on The Stairs. This admits to my understandable mistake about the function of the flight of steps at the Guzmana mine. What is less understandable is the fact that I had completely failed to notice the remains of those at El Arteal.
El Arteal Under Siege. 2020 saw an unprecedented decline in the remains of the El Arteal infrastructure. Was the fire in the Central de Transformación arson? Was the re-alignment of the old irrigation ditches in order to enrich a field meant to also flood the miners’ quarters? The demolition of the remains of the 1908 boiler house and the filling in of the settlement tanks can only be described as wanton destruction.
View or download More About El Arteal PDF.
Pilgrims Progress
Such was the fame of the Sierra Almagrera that people came from far and wide to see its wonders. Some of them wrote articles for the local press enthusing about the marvels which they had witnessed.
Señor Santamaría’s Journey, is an account of one young man’s visit to the mine Venus Amante, where he was horrified by the working conditions endured there. He then had a guided tour of the el Arteal pumping station.
Córcholis takes to the tracks, is an account of another young man who also visited el Arteal, travelling there on Luis Siret’s railway. The charmingly boyish account of his ride paints a vivid picture of the surrounding countryside and of the line itself.
View or download Pilgrims Progress PDF.
Additional Websites of Interest
I hope whoever reads these books find them interesting and informative. The books are downloadable PDF's and no charge or profit is made from them. This is my experience of finding something very beautiful which hopefully will help people understand the mining experience in that part of Spain.
Pearls from Perales
The Facebook posts of Pedro Perales Larios, together with information given to me by J.M.Parra, provided more enlightenment about Luis Siret’s railway and loading pier. Along with Pedro’s amusing anecdote about a mule that worked at the Peruana mine, these posts are re-worked in Pearls from Perales.
Whims, Gins and Baritels
The discovery of a second baritel in the Sierra Almagrera made me re-examine the general working of animal powered winches both in this area and in the UK. Whims, Gins and Baritels is the result.
More about El Arteal
A builder friend pointed out that the mortar used in the construction of El Arteal was incredibly hard. This led to me delving into lime processing to find out why. Antonio Jódar corrected me about the purpose of the flight of stairs at the Guzmana mine, then Fran Mulero highlighted the remains of a similar flight at El Arteal. How could I have missed them? Also included is an account of how fire, floods and wanton destruction have laid siege to El Arteal.
Pilgrim’s Progress
In the late 1890’s and early 1900’s the Sierra Almagrera was a magnet for well heeled young gentlemen seeking to broaden their knowledge of the world. Several of them wrote pieces for the local mining gazette about their visit. These contemporary accounts reveal much about the magic of this tiny corner of Spain. Translations of two of these are here, with a third in the pipeline.
Your Guide
