Gustav-David Material Ropeway
| Gustav–David Material Ropeway | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Gustav–David Material Ropeway | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Dismantled |
| Location | Konradsthal (present-day Konradów, Wałbrzych) |
| Country | Poland |
| Coordinates | 50°47′40″N 16°14′27″E / 50.794376753843544°N 16.240871400695738°E |
| Termini | Former Konradsthal railway loading point (later Biały Kamień station) 50°47′40″N 16°14′27″E / 50.794376753843544°N 16.240871400695738°E Mining field of the Gustav and David workings on the northern side of the Chełmiec massif 50°47′07″N 16°13′23″E / 50.78527318300535°N 16.223095204368214°E |
| No. of stations | 2 |
| Open | c. 1907 |
| Closed | before 1939 |
| Technical features | |
| Aerial lift type | Material ropeway |
| Line length | 1,608 m |
The Gustav–David Material Ropeway was a material ropeway in the Waldenburg coalfield, in Konradsthal (present-day Konradów, Wałbrzych), Poland. It linked the railway loading point at Konradsthal with the Gustav and David mine workings on the northern side of the Chełmiec massif.
In present-day Polish heritage literature, the installation is also identified as the Tytus–Gustaw industrial line (Polish: Międzykopalniana kolejka przemysłowa Tytus–Gustaw).[1]
History and use
The route is shown on the 1913 TK25 Messtischblatt sheet 5263 Waldenburg in Schlesien.[2] The lower end of the line stood by the railway loading point at Konradsthal, whose loading facility was opened on 30 November 1877.[3]
The Gustav and David mine workings lay in the northern part of the Chełmiec massif, within today's Konradów district of Wałbrzych. Coal was first worked there from the Gustav and David inclines, and from 1894 the Titus shaft was deepened there as well.[4] According to the description of the former mine, coal from the Gustav incline was transported toward the Konradsthal station by a rope-hauled industrial line, partly in a tunnel, where a preparation plant, sorting plant and wagon-loading point were located.[4]
A local heritage survey published by the Stara Kopalnia museum lists the Tytus–Gustaw line among the historical ropeways of the Wałbrzych coalfield and states that it was built around 1907.[5] The same survey notes that in 1913 the total length of aerial ropeways in Wałbrzych was 8 kilometres.[5]
The historical name of the line reflects the German names of the two workings it connected: Gustav Adit and David Mine.[4]
By 1939, the line was no longer shown on local plans, although embankments and a tunnel were still reported as surviving remains.[1][5]
Route
The lower station was located at the former Konradsthal railway loading point, later known as Biały Kamień station, in today's Wałbrzych district of Konradów.[3][6]
From there, the line ran south-westward for about 1.61 km toward the Gustav and David mine workings. Local descriptions place its upper part in the former Otylia/Gustav mining field near the old Szczawienko–Meziměstí railway line. The route passed through a deep ravine, then ran underground for part of the way, before re-emerging on the surface and continuing on an embankment toward the Titus shaft area.[7][4]
References
- ^ a b "Międzykopalniana kolejka przemysłowa Tytus - Gustaw, Wałbrzych". polska-org.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "Waldenburg in Schlesien 3073 [Neue Nr 5263] - 1913". Biblioteka Cyfrowa Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ a b "Stacja kolejowa Biały Kamień (dawna), Wałbrzych". polska-org.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ a b c d "Kopalnia David (dawna), Wałbrzych". polska-org.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ a b c "Szlaki dziedzictwa". Centrum Nauki, Kultury i Sztuki Stara Kopalnia w Wałbrzychu (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "Konradów". polska-org.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "Pole górnicze Otylia, Wałbrzych". polska-org.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-27.