tarboat's photos

Limekilns at a series of limestone quarries along the road from Čačak to Požega in western Serbia. A grab shot through the bus window.

Having established the Hawarden Bridge Steelworks at Shotton by the beginning of the twentieth century John Summers & Sons Ltd built these General Offices for the business. Dated 1907, the building was completed in 1908 and the company then moved its headquarters here from Stalybridge. It was listed Grade 2 in 2005. The CADW description for the listing states: "A large prominent office building of 1907 by the architect James France, in Freestyle with Continental and Art Nouveau influences. Constructed of red brick with yellow terracotta detail under slated gambrel roofs, it has two storeys with basement and attics; the main (south) elevation is symmetrical with a central castellated tower. The building has a fine Art Nouveau interior." I have been unable to identify the supplier of the terracotta but would expect it to have been on of the manufacturers from the Ruabon area. Today the building stands empty and offered To Let along with the later adjacent canteen, office and laboratory buildings.

Having seen Eagle142's recent image of this spot, I thought it would be fun to post this postcard view from just over 100 years ago. The card was posted in 1906 and it is interesting to see that it is captioned "Fool's Nook" even at that time when the pub was the Royal Oak.

A cold and lonely railwayman stands outside his nice warm hut holding the single line token for the approaching coal empties from Lishu to the mine at Pinggang. This was the junction and reversing point for traffic from the Qikeng mine and Sijing cokeworks, but that line had by this time been reduced to a stub for trains loading coal from the adjacent small mine. The chimneys in the background mark the cokeworks which continues to produce metallurgical coke in open-topped ovens. It was very cold this morning and the man from the hut had earlier invited us in to enjoy its warmth whilst we waited for the train. This is typical of the kindness shown by so many of the people I have met on and around the Chinese railways.

The waiting traffic at this level crossing in Fuxin occupies the whole width of the roadway. Of course a similar situation is to be found on the other side of the tracks and things will become interesting once the barriers are slid aside. :-D

Terracotta lettering on the old co-op shop in Marple Bridge.

Francis Greg Esq., JP., Commemorated in stone at the entrance to the Bollington recreation ground. We don't seem to have such public spirited benefaction these days. I suspect that the money goes to political parties to buy favour. The recreation ground continues to provide great public benefit over 100 years after the good Mr Greg left it to the good burghers of the town.

It draws your eye to the brick-lined tunnel from which the ochrey water is running. Norbury Colliery pumping adit outlet is discharging minewater that has risen up the shaft of the pumping pit from a depth of around 900ft. The colliery closed in 1892.

The sun is just beginning to show as a pair of JS class locomotives undergo preparation by the crew at the Nanzhan yard of the Sandaoling Coal Railway.

Distant steam as a locomotive heads back from a colliery on the periphery of the Chengzihe system at Jixi.

Somebody's former pride and joy lies sunk and abandoned in the mud at New Ferry against a backdrop of the Liverpool Waterfront and also Rock Ferry jetty to the left.

Whilst out walking the dogs the other day I espied an interesting feature perched atop a gantry over the roof of the former Ordnance Factory No.10 (Roften) at Hooton. This is a very rare item to find in situ and is a 'Consol' firewatching shelter. These were installed in order to provide some protection from shrapnel for the firewatchers who were there to protect the factory from incendiary bombs. It is made of a goodly thickness of mild steel and contained a seat and small shelf with, almost certainly, a telephone. This is one of two that survive at this site which manufactured heavy anti-aircraft guns during WWII.

08445 waits for further duties at Corus' Shotton steelworks.

Loading bunkers at the Vreoci coal washery in Serbia.

Early morning, waiting for the train at Bagou on the Shibanxi Coal Railway. Spare coaching stock stands to the left.

A pair of QJs climbing the Jinpeng section and crossing the viaduct just after Galadesitai station on the Jitong Railway. This was the last autumn of steam services on this section of the line and the first diesels had started working here only six days earlier.

Green Arrow's driver takes a few moments to chat with people on the platform at Froghall. The locomotive and tender were so shiny that the people are reflected on the sides

A lonely signal still guards the approaches to the junction at Mouldsworth were the West Cheshire Railway from Helsby once joined the Northwich to Chester line of the Cheshire Lines Committee. This line was doomed once the tanker trains out of Stanlow refinery were ended.