UK Railways

Incline from the adit level up to the processing works of the Birkhill Fireclay Mine. P. & M. Hurll Ltd., a fire-brick manufacturer based at Glenboig (North Lanarkshire) acquired the Birkhill estate in 1916 and drove a series of adits on both sides of the River Avon in the 1930s. Peak production was in the 1950s and the pillar and stall workings eventually extended for around 6 miles underground in the 1970s just before the company went into liquidation in 1980.

AB 2274 shunting wagons at the exchange sidings behind the colliery row at Beamish. The appearance of the sun at the end of the photo charter gave some splendid opportunities to round off the day.

The Yr Eifl granite quarry at Trefor opened in 1850 and closed in 1971. This incline brought stone down to Trefor pier for shipping out.

A tale of two viaducts - several of the original piers from Brunel's 1859 timber decked viaduct still stand at Moorswater alongside the replacement structure of 1881. Both are listed Grade II.

A coal train from Holditch Colliery pauses at the long closed Silverdale Station to collect the single line token. The loading bunker in the background was for coal from Silverdale Colliery just off to the right of frame. This section of the Newcastle to Market Drayton line was retained for a number of years as far as the Madeley chord to allow coal from Holditch and Silverdale to reach the West Coast main line.

Bulk lime wagons queue outside the hydrating plant alongside the shaft kilns at Tunstead Quarry.

Bagnall saddle tank Sir Tom brings a rake of tipping skips towards the working face at Threlkeld Quarry.

HL3865 crosses the road and heads into the cement works on the Barrington Light Railway.

The driver waits on the footplate of Bagnall SIRTOM for his mate to arrive for a shift on the line at Threlkeld Quarry.

34028 with 44767 near Blackbrook Crossing during the 2010 reopening gala on the Caldon Low line.

With a background of some of the collection belonging to the Vintage Excavator Trust, a short train heads towards the Threlkeld Quarry workings with Lister Blackstone (LB 51651) at the head.

Winter has overwhelmed a Macclesfield bound train just north of High Lane during the winter of 1947. The cab of the locomotive seems to be well filled with snow.

A memory of the steam gala that commemorated the reopening of the line from Leekbrook to Caldon Low. 8F 8624 is banking a train away from Threshing Barn crossing towards Caldon Low.

Traditional signing for the catering at Huddersfield station. The privately run establishment serves excellent food and a decent range of proper beers.

D9016 Gordon Highlander arrives at Ramsbottom during the recent East Lancashire Railway Deltic event.

Bagnall Sir Tom simmers outside the shed at Threlkeld Quarry, whilst the '48DL' Ruston and Hornsby sits on the siding.

In pouring rain Whiston is banked by Florence No.2 away from Foxfield yard.

Black '5' 45379 has just shut off for the level crossing at Apesford as it heads an afternoon service towards Caldon Low. The bulk of Shutlingsloe stand proud on the horizon.