tarboat's photos

Hope cement works from the primary crusher building at the edge of the limestone quarry. This was during a works open day on a very wet and murky occasion.

SY 1118 works back from the dirt tips towards the Pinggang Colliery on the Lishu system of the Jixi Coal Railway. What is not apparent is that the temperature was around -20C plus the wind chill factor. This was not a comfortable place to be standing around for a long time.

The public baths and wash house at Harpurhey were built in 1909-10 by Manchester City Council at a cost of £39,495. It was designed by Manchester City Council’s architect Henry Price and opened 29th October 1910. The facilities comprised Three swimming pools, 48 Male Slipper Baths, 18 Female Slipper Baths and a Public Wash House with 40 stalls. It was listed Grade II in 1994 and closed as a public swimming pool in 2001. After a period of disuse the buildings have been incorporated into the North Manchester College.

There are four very large draw kilns at the Cowdale limeworks near Buxton. This view is taken inside one of the two draw tunnels, each of which served two kilns. The burned lime was drawn out of the kiln across these screening boxes into which the ashes and small pieces fell, leaving the cleaner large lumps to be loaded into railway wagons outside. Cowdale Quarry was opened by the New Buxton Lime Co c1901. The company was taken over by the Buxton Lime Firms in 1908 and eventually became part of the ICI empire. The quarry and works closed in 1956 but many of the structures have remained in increasing decrepitude.

Harry Needle Railway Company class 20 No.3 (formerly 20906) stands on the lines leading to the maintenance and coal stocking areas at the Breedon Cement works at Hope.

Slate saw at the Skelwith Bridge sawmill, dressing sheds and show area for the Kirkstone Quarry. Kirkstone Quarries was established as an unincorporated business in 1949 to undertake the quarrying of stone at Kirkstone Quarry, in Ambleside. It was incorporated in 1955 as Kirkstone Green Slate Quarries and changed its name to Kirkstone Quarries in 1991. In 1998, it received planning permission to quarry at Brathay Quarry, Ambleside, and also imported stone from around the world. The business went into severe financial decline during 2011 and was liquidated in 2012 with the loss of 39 jobs. Kirkstone Quarry was acquired by Burlington Slate Ltd which extracts stone there when required but has abandoned the process buildings on the site.

75014 as Stoke based 75035 arriving at Consall station evoking memories of local trains on the Churnet Valley line. 30742 charters event.

Manchester and Salford Bank building, Middleton, 1892. Designed by local architect Edgar Wood and listed Grade II, Sadly the terracotta frontage has been ruined by the application of brick acid which has removed the outer layer. It is now a bar.

In heavy rain ex Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0 52322 hauls a ballast train through the station at Embsay during a 30742 charters event.

Disused chapel at Bronygarth in the Ceiriog Valley on the border of Wrexham and Shropshire.

Kiln cars at the Vulcan Refractories Ltd. factory at Cheadle. The works manufactures a comprehensive range of high performance refractory shapes and infra-red heaters. The goods for firing are placed within these structures before placing in the kiln.

Doorways at 51-53 Rochdale Road. Middleton, built in 1900 and designed by local architect Edgar Wood. These houses are listed Grade II. Unfortunately they have been spoiled by the addition of hideous dormers.

Morning departure from Consall Station on the Churnet Valley Railway. Standard class 4 No.75014 is at the head whilst posing as Stoke based 75035.

There is some fine polychromatic brickwork to be seen on the exterior of the trainshed at Manchester Piccadilly Station.

75014 posing as 75035 passes Basford towards Consall during a 30742 Charters event on the Churnet Valley Railway.

Turnout at a passing place on the upper reaches of the Haytor Granite Tramway. The Haytor Granite Tramway was opened in September 1820 by George Templer to carry stone from his quarries around Hay Tor down to the Stover Canal for onward shipping. It is remarkable for the rails being made of the same material as its intended traffic. It operated until the late 1850s when competition from rail served quarries caused a significant decline in demand. The large L shaped pieces of granite used for rails remain in situ and on the upper section owned by the Dartmoor National Park the line is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway class 27 ('A' Class) locomotive 52322 heads towards Bolton Abbey and under the footbridge near Holywell Halt on the Yorkshire Dales Railway.

Signalbox at Castleton East Junction where the line to Bury leaves the Manchester to Rochdale line. The end-on junction with the East Lancs Railway is a short distance along the Bury line towards Heywood. The line branching off on the nearside of the box served the welded rail depot that has been closed and demolished for some time.