tarboat's photos

TH 103C is a 1960 Thomas Hill diesel hydraulic locomotive rebuilt from a Sentinel steam locomotive (9390 of 1949). Although currently painted in NCB livery it previously worked in Stafford at British Reinforced Concrete. It is seen here shunting at Brownhills West on the Chasewater Railway.

Storage silos at the Tata Chemicals Lostock Works on the edge of Northwich. The end of soda ash problem here was imminent and this is probably no longer in use.

Solid Lancashire building with just a little decoration on the lintel. A doorway on a house in the hamlet of Wycoller, not far from Colne.

After hauling exhibits to the Greatest Gathering event at Derby during the week, Saturday saw 37 901 'Mirrlees Pioneer' on Thunderbird duties at Manchester Piccadilly. The immaculate locomotive, complete with EPR headboard, was in the bay off the end of platform 1 providing cover for failures on the Styal line during the blockade at Stockport for the replacement of a bridge.

Former London Transport trolleybus 1812 takes a corner on the circuit at Sandtoft museum. This bus entered service in 1948 at Fulwell depot and operated until 1961 when it was sold to Spain and used on the Santander network, It was purchased by the British Trolleybus Society returned to the UK in 1977 and has seen much restoration including fitting new differentials for the rear axles.

An interesting mix of red brick and buff terracotta in this commercial premises on Market Street in Stalybridge. In 1909 this end with the dome was occupied at ground level by Frank R Scott's drapery shop.

Whilst coal mining at Fox Clough, Colne, dates back as far as the 17th century, the Engine Pit was developed in 1832 by the executors of John Hargreaves. A large pumping engine was erected in this stone building and the colliery worked the Lower Mountain and Union seams at a depth of 183 feet. The pit was abandoned in 1872 and the enginehouse has slowly deteriorated since then. It has probably survived due to its hidden and inaccessible location.

Zolder was the last Belgian pit to close, in 1992. The machine hall and one headgear survives, whilst the power house has been converted to office and exhibition use and some of the processing buildings have also found alternative use. This seems to be the building that contained the screening plant.

Ornate chimneystack on the Town Hall at Dukinfield.

Double headgear over the drawing shaft at Beringen Colliery. The screens are to the right in the high brick and steel building. The colliery was closed in 1989 and is now a museum with some parts open to visitors. Other bits are less accessible.

The morning empty log train passing the siding at Cozia on the Wassertalbahn, Viseu de Sus.

Memories of Manchester's trolleybuses as BUT built ONE 744 stands at Sandtoft Museum purporting to be running on the 218 service to Ashton-under-Lyne from Manchester Piccadilly. I remember seeing these trolleybuses operating in the early 1960s and it was great to have a ride on this one.

Jarrow town hall was the headquarters of Jarrow Borough Council, and is a Grade II listed building dating to 1902-04. This three-face clock was added above the main entrance in 1951, possibly to mark the Festival of Britain in that year.

Terracotta build date on the Simms Reeve intitute at Brancaster. The building is named after the man who was Lord of the Manor in the later years of the nineteenth century.

Swan House on Trinity Street in Boston was built by F. S. Anderson & Co in 1877 to replace their previous factory that burned down. It was used to process goose feathers which were used for stuffing pillows. Later known as known more recently as Fogarty's feather factory the business continued here until the mid 20th century. The building is now apartments.

Lewin 18 shunts chaldron wagons in the Beamish Colliery yard whilst Peckett 1370 simmers outside the shed.

This furnace was built in 1848 to produce steel by the cementation process by the local steel firm of Daniel Doncasters and Sons, a firm which had been established in Sheffield in 1778. By 1860 there were 250 cementation furnaces in Sheffield capable of producing 80,000 tons of blister steel and the large conical structures were a characteristic feature of the city's industrial landscape. This example operated throughout World War II and a blackout cover was fitted to the furnace outlet as a precaution during air raids, this is still in place today (painted white). It ceased operation in 1951 and is now listed Grade II.

Winding drum house at the top of the No.43 incline of the Penmaenmawr granite quarries, Bottom Bank, East Quarry. The drum is c6ft in diameter and held a one inch diameter rope. The incline, which was opened in 1899-1905, was closed in 1961.