tarboat's photos

An evening Aberystwyth service passing the Abbey as it leaves Shrewsbury on a lovely summer evening. I was waiting here for the Manchester train having just left the Cardiff to Holyhead service on which I had enjoyed an excellent three course dinner and a very agreeable bottle of wine. One of the few trains left in the UK that serve a proper meal.

They are building a new road near where I live and tonight I went for a mooch to see how they were getting on. The new footbridge over the brook has become one that can accommodate vehicles. At least it had a rainbow watching over it.

Mersey Railway pumping and ventilation station at the bottom of James Street in Liverpool. When the tunnel from Hamilton Square to James Street was constructed, there was obviously a great concern that water would leak in from the river and the docks. Drainage tunnels were built into the design, and the water was then brought to the surface via two pumping stations on either side of the river. Whilst the steam pumps are long gone here, the Link and Loop tunnels have been added to the drainage requirements that are served by modern electric pumps.

The Crown Hotel on Skelhorne Street, Liverpool, was built in 1905 in Art Nouveau style. It is listed Grade II. Walker's Ales are long gone.

In World War 2 the Western Command Stop Line No.6 ran from Tamworth via Trent Valley, E side of Stoke-on-Trent, to Macclesfield and Stockport, thence to 6 miles SE of Manchester. This line of fortifications was designed to resist an invasion force coming from the east. Here in Tamworth, close to the River Tame, is this pillbox close to the start of the line.

Jewellers P Vaughton and Sons was founded in 1819 by Philip Vaughton. Their Livery Street "Gothic Works" was built in 1902/03 and shortly afterwards the business became Vaughtons Ltdtrading as silversmiths, goldsmiths and general manufacturers. The FA Cup and the 1908 Olympic medals were made here. Vaughtons are still in business, although not at this location. They are one of the UK’s premier manufacturers of Automotive badges, Medals, Civic regalia and Chains of Office. The Gothic Works is listed Grade II and is now a hostel.

Swing Bridge between Queen Alexandra and Roath Docks, Cardiff.

A doubleheaded freight gets started from the loop at Yamenmiao on the Jitong Railway and heads for Chabuga. It had been held there awaiting a westbound service. There was a strong northerly wind blowing and I remember it being bitterly cold even though it was late April.

On a trip out along the River Weaver we experienced a little local difficulty when the exhaust caught fire due to a large build-up of carbon in the pipe. This type of event is particularly impressive at night when you can see the incandescent lumps of carbon erupting from the exhaust and raining down on all and sundry. In this daytime view you can see the lumps flying out amidst the flames and the steerer taking evasive action as his tee shirt is beginning to burn into holes. It was all over in a couple of minutes, leaving a carpet of oily carbon pieces to be swept from the cabin roof.

Hudswell Clarke 1173 of 1924 - 0-6-0WT+T 'ALPHA' in action at Statfold Barn in April 2016. The locomotive had just been restored to working order by the team at Statfold Barn.

The Grade II listed former H.B. Sale die-sinkers factory at 1-7 Constitution Hill, Birmingham is sometimes known as the 'Red Palace'. It was built in 1896 to the designs of William Doubleday and James R. Shaw. The supplier of the terracotta is not known.

Wortley Top Forge is a Water Powered Heavy Iron Forge whose history can be traced back to at least 1640. The site has been used for bloomeries and fineries but it is best known for the Wrought Iron Railway Axles that were hammer-welded between 1840 and the closing of the Forge around 1910. Following the final abandonment of the site in 1929, various bodies have been involved in securing the site which now forms the heart of an Industrial Museum. Exhibits include the original water wheels and water-powered drop hammers within the original Forge building which is progressively being restored to 1900s condition. In the foreground of this image showing one of the drop hammers are two railway wheelsets with axles of the type once manufactured here. The right hand on has wheels with wooden centres.

Rolls of newsprint after cutting to width at the UPM paper mill, Shotton, Deeside. In the background paper flows off one of the two papermaking machines in the plant. The mill produces about 22% of the UK newsprint requirement.

The tarboat heads westwards towards the summit of the Rochdale Canal.

The walled gin circle of the Hazard lead mine on Old Moor in Castleton Parish. The fencing encloses the deep engine shaft which had a depth of nearly 700 feet in the 1830's. The mine yielded some 5000 tons of lead ore before being abandoned.

Teneral Four-spotted Chaser seen today whilst out in Delamere Forest. There were dozens of these insects both flying and emerging.

Rosedale East ironstone mine opened in 1864 and this bank of four calciners was erected immediately. Stone was mined through a series of drifts in the hillside above and these were ventilated by the chimney. A further set of calciners was constructed shortly afterwards and the remains of these lie off to the left of this photo. Mining ended here in 1926 and then the calcining dust was removed from in front of the kilns.

Maker's mark on corrugated iron sheet in the roof of the locomotive shed at Threlkeld Quarry. I can't decipher this one and any suggestions will be very welcome.