tarboat's photos

The Tramway Offices on Mellor Street, Rochdale, are dated 1904. The brickwork on the building is all stamped Huncoat Plastic Accrington. The Rochdale Corporation Act of 1900 included proposals for new tramways. Construction started on 15 June 1901, and the first line was inspected on 15 May 1902 and opened one week later. The whole system was closed on 12 November 1932.

Shafts 1 & 2 of Zeche Westfalen at Ahlen were sunk from 1909 and the first coal raised in January 1914. Mining here ended on June 30th 2000 and these are the only two of seven headframes that this mine once had at a number of locations in the area. Some of the surface building have been preserved or have found new uses.

Lea Mills was founded in 1784 by Peter Nightingale and John Smedley (father of the better-known son of the same name). It was set up on a hilly site straddling a brook at Lea Bridge, just outside Matlock. The brook was used to both clean yarn and power machinery. The mill specialised in the production of muslin and spinning cotton to send out to local cottages with hand frame looms. Towards the end of the 18th century, the company had extended its activities to include knitting and hosiery manufacture - said to be the origin of Long Johns. By this time, John Smedley was running the business alone, although the Nightingale family retained an interest in the property. As Lea Mills remains open and an operational building to this day, manufacturing the company's range of designer knitwear, John Smedley claims to be world's longest running factory manufacturer.

The bridge linking Worthington's Portland - (left),and Queen (right), silk mills in Leek, has a clock on both faces so nobody could justifiably be late for work.

The Swan Lane No.3 Mill was built in 1914 to the design of Stott & Sons of Oldham. The Swan Lane Spinning Co Ltd. finally closed the mill in 1963 and it is now partly occupied by a range of businesses. It is listed Grade II* but is on the register of buildings at risk. This wonderful terracotta decoration is over the staff entrance which is hidden away in the mill yard.

Paint shop of an engineering company manufacturing conveyors and silos.

Company name at the former offices of much loved shipbuilderson Navigation Rd in Northwich. I would not be surprised if this was a product of the local firm of Jabez Thompson and Sons Ltd.

Croal Mill was built in 1908 to the design of Bradshaw and Gass for the Croal Spinning Company Limited. Cotton spinning ended in 1967 and the mill is now used as a mail order warehouse for Littlewoods.

Marble dressing and working in this industrial unit in Bolton. My presence soon attracted attention from those working within and a particularly aggressive chap threatened to grab my camera even though I was standing well outside the premises on the road. He was insistent that photography of his works from a public place was illegal. I wonder what they have to hide?

This pair of limekilns stand alongside the former Hexham to Reedsmouth railway and were once connected to Cocklaw Quarry by a tramroad. They appear to have been erected at some point after 1865.

Prairie 5199 passes Cliff Farm Crossing climbing towards Apesford on the Caldon Low line.

The Grade II listed Pant bank of six kilns stand close to the Ellesmere Canal which was once used to carry away the product. Many sources refer to five kilns here, but there is, in fact, a sixth. The left-hand kiln is now blocked up with the face buried. Stone was brought down from the Llanymynech quarries via an inclined plane.Production seems to have ended here before 1880. A private house now stands where the charging bank was located.

'Holly Bank No.3' works past the shunter at the point lever as it brings a short mineral train into Chasewater Heaths on the Chasewater Railway.

A few roof problems inside the disused Caldon Low tramway tunnel.

HE 3694 Whiston and WB 2842 bank a long mineral train out of Foxfield Colliery yard watched by an appreciative gallery.

The Carling coke works in Forbach, Lorraine, is in the area between the houses and the power station. Opened in 1910 it closed in 2009 and is currently being dismantled. The 1,873 MW Emile Huchet power palnt behind is operated by E.ON and comprises 3 coal fired units 115 MW (unit 4), 330 MW (unit 5) and 600 MW (unit 6) and 2 CCGT units (414 MW each for units 7 and 8).

Shaft sinking commenced here in 1929 using the freezing method to pass through wet ground. Production commenced in 1933. Winding coal here ended in 1966 but the site continued in use for ventilation of other pits in the area. In 1991 a new headframe was constructed andthe shaft deepened to 1289 metres.

The Delwart cement company at Tournai was founded in 1926 and at one time employed 170 people. Production included quicklime and cement. This shaft kiln remains in derelict condition whilst still advertising the manufacturer many years after closure.