tarboat's photos

Having left security officer one to call the police it wasn't long before I became aware of a security emblazoned 4wd vehicle tracking me from inside the perimeter of the Boots factory at Beeston, Nottingham. Very soon it stopped and I was faced with this guy who said he was the head of security. He informed me that photographing the site was illegal and demanded to know why I was doing so. He did not wish to know that photography from a public place was perfectly lawful. When I took this shot he was extremely unhappy and said that it was illegal because he had not given permission for his photo to be taken. He said he would call the police. I never saw any police but he did keep me under surveillance even when I was walking away on the far side of the Beeston Canal. I am sure that the many CCTV cameras around the Boots site recorded images of my good self, but funnily enough I don't remember Boots UK Limited asking my permission either. ;-)

Harassment part 1: I should have known better than to want to take photographs of grade 1 listed buildings. At the time that I took this shot I was standing on a small grassy roundabout on a public road having been photographing the rather nice art deco gatehouses at the Boots UK Limited production site at Beeston in Nottingham. Clearly this was criminal behaviour as I soon espied the hi-viz security operative approaching. Soon he was demanding to know what I was doing and why I was doing it. On being informed that I was taking photographs (the camera was a bit of a giveaway) and that why was none of his business, he informed me that Boots didn't want people taking photographs and it was illegal for me to do so. When I pointed out that I was in a public place and could photograph what I wanted, he radioed to higher authority and was told to call the police immediately! I continued my walk onto the public footpath that runs alongside the perimeter fence where a second harassment took place.

Seen today in Nottingham after a morning when I was harassed severely for taking photographs quite legally in a public place. What the hell is this meant to achieve? Along with the blessed Gordon's plans to 'train' thousands of people in anti-terrorism measures this is another step in trying to convince the public that the bogeyman is out there and anyone doing anything that 'they' consider to be abnormal should be reported to the authorities immediately. Any real terrorist should be laughing like a drain at the way this sort of official action is rapidly reducing our freedoms. Very few people seem to be bothered by the significant erosion of freedom that the current government is steadily imposing on society.

On the last trip to PIngdingshan it was becoming quite hard to find steam on freight duties and we decided to head for the long branch to Baofeng and beyond as this would guarantee at least one shot of the passenger service. As we approached the toll booth outside Baofeng a long train of coal empties headed by JS 8338 appeared parallel to the road and running at speed. Our driver quickly realised that a chase was in order and he pursued the train with great enthusiasm. After a rather hurried attempt at a shot from a bridge where the line crossed under the road we rejoined our minibus and hurtled along until we were able to reach another overbridge with just enough time to pile out, cross the road and try for a shot in the murk and smog. wonderful steam action and the sound of that train really hurrying along was just great. Sadly now just a memory as diesels have taken over entirely on this line.

Brick from the Orrell & Winstanley brickworks at Orrell in Lancashire, seen on Crosby beach. The works was situated just south of the goods yard at Orrell & Upholland station. Ormrods sold out to the Orrell Brick and Tile Co Ltd in c1904. The works closed in c1969, being demolished four years later.

Towneley Colliery near Burnley was originally operated by Messrs Brooks and Pickup and later by the Towneley Coal & Fireclay Co Ltd. Sinking commenced in 1869 and it operated until 1947 when the remaining take was transferred to the Salterford Nos.1 and 2 drifts. The company operated an extensive brickworks and coke overns.

Shunting at the throat of the yard at Yijing on the Meihekou Coal Railway. Motorbike taxis wait for trade below the crossing.

On May 22nd 1819, the Macclesfield Courier published an advert for a colliery close to Congleton. "The public are hereby informed that the Daneinshaw Coal Works are now completely re-established by a rail road from the works to the Turnpike Road at the foot of Daneinshaw bridge where they may be supplied with any quantity of fine, large, and good coal as any in the kingdom. Countless carts may come up Park Lane toll free; it is a good road and the wharf is convenient for loading as every accommodation will be rendered for loading of carts, etc, at the wharf." It appears that the enterprise did not last very long as there was a sale of effects from the closed colliery in September 1834. In 1995 after a certain amount of detective work I identified some evidence of the tramroad and was able to follow the route to find the remains of the colliery. Today I thought I would see if there was still something to see of the shaft and indeed it was still there, about 5ft in diameter and stone lined. This is just inside Staffordshire although there are further colliery remains in an adjacent valley just the Cheshire side of the border.

I believe this to be the 1930 power station building of the Congleton Corporation electricity supply undertaking which was nationalised under the 1947 Electricity Act and absorbed into the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB).

There is some rather nice terracotta work on the electricity substation at Congleton. CCES = Congleton Corporation Electricity Supply.

The sun was shining and I was passing through Bosley so it would have been a pity to miss out on a few shots of this place. On the site of a former brassworks at Bosley near Macclesfield is the works of Wood Treatment International Ltd. The company processes a range of organic materials such as SoftWood Fibres, Olive Stones, Almond, Walnut and Coconut Shells for use in a wide variety of industries including explosives, thermoplastics, glucose production and effluent handling. A major product is natural pet litter. With all the different powders around the factory is rated is a major explosion risk by the authorities.

A pair of nineteenth century running kilns in the Weaver Hills, Staffordshire Moorlands. The small size of the quarry behind the kilns suggests a fairly low output or short productive life.

Late afternoon on a desperately cold day and the sun is setting fast as SY 0791 hurries the empties towards Sanjing Mine on the Meihekou Coal Railway.

Not too much for this crewman to do on SY 0746 at the Donghaikuang mine system at Jixi.

I happened upon this fine stone lined tunnel whilst investigating something completely different. Only having time for a quick peek, this will have to wait for another day. There was a small flow of water on the floor as the passage headed quite steeply uphill. I wonder where it goes?

My favourite power station, this time viewed across the Mersey from Daresbury Firs.

East Cheshire is a great place to live if you like this sort of landscape. Looking north-east from Bosley Cloud over Rough Hay and into the Peak National Park.

Comma ( Polygonia c-album ). Both sides of the same individual on an oak leaf at Newchurch Common.