Cumbria

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.

This large draw kiln is one of several to be found in the area around the Clints Quarries in the west of Cumbria.

Derwent Bank limekiln north-east of Cockermouth. An interesting combination of two kilns of different dates.

Haig Pit at Whitehaven was sunk in 1914 and closed in 1986. The surviving buildings at the pithead were incorporated into a mining museum but this closed in 2016. At teh time of my visit the visitor centre was being used by West Cumbria Mining as offices for their project to establish a new mine for coking coal nearby.

Crushing and grading plant at the Cemex operated Shap Blue Quarry. The ‘blue’ quarried granite rock is used exclusively for hardcore purposes, and as aggregate for tarmacadam and concrete plants. This stone is found to be superior to other chippings use in road making, because it does not break easily and therefore does not require replacing so frequently. A stitch of three images in photoshop

Single small draw kiln at Low House Farm, Helsington, Cumbria. A typical small kiln to provide lime for agricultural improvement.

A trip to the Yorkshire Dales National Park included this view of a concrete and corrugated iron "Nissen" style barn in the fields above Dent. I doubt it will ever see the roofing sheets replaced as it probably serves little purpose these days other than as a shelter for the sheep.

This largeish draw kiln is on the edge of the moors above Dentdale. It seems to have been erected in the second half of the nineteenth century and was in use in 1892 but not by 1907.

High Chapel limekiln, Dentdale.

Haig Pit at Whitehaven was sunk in 1914 and closed in 1986. The surviving buildings at the pithead were incorporated into a mining museum but this closed in 2016. At the time of my visit on a very wet afternoon the visitor centre was being used by West Cumbria Mining as offices for their project to establish a new mine for coking coal nearby.

High Chapel limekiln Dent. It is listed Grade II.

The British Steel operated Hardendale Quarry at Shap with its four Maerz PFR (parallel flow regenerative) limekilns.

Sometimes there isn't too much limekiln left when I get there. This one at the edge of the moorland east of Shap in Cumbria has lost its front and now lies at the heart of a small nature conservation area. The owner was pleased to show me around his little bit of heaven in the countryside.

This was probably the best find of a day out in Cumbria. A kiln in superb condition, hidden away in a small plantation. Typical for the area with an oval pot and two draw holes. Even the light was just right!

A single small draw kiln in a tiny quarry just outside Dent, Cumbria.

Fallen pylon from the aerial ropeway that brought slate down from the mines and quarries on the slopes of Coniston Old Man to the mill at Saddlestone. The casting of the rope guide shows that the ropeway was manufactured by the Widnes firm of Richard White and Sons.

The former Central Fire Station on Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, was built in 1911 by the Borough Surveyors under architect Arthur Race. The terracotta for this Grade II listed building was supplied by Burmantofts of Leeds.

This Quarry received a new plant in 1999 and since 2009 supplies around 650,000 tonnes of crushed kiln feed limestone from Shap Beck to Shap Fell processing plant nearby (Tata steel) and used in the large scale production of lime for steelmaking. The quarry also supplies around 300,000 to local and regional markets and has an on-site plant for making asphalt for road surfacing. There are 21 people employed directly and the quarry supports a further 30 jobs for drivers and contractors. The site extends to 118 hectares and is operated by the Hanson Aggregates division of the Heidelberg group.