Five Months Late
Wow, didn't meant to slip this late. My usual is one blog a month or so. Things have been a little slow recently but now I'm just about caught up, a few more to upload but I'll get on with those later.
So my last blog left off in December, I was writing about my plans to visit the Great Central Railway gala.
I spent two days up on the line, the first was a Friday and two wheels was the mode of transport. The plan was to treat it as a geographing trip so I got in a few extra sites like the Mountsorrel branch. Saturday was spent with fellow geographer Chris Allen with a day rider. We visited the stations, bagged a few locomotives and checked out new features like the turntable and cafe at Quorn. The sight of 70013 speeding through on the Mail train was excellent and highly recommended.
Next was a quick rooftop 360 snap from a nightclub roof in Leicester. Before you ask I had permission!
Next was a weekend up North visiting various important industrial sites. Me and Chris started out in Stoke seeing all the pottery kilns before heading off to Apedale to visit a working coal mine. This was a real treat for me. Plus next door was a railway! Mostly diesel engines in the collection but me and Chris were both taken through the collection with the chief engineer.
Not too far away was another location that had been on 'the list' for a while. The weather was patchy but I got the shots I wanted. Cheddleton has a long history of corn grinding before flint paste production.
The next day we had an early start for a day up in and around Bolton. Steam galore at Elland road with its massive mill engine. All in all a great productive weekend with many out of limit sites ticked off the list.
But had me and Chris finished? Of course not!
Not long after Derbyshire was calling, this trip covered mostly new ground for both of us.
After a pickup from Burton upon Trent the first port of call was Calton Hill quarry in Derbyshire. The quarry here exposed a dolerite sill and basaltic vent from a carboniferous volcano. A mini giants causeway was seen along with rare olivine inclusions from the depths (45km).
Down the road was Millers dale station where the former mainline provided access to the viaducts and limekilns. The kiln to the west of the station would look more at home on one of the once occupied channel islands with its hard concrete figure built into the rock.
Things worked out perfectly as Litton Mill was less than a five minute walk to a rock exposure in the railway line which was investigated briefly by myself.
A short distance away Magpie mine provided our last stop, this Cornish like site oozed with charm and we were not the only photographers there. Shame the underground isn't as open as there is some good stuff down there from what I have heard.
One more location which was a must was Claudwell's mill in Rowsley, this was an excellent example of a roller flour mill with vintage machinery plus an interesting story.
A few from East Anglia
I took a few trips home over the five months. These were walks out with the family rather than specific trips.
A quick stop off one day was made to inspect the recently restored St Olaves pump.
This brings us onto the weekend just gone.
I haven't done much due to the poor weather but on Sunday I took the train out to Stotfold in Bedfordshire to visit the mill there. This watermill was burnt to the ground in 1992 but restored to working order and well worth a peek (its free). I'm currently tucking into fresh bread out of the oven, yummy.
Anyway the railway station was sited next to a medieval bridge which was a must and hadn't been done on geograph.
Today I took advantage of the good weather and finished off the Leicester to Swannington line in Leicester. I was plagued by bike troubles again (the L&S curse?). Firstly a flooded cycle path then 3 punctures and a snapped break handle. So in for repair again.
I have seen a nice mill on the river (Glenfield mill) I want to do, couldn't gain access due to the swollen river. I've seen pictures of the building from the other side with its wheel marks visible.
Anyway, what next....
I think maybe Charlecote and Stratford upon Avon next week, depending on weather. If not then Ellis mill in Lincoln and Hough near Coalville.
The weekend after I've a geology trip to Devon visiting various mines.
I hope to visit London in May to go to a mining event.
Late March has been put down for a trip to Ironbridge gorge.
So busy!
- When
- Mon, 30 Apr 2012 at 16:01
- Chosen Photo
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