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More Industrial Meanderings

I realise that I haven't blogged since my description of an epic day in London at the end of August. However, apart from two weeks out of the country, I have been plugging away and it is now time to bring you up to speed.

The weekend of 24 and 25 September found me on duty at Claymills Victorian Pumping Station and I used the opportunity to add to my collection of photographs of this large and spectacular site - . I even got a PotY short-listing out of the weekend

On Saturday 1 October I had a free afternoon so popped round to the Avoncroft Museum and saw my first boat movements on the restored Droitwich Junction Canal (opened July 2011).

Sunday 2 October saw a long but satisfying trip with three of my usual colleagues. A long leg from the Midlands to Maldon saw us start with the Museum of Power . This is home to a large inverted vertical triple expansion steam pumping engine that has only been restored to steam in 2011 . One of my old contacts has been largely responsible for overseeing this engine's return to steam and we were privileged to get up close and personal, both below the main floor and above it . Beeleigh Mill and its Woolf compound beam engine were next on the agenda and we finished a local triple with a chance to look over the steam tug Brent . Finally, although we were flagging, a quick detour was made to see the tower mill at Stansted Mountfichet .

The 8 October saw me and my sister in Leeds and the weather was vile. Amazingly, two more PotY short-listed photographs were bagged . Sunday 9 October was lunch with an elderly aunt and uncle but a quick trip was made to Selby en route and a little industrial archaeology was taken at a gallop - .

The weekend of 15 and 16 October again corresponded with a steaming at Claymills Victorian Pumping Station and a few characters were recorded . There was also my fourth PotY short-listing in as many weeks - .

The 23 October saw me setting off for Hampshire with two of the usual suspects. Crux Easton wind engine was grabbed en passant to Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum where engines were in steam . Bursledon windmill satisfied our molinological cravings for the day and we then headed to Milestones Museum at Basingstoke (where I took no photographs). Here's one I prepared earlier - . The day was completed with a detour to Newbury for a preserved marine engine .

This brings us to last weekend. Saturday 29 October saw a local trip to Croome Landscape Park for a slightly less industrial but nonetheless man-made landscape - . I couldn't resist an infrastructure shot though - .

Sunday 30 October started with only one of the usual suspects with a few pictures en route to Derby Station to pick up Ashley Dace for a fun filled day of industrial archaeology. We started with a favourite of mine - Darley Abbey - and we were soon hard at it - . Next up was a very good guided tour of Heage Windmill - . We finally got to the main event - Leawood Pump on the Cromford Canal - to find it very crowded and difficult to get satisfactory results, and here are a couple of Ashley's - (thanks for the cracking view of my bald patch!). The Cromford & High Peak Junction Workshops were paid a brief visit and again well recorded by Ashley and myself - . And finally, a quick trip to Middleton top in the gathering gloom - - the last photograph is of a rare and deteriorated Waggon boiler.

Thus ended a most satisfying day in the company of like-minded individuals.