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Hodbarrow Hematite Mine


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Just wanted to say, many many thanks PGH for sharing - I find industrial history fascinating. I hardly saw any of it growing up being a 80s child, but saw many relics growing up in the NW England and outside of Edinburgh.  Always wondered what was there, or what was that from.

 

So big a Thank you!

 

J

 

Thanks for that 'Down_Under' I appreciate your comments, also thanks to the members who registered a 'Like' for the photos in Post #25.  It takes some time and effort to search out these old negatives then digitally scan and edit them suitable for posting.

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As promised I've had a look for my photos of the Marchon incline at Corkickle and have found the following. My negative scanner isn't very good and I'd not got the right software on my laptop but have sourced some, along with the requisite drivers. The photos date from June 1975 when I was volunteering on the Ratty as a Guard and used to go to my cousin's in Whitehaven every so often for a decent bath and some food. The Marchon Incline was visible from the back of their house so I went over one morning. and took these pictures.

 

The first three are of the brickworks railway which was part way up the incline. The quarry was to the south and the works to the north with a tunnel under the Marchon incline. The tubs of clay were drawn along by a continuous overhead rope with clips on each tub.

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The north end of the tunnel can be see here.

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The winding house of the incline could be see from the footpath where the above were taoken.

 

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I then walked up the footpath and got talking to the men working the incline. I was allowed up into the winding house/control room and took these

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I think that these were mainly coal from Haigh Colliery. The fulls were brought up the entre road and the empties were always run onto the side tracks.

The loco that bright the fulls and took the empties away was this.

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I also had a walk round the harbour and found the Marchon Enterprise.

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There had also been a whoopsie with a crane.

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I hope that these are of interest even though the colour doesn't seem to have survived very well.

 

Jamie

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  • 2 weeks later...

It seems that of all the locos preserved from Hodbarrow Avonside 1563 is the biggest restoration challenge.

 

When we obtained her in the 90s and moved her to Foxfield she was missing all the outside motion as it had been stolen whilst she was stored at the Red Rose Society site at Astley Green Colliery. She also had the gland end of one cylinder punched out from frosting due to the frames being stored outside without the boiler in and with nothing to stop water ingress to the cylinders. The cylinder drains were still on and closed and over the years water and frost had jacked the piston to the front of the cylinder and then literally punched the opposite end out!

The boiler... well that's another story entirely!

However she has a brand new smokebox and chimney which also now has a nice copper cap as the original drawings and the chassis is just about complete. Attention will turn to the boiler soon.

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1563, You're a hero to take on the job and I, for one, am glad you did as it was a great shame to see such a rare and attractive loco gradually 'fade away'.  I was at the old colliery site in Pemberton in 1969 when Roger Lees and Roger White had her in steam and were running the loco up and down the short bit of track remaining.  I've got a couple of slides somewhere. We (the Liverpool Locomotive  Preservation Group) were told to come and light her up and have a run if we felt like it and shown where the box of 'easily removed' fittings would be hidden!  We never did take them up on their kind offer as we were busy acquiring and restoring, first, Barclay 'Efficient' then Avonside B3 'Lucy'.

It seems a pity that that so few of the older Avonsides survive and I can't think of any that are running.

Keep up the good work.

Ray.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just tidying up my drawing files and I found these.

 

Marc

Hi Marc.

Wish I'd had those plans 10 years ago.I scratchbuilt a model of this little crane tank to Scaleseven standards and had to rely on what little published info was available at that time. The owner of Snipey kindly sent me some photos of the real thing but nothing beats a set of plans! Do you where abouts on the NRM website the above plans are as I'd like to get a copy?

 

I'll try and download some pictures of my model if anyone's interested.

 

Regards

Mike

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Hi Marc.

Wish I'd had those plans 10 years ago.I scratchbuilt a model of this little crane tank to Scaleseven standards and had to rely on what little published info was available at that time. The owner of Snipey kindly sent me some photos of the real thing but nothing beats a set of plans! Do you where abouts on the NRM website the above plans are as I'd like to get a copy?

 

I'll try and download some pictures of my model if anyone's interested.

 

Regards

Mike

 

It probably means that you will have to go to the NRM "Search Engine" in person to see them and arrange for copying!

 

It is best to book over a week in advance and preorder what you want, see website for times and contact details!

 

Mark Saunders

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We found them by accident while looking for some Sharp Stewart loco drawings.

 

Marc

Hi Marc

Is there a reference or particular words I can use to try and speed up my search on the NRM website? I tried using Crane Tank but not much joy.

 

I've got some photos of my model on my 'phone but unsure how to get them onto the RMWEB.Any tips?

 

Cheers

Mike

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I think we used the catalogue search on one of their computers in York. You could try Neilson or Hoddbarrow. I haven't used the online catalogues.

 

As for the photos if you login on your phone you should be able to use the "reply with attachments" and then go into your camera roll. other than that I have a tendency to email myself then attach them.

 

Marc 

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Just had a thought for those people in the area we will be at Workington model railway show with our 7mm Furness/NER light railway "Lowick" 19/20th of November. In the program it's down as its LSWR alter ego "Scratchy Bottom" but it will be Furness on the Saturday and NER on the Sunday. We can't yet run for two days as Furness or NER. so I have set the layout in the period 1916-19 when locos from other companies can be used.

 

The feeder line on Saturday will be an iron ore mine so I can run my collection of Furness Ore wagons. Current FurnessStock list

  • 2x G5 0-6-0T
  • 1x Ashbury Comp
  • 1x Ashbury Brake 3rd
  • 1x Metro 3rd
  • 1x Metro Brake 3rd (Birdcage)
  • 13x 7ton side tippers
  • 2x 20ton wood and steel
  • 3x 12ton all steel
  • 1x 45ton all steel
  • 1x 10ton wooden
  • 2x Brake vans
  • 1x box van
  • 1x Gunpowder van
  • 3x 2 plank Slate wagon
  • 3x 3 plank open
  • 2x 4 plank open
  • 1x 6 wheel plate
  • 1x bogie rail

Plus a few PO wagons from the north

 

Marc

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  • 2 weeks later...

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