The CLC through Stockport

[Michael Delamar]

some more from the Skelton jnc area.

 

40163 passes 40136 at Skelton Junction - 14 August 1981 by Deadmans Handle, on Flickr

 

47214 on MGRs at Skelton Jn - 21 October 1976 by Deadmans Handle, on Flickr

 

24063 at Skelton Junction 27th March 1979 by Deadmans Handle, on Flickr

[woodenhead]

I wonder what happened to that tunnel in pic 3 - is it still there under that forest next to Decathlon Sports which sits where the scrapyard was?

 

In that picture of 24063 - look at the sleeper spacing on the centre track - it's like they've been grouped in twos.

[Poggy1165]

I always think Skelton Junction would be an interesting prototype, but you wouldn't half need a big room! As it would give me GC, LNWR and MR locos in my era, and lots of wagons, it would make me very happy. Hmm, I believe the next Euro lottery is over £100 million so I'd better get a ticket.

 

Thinking about it, in 7mm scale one would need the arms of a gibbon to work the sidings, so it ain't really practical anyway.

[bennyboy]

I wonder what happened to that tunnel in pic 3 - is it still there under that forest next to Decathlon Sports which sits where the scrapyard was?

 

 

[flyingsignalman]

Taking the train on 25/2/1979 to Sheffield to visit the Beast at university, my train from Liverpool was diverted over the Glazebrook to Skelton Jn line, then down on to the MSJ&A line to Manchester and then over the Woodhead route (how unfortunate!)

 

I took a few photos of the goods lines and here's the first three (I'll have to find the rest!)

They were taken just after leaving Glazebrook Jn before going over the bridge and are looking over the Irlam steelworks site.

[peanuts]

I wonder what happened to that tunnel in pic 3 - is it still there under that forest next to Decathlon Sports which sits where the scrapyard was?

 

In that picture of 24063 - look at the sleeper spacing on the centre track - it's like they've been grouped in twos.

if you follow the link to the urban exploreres site they show a report with pictures from inside the tunnel showing the bracing to stop it collapsing

[Edwin_m]

I think the urban explorers visited the one further east underneath the church, whereas Woodenhead's query applies to the flat-topped entrance near the scrapyard, which appears to be a separate tunnel or covered way with its other portal east of the A6.

[Arthur]

Taking the train on 25/2/1979 to Sheffield to visit the Beast at university, my train from Liverpool was diverted over the Glazebrook to Skelton Jn line, then down on to the MSJ&A line to Manchester and then over the Woodhead route (how unfortunate!)

 

I took a few photos of the goods lines and here's the first three (I'll have to find the rest!)

They were taken just after leaving Glazebrook Jn before going over the bridge and are looking over the Irlam steelworks site.

 

 

About twenty years earlier this would have been the scene,

 

 

 

 

Looking east, around 1960, they showithe Cadishead-Skelton Junction line as it passes over the Ship Canal.

British Tar Distillers in the left foreground, Partington Coaling Basin with coal tipplers beyond the bridge on the canal bank, The Lancashire Steel Corporations Irlam Works mid left and Carrington Power Station top right. The white building above the gasometers in the first image is part of the CWS Soap Works and the former CLC line between Irlam and Flixton runs by it and over the canal, just to the left of the power station.

 

Edit; The Manchester Ship Canal Company's 'main line' between Salford and Latchford can be seen running along the north (left) bank of the canal.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Arthur

[RJS1977]

Carrington Power Station has an unusual railway connection in that my father and his colleagues were involved in some experiments there late one night to ascertain how pure the water used for insulator washing needed to be to avoid shorting. Although they thought they were disconnected from the Grid, they still managed to short out all the signalling between Manchester and Crewe!

[beast66606]

I watched the demolition of Carrington - whilst travelling to/from Sheffield (as Keith mentions) and journeying that way for other reasons over the years, last time I travelled on the train and noticed the site, there were buildings and a road on the site.

 

I also remember the canal (lock, I think) signals on the other side, when I first travelled these were semaphores, almost (bad) model like as they were pairs of arms, projecting each way from a post, several of these on the ends of the lock. I only ever saw them off (U/Q) - they were subsequently replaced with colour lights ! (early 1980s iirc)

[peanuts]

realy interesting pics those especialy if you compare it with now !

britisj tar distilers is being redeveloped as a housing estate the old ship canal "main line " is now the route of irlam bypass including a large tunnel under the carrington line just to the left of the viaduct

 

and the steelworks/power staition is now irlam industrail estate (northbank) where the fourth of the ships is docked in the lower pic is a ship served container terminal

 

the steel bridge that lead to the cws works just before irlam station is still there but the bridge just before the ship canal bridge was demolished and replaced with an embankment using polystyrene blocks as hardcore of all things

 

the fireless steam engine that used to work the gasworks sidings that had been rotting away in a nearby park as a climbing frame is now cleaned up and parked next to the bypass just where by the new tunnel mouth

[woodenhead]

I remember them cleaning up the land where the Tar works was, a lot of effort was taken to contain whatever it was they were picking up, presume it has a very big clay cap on it for all those lovely houses - don't dig too far down when you plant your garden!

 

First time I have seen a picture of the Steelworks, some of the trains out of the Steelworks used to be routed via the Fallowfield loop past my parent's home - I can remember a train late every Sunday evening generally Peak hauled.

[Edwin_m]

realy interesting pics those especialy if you compare it with now !

and the steelworks/power staition is now irlam industrail estate (northbank) where the fourth of the ships is docked in the lower pic is a ship served container terminal

 

Just clicked with me where this is. Peel Ports are transferring containers at Liverpool onto barges for this site. I don't think any "proper" ships call here.

[woodenhead]

Don't get me started on Port Salford again.

 

This is the current unloading facility for containers, it uses inland barges from Liverpool, IIRC Tesco were using the to move wine as well at one point.

 

When it is built, Port Salford will be further east at Barton, this will still use inland barges as one of the reasons the Ship Canal and Manchester/Salford Docks fell into disuse was the increasing draught size of the deep sea container vessels.

[Arthur]

I also remember the canal (lock, I think) signals on the other side, when I first travelled these were semaphores,

 

Yes, there were semaphores and also wicker balls raised and lowered on posts. Sometimes signalling was not enough! In March 1969 the , then almost new, 1200t Manchester Courage, mistakenly engaged full forward whilst manoeuvring in Irlam Locks and rammed through the downstream gates. For the five weeks it took to remove and replace the gates 17 ships were trapped at Salford docks.

 

The locks can be seen in the first view just upstream of the Irlam-Flixton bridge, water spilling over the sluices to the right highlight them. A ship is exiting them in the lower image.

 

the fireless steam engine that used to work the gasworks sidings

 

The only fireless Peckett, it worked at the CWS Soap works, Irlam didn't have a gasworks (excepting the steelworks coke ovens).

 

....one of the reasons the Ship Canal and Manchester/Salford Docks fell into disuse was the increasing draught size of the deep sea container vessels.

 

It was generally limited to ships of about 10,000t, Manchester Liners had ships designed to work the canal up to about 12,000t. My one time neighbour, a merchant navy captain, told me that in it's heyday, a voyage up the canal was valued as the pollution stripped the hull of any growth and barnacles, saving a dry dock clean! It always had a distinctive smell and the water pouring over the sluices had a purple cast to it.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Arthur

[Michael Delamar]

ive been on the daisy duardo barge at the locks at Caddishead

[flyingsignalman]

A few more pics from my trip to Sheffield on 25/2/1979.

Partington Jn SB

 

Skelton Jn

The lines to Warrington run off to the right

Last view taken from the connecting line to Deansgate Jn, site of sidings to the right.

[bennyboy]

Here's a shot of how the bridge at Cadishead and the surrounding area looks today. When I was taking these shots I was lucky enough to catch one of those container barges passing, so I thought I'd include a picture of it.

 

[PenrithBeacon]

At Tiviot Dale Station, in the yard, were the remains of the CLC's first engine shed in the area which was replaced in the 1880s by Heaton Mersey. Most of this first engine shed was demolished leaving only the water tank which was at the back of the shed. Does anyone have a photo of this shed/water tank?

 

Regards

[Michael Delamar]

if the Caddishead viaduct was in such a bad way, Im wondering if the other similar CLC bridge over the ship canal at Irlam has ever had to have any major repairs?

 

some more flickr shots..

 

Stockport Scrap by Alastair Wood, on Flickr

 

Stockport Tiviot Dale Tunnel 10.5.09 by marky1969, on Flickr

 

47193 on 8Z40 at Tiviot Dale from the brake van - late 1970s by Deadmans Handle, on Flickr

[Michael Delamar]

40 leaving Wellington Road Tunnel 1978 by Deadmans Handle, on Flickr

[Michael Delamar]

Fiddlers bound at Georges Rd - photo by Hugh Searle by Deadmans Handle, on Flickr

[Michael Delamar]

92160 approaches Woodley with a Garston - Godley on Saturday 04/05/68

 

13CT10-06a by Vernon Sidlow, on Flickr

[peanuts]

if the Caddishead viaduct was in such a bad way, Im wondering if the other similar CLC bridge over the ship canal at Irlam has ever had to have any major repairs?

 

 

yes it has late ninties early naughtys

the line was slewed accross on to the now disused section and the trackbed and steel work completley renewed and refurbished the bridge between the viaduct and irlam staion was also removed at the same time and replaced with an embankment that as stated previousley was made up of polystyrene blocks .the track was then slewed back onto the now renewed section of the bridge .this made life much easier for the signalmen at glazebrook as the port clarence tanks no longer had to come bang road from trafford park everynight due to the weight restiction on the down line side of the viaduct negating the need to instigate single line working over the up & a t3 posesion on the down .

[Debs.]

 

That`s the 'Daisy Doardo' pushing the RESv barge from her stern....The Daisy has just been sold and replaced with a slightly-larger (and more conventional ship-form) Dutch vessel: 'Monica' (IMO: 8810750) on the Seaforth-Irlam shuttle run.

 

Container traffic on the MSC is set to massively increase over the next few years with Peel Ports` planned Barton "box" terminal soon to be forthcoming.......there has been talk of a new rail connection from the Barton terminal (on the north-bank of the canal) to the rail line over Chat Moss.