Birmingham and the West Midlands

The Black Country Living Museum at Dudley

'Winston Churchill' MW 2025/23	The Anchor Foundry	The Anchor Foundry	The Anchor Foundry
The Anchor Foundry	The Anchor Foundry	The Newcomen Engine	The Newcomen Engine
The Newcomen Engine	Brook Shaft	Brook Shaft	Brook Shaft
The Canal Basin	The Canal Basin	Sunken boats	Tin Shop and dram
Tin Shop and dram	Dudley Canal Tunnel	Dudley Canal Tunnel	Dudley Canal Tunnel
Lifting bridge to canal basin	Canal basin limekilns	Canal basin limekilns	Canal basin limekilns
Racecourse Colliery	Racecourse Colliery	Racecourse Colliery	Racecourse Colliery
Street scene	Tar spreader	Steel Trap Works

The Metro extension takes shape at Digbeth.

Outside Digbeth Coach Station

Outside Digbeth Coach Station

Outside Digbeth Coach Station

...And elsewhere

Hawthorns Station and train	Hawthorns Station and tram	Hawthorns Station, train and tram	Stourbridge Town Station
Dudley Zoo Railway, 1954	46141 on Saltley shed	92155, D149, D66 on Saltley shed	Class 31 at New Street Station
M51492 at New Street Station	86257 at New Street Station

Derbyshire

The Cromford and High Peak Railway - from High Peak Junction to Middleton Top

High Peak Junction workshops

Trackbed towards the Junction	High Peak Junction workshops	High Peak Junction workshops	High Peak Junction workshops
High Peak Junction workshops	High Peak Junction workshops	High Peak Junction workshops	'Cromford 4 1/2 Miles' milestone
Steam engine fuel block	Sheep Pasture incline foot	Sheep Pasture incline foot
Incline foot tensioning pit	Incline foot tensioning wheel	Incline status indicator

Sheep Pasture Incline

Tunnel under the A6	Probably a pump or valve house	The runaway catch pit	The runaway catch pit
The halfway stationary engine			Sheep Pasture Quarry
Sheep Pasture Quarry	Sheep Pasture Quarry	Sheep Pasture Quarry	Sheep Pasture Quarry
Sheep Pasture engine house	Sheep Pasture engine house	Sheep Pasture engine house	Sheep Pasture engine house

Along the line

Milepost '22'	Dean Quarry	Middle Peak Quarry	Cromford and High Peak Quarry
LNWR boundary post	Cromfordmoor lead mine	Steeple Grange Light Railway	Coal Hills Quarry limekiln
Upturned wagon boiler	Incline tensioning wheel	Incline tensioning pit	Incline tensioning pit

Middleton Incline and Middleton Top

Bridge over Middleton incline	Bridge over Middleton incline	Middleton incline top	Middleton incline top
Middleton incline top	Middleton incline engine house	Middleton incline engine house	Middleton incline fishbelly rails
Incline engine house boilers	Middleton incline engine house	Incline engine house boilers

Around Matlock Bath

High Tor Colour Works

Matlock Bath and Class 153

High Tor Tunnel, Matlock Bath

Park Head limekiln near Crich

Temple Mine

Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock
Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock
Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock
Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock
Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock
Temple Mine, Matlock	Temple Mine, Matlock, GB 1445	Temple Mine, Matlock, GB 1445

Tinkers Shaft

Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock
Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock
Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock	Tinkers Shaft, Matlock

Crich Tramway Museum and some odd spots

Blackpool loco EE717/27	Blackpool loco EE717/27	Dublin No 68	Johannesburg No 60
Johannesburg No 60	LCC tramcar No 106	LCC tramcar No 106	Main street
Coal tunnel at Chatsworth House	Monsal Dale viaduct, 1985

Hereford, Worcs and Shropshire

Herefordshire

Clodock Mill, Longtown

The water-powered mill at Clodock dates back to the 13th century. It has been restored to working order and still grinds corn as it always has. The water wheel was cast by 'R R & W Miles, Leominster Foundry, 1868'

Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire
Clodock Mill, Herefordshire	Clodock Mill, Herefordshire

Open Day at Bulmers Cider railway Centre, Hereford, September 1974

No 2 'Cider Queen'	4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley'	4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley'	4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley'
47 'Caernarvon'	5786 on shuttle service	5786 on shuttle service	6000 'King George V'

Worcestershire - The Severn Valley Railway from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth

The Severn Valley Railway in 2021

'1501' at Kidderminster	'40106 Atlantic Conveyor D308'	'40106 Atlantic Conveyor D308'	Kidderminster Station ticket barrier
'Pontllanfraith High Level Station'	'6960 Raveningham Hall'	'75069' at Bridgnorth	'D2961' at Bridgnorth
'1501' on the train at Bridgnorth	Coal drops at Bridgnorth Station	'Brymbo 1861' iron girder	'Catch me who can'

The Severn Valley Railway in 2017

'55018 Ballymoss' at Kidderminster	'7714' at Kidderminster	'7714' at Kidderminster
'1450' at Bridgnorth	'813' at Bridgnorth	Spare boilers at Bridgnorth	Bridgnorth Cliff Railway

The Severn Valley Railway in 1988

48233 at Bewdley	Longmoor Military Railway 600	MN leaving Bewdley	MN leaving Bewdley
Train to Bewdley	Train to Bridgnorth	Train to Bridgnorth crossing	BR Train to Kidderminster

Shropshire

Snailbeach Lead Mine - SJ 3744 0214

Tunnel under Blacksmiths	Blacksmiths forge	Old Shaft or Georges Shaft	Old Shaft winding house
Old Shaft winding house	Old Shaft winding house	Compressor House chimney	Compressor House, Snailbeach
Compressor House, Snailbeach	Compressor House, Snailbeach	Tunnel under Compressor House	Crusher House, Snailbeach
Crusher House, Snailbeach	Crusher House, Snailbeach	Crusher House, Snailbeach	Crusher House, Snailbeach
Day level, Snailbeach	Day level, Snailbeach	Snailbeach	Day level, Snailbeach
Day level, Snailbeach	Day level, Snailbeach	Engine Shaft, Day level	Engine Shaft, Day level
Engine Shaft, Day level	Practise boreholes and dynamite	Day level pneumatic drill	Day level flat dram
Day level end-tipping dram	Day level ex-coal drams	Ore dressing floor	Dressing floor and jiggers
Ore jiggers	Pumping house access tunnel	Pumping house access tunnel	Winding engine house
Winding engine house	Engine Shaft	Beam Engine house	Beam Engine house
Beam Engine house	Beam Engine house	Beam Engine house
Resting Hill chimney	Resting Hill chimney	Line to Black Tom Shaft	Snailbeach Railway main line
Snailbeach loco shed	Snailbeach loco shed	Snailbeach loco shed	Snailbeach loco shed
Branchline to the mines	Point lever by 'Ashburys'	Waste tip bridge abutments	Waste tip bridge abutments

White Grit Lead Mine - SO 3194 9797

White Grit Lead Mine

White Grit Lead Mine

Ironbridge

Lincoln Hill Limekilns - SJ 6703 0353

The Lincoln Hill Limekilns were in use from 1760 to 1870. They were fed from quarries and mines in the hill above.

Lincoln Hill Limekilns

Lincoln Hill Limekilns

Lincoln Hill Limekilns

Lincoln Hill Limekilns

Bedlam Ironworks - SJ 6783 0336

Bedlam ironworks was built in 1758 by the Madeley Wood Furnace Co. They closed in 1843 when Blists Hill Ironworks opened. Some components of the Iron Bridge may have been made here.

Bedlam Ironworks	Bedlam Ironworks	Bedlam Ironworks
Bedlam Ironworks	Bedlam Ironworks	Bedlam Ironworks

The Coracle Builders Workshop - SJ 6731 0339

The last original coracle shed in England, closed in 2003 on the death of it's owner, Mr Eusty.

The Coracle Builders Workshop

The Coracle Builders Workshop

The Coracle Builders Workshop

The Iron Bridge - SJ 6723 0338

The first iron bridge in the whole wide world, built in 1771 and the beginning of the industrial revolution. Pretty significant then.

The Iron Bridge	The Iron Bridge	The Iron Bridge
The Iron Bridge	The Iron Bridge	The Iron Bridge tolls

The Wharf - SJ 6671 0363

This is a representation of the tramroad that ran to the wharf from the ironworks above. The track layout is modern but is reasonably accurate.

The Wharf tramroad

The Wharf tramroad

The Wharf tramroad

Blists Hill Museum

Ironbridge canal incline

LNWR 49395, Blists Hill Museum

Ironbridge loading dock

Ironbridge mine adit

Nottinghamshire

Papplewick Pumping Station

Papplewick Pumping Station

.Papplewick Pumping Station

.Papplewick Pumping Station

.Papplewick Pumping Station

The Boiler House

Papplewick Boiler House	Papplewick Boiler House	Papplewick Boiler House	Papplewick Boiler House
Papplewick Boiler House	Papplewick Boiler House	Papplewick Boiler House

The Beam Engines

Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines
Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines
Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines
Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines
Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines
Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick Beam Engines
Papplewick Beam Engines	Papplewick disused pumping rods

The Underground Reservoir

Papplewick reservoir	Papplewick reservoir	Papplewick reservoir	Papplewick reservoir depth gauge
Papplewick reservoir inlet	Papplewick reservoir outlet	Papplewick reservoir outlet	Papplewick reservoir clay base
Papplewick reservoir tree roots	Papplewick reservoir cracks	Papplewick reservoir cracks	Papplewick reservoir cracks
Papplewick reservoir cracks	Papplewick reservoir cracks

Other Engines and Machinery

Merryweather fire pump	Thomas Matthews feed pump	Compound generator	Compound generator
Gas engine from the Plaza Cinema	Triple expanson engine	Triple expanson engine	Wallis and Steevens road roller
Linby Colliery winding engine	Linby Colliery winding engine	Linby Colliery winding engine	Linby Colliery winding engine
Linby Colliery winding engine

City of Nottingham

A weekend in Nottingham at a photography workshop gave a quick opportunity to ride the trams and see a few other things of interest, plus one old photo from the ark.

Nottingham's Industry and Railways

Bobbers Mill chimney	Scotholme Works chimney	GNR bridge, Cinderhill,	Central Station, GNR to GCR link
Central Station, 156411	Central Station, 222016	Central Station, 222016

Nottingham's Trams

Central Station, tram 204	Tram 207 at Cinderhill	Tram 207 at Cinderhill	Tram 207 at Cinderhill
Tram 207 at Cinderhill	Tram 207 at Cinderhill	Tram 205 at Phoenix Park	Tram 205 at Phoenix Park
Tram 206 at Phoenix Park	Tram 212 at Phoenix Park	Wilkinson Street tram depot	Wilkinson Street tram depot
Tram 209, Wilkinson Street depot	Tram 211, Wilkinson Street depot	Tram 218, Wilkinson Street depot	Tram 220, Wilkinson Street depot
Tram 222, Wilkinson Street depot

Nottingham Shed

Some old photos of the MR shed in 1962

46112 'Sherwood Forester'

49147 at Nottingham shed

Calverton

While my wife was doing 'arty' things at the Patchings art festival I found some narrow-gauge wagons possibly from Calverton Colliery next door.

Wagons at Patchings Farm

Wagons at Patchings Farm

Wagons at Patchings Farm

Staffordshire

Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway

The Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway was opened in 1904 and closed 30 years later in 1934. It was built to 2'6" gauge but used transporter wagons to take standard gauge wagons up the valley. Standard gauge siding were sited at one or two stations along the line. It was hoped that the railway would re-start the copper mining industry in the valley but this didn't happen. The primary traffic was milk from Ecton Creamery but this closed in 1933, followed shortly by the railway itself.

Waterhouses

The Leek and Manifold Light Railway met the North Staffordshire Railway (LMS) branch from Leek at Waterhouses at a joint station.

LMS bridge entering Waterhouses	Waterhouses transhipment shed	Waterhouses transhipment shed
Accommodation bridge at Waterhouses	River bridge leaving Waterhouses

The route to Hulme End

The Leek and Manifold Light Railway ran 8 miles from Waterhouses to its terminus at Hulme End.

Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Waterhouses to Wetton Mill
Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Waterhouses to Wetton Mill
Waterhouses to Wetton Mill	Thors Cave station from the cave	Thors Cave and station	Thors Cave station foundations
Swainsley Tunnel near Wetton Mill	Swainsley Tunnel near Wetton Mill	Hulme End to Wetton Mill	Hulme End to Wetton Mill

Hulme End

The terminus at Hulme End included a station, engine shed and carriage sheds. The station is now the visitor centre and the engine shed a welcome cafe. There was an idea to extend the line to Buxton but it never happened.

Hulme End Station yard

Hulme End Station

Hulme End engine shed

The Mines of the Manifold Valley

There are a number of copper mines around Hulme End, collectively known as Ecton Mine. mining here dates back to the Bronze Age, peaking 1750-1800 and coming to an end in the 1890s. Unfortunately mining had ceased by the time the railway was opened.

Apes Tor Mine	Apes Tor Mine	Apes Tor Mine	Apes Tor Mine
Clayton Mine	Clayton Mine	Ecton Mine	Ecton Mine
Ecton Mine loading bank	Ecton Mine loading bank	Ecton Mine tips	Ecton Mine tips
Ecton Mine managers house	Swainsley Mine	Swainsley Mine	Thors Cave Mine

Cheshire, Leics and Northants

Cheshire

'J Mowle' builders plate at Chester	'UP 6602' Grosvenor Park Railway	Chester Lead Works shot tower	Chester tobacco works waterwheel
10000 on Crewe shed, 1962	almost 45187 passing Crewe shed	46248 on Crewe shed, 1962

Leicestershire

61187 at Leicester shed, 1962

Northamptonshire

S&L Minerals No 45 'Colwyn'	S&L Minerals No 57	S&L Minerals No 35 'Rhiwnant'
S&L Minerals No 44, 1966	S&L Minerals No 45 'Colwyn'	S&L Minerals No 57	S&L Minerals No 63, 1966
Corby Steelworks No 11		Storefield Quarry No 11	Storefield Quarry No 11