Yorkshire

Looking across the harbour to the two piers. In front we have the old section of the East pier, which like on the west pier in the background, has many benches for people to rest and picnic. An ideal spot, especially in good warm weather. Full screen essential. HBM to all, have a great week.

Whitby is blessed with many splendid waterside views. Here we are looking at the east side from the busy road-bridge. The other side of these white houses backs onto perhaps the most popular street in the old town area; Sandgate. Once large cargo ships passed this point to the warehouses some way behind me. Now this side houses a few pleasure craft and the lifeboat station (RNLI –see adjacent photo or PiP). Best full screen.

RNLB 'George and Mary Webb' at your service.

A high view showing this very distinctive coastline from just behind the Abbey. The next biggish place on this coast is Robin Hood Bay about five miles south of here. Many sea birds make their nest in and around these cliffs and as you can see it can be pretty interesting walking the sands too –but I have never done that here. - This cliff line is known as ‘The Scar’ and the ‘Islands’ are part of ‘Saltwick Nab’ which originally contained the Saltwick Nab ancient alum quarries. Of course there are still a lot of fossils to be found around here. A number of ships have met there end on these rocks too. Enjoy full size.

A high view down to the main promenade and quayside of this old town. We are looking on the main town here across the River Esk. You can see that it is fairly busy as people are trying to make the most of a C19 inter-lockdown gap. The foreground huts and shelters house the main fish market and if you look carefully you can clearly see the sign. In year past, there would not have been a gap to see the old quay, for the amount of fishing boats lined up to unload their daily catch –how things have changed. Fortunately, Whitby still does have part of its old fishing fleet and the market still thrives in normal conditions. The quayside here is lined with traditional shops and old Inns as well as a few fish ‘n’ chip shops. The statue of its adopted hero Captain James Cook and also the iconic Whalebone arch stand just right (out of picture) of the green grass area on the centre right. See Pips. Enjoy full size.

A few weeks ago I posted a shot on here showing the replica of the ship ‘Endeavour’. Here it is now in all its glory lying in its berth at Whitby’s Marine harbour. A full scale replica here, having been built in 1993 and towed here from Middlesbrough in 2017. It now houses the 'Edeavour Experience' museum. See Pips. More info: www.hmbarkendeavour.co.uk Have a great weekend.

Whitby's original railway station stood near to the end of the current platform, in the form of the offices, workshop and carriage shed of the Whitby and Pickering Railway; a single track horse worked line opened throughout in 1836. Its engineer was George Stephenson. It has been run through the years by W&P, Y&MR, NER, LNER and finally British Railways. Now it’s quite different after many modifications completed in 2014 allowing by 2020: 4-5 trains per day from the heritage line of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) and six a day by the present ‘Northern Line’ which is part of our National Railway system. Here we see, left the diesel having just arrived from Grosmont and the steam engine Repton on the right making ready for departure. Diesel No. D7328: BR Class 25 “Sybilla” –Built in Manchester by Beyer Peacock (Sulzer Ltd), entered service in 1965. Withdrawn 1987 from Cricklewood East after 24 years 10 months. BO-Bo wheel arrangement. Steam Locomotive: SR No. 926 “Repton” - ‘The Opimist’, SR Class V ‘Schools’ 4-4-0. Built in Eastleigh and entered service in 1934, withdrawn in 1962 at Basingstoke after 28 years of service. Worked for Southern Railway and British Railways. (was No. 30926 from 1948-62) Best full screen. Ps someday, I shall make a mini-series of all these trains in their full glory.

Britain has a proud railway heritage and we still try to cling on to many aspects of that. Here we are in the workshop yard of the NYMR (North Yorkshire Moors Railway) heritage railway system in the village of Grosmont. These wheels will have once belonged to a proud steam engine and might do so again thanks to the volunteers and people who work with and support the NYMR. Nice full size.

A few months back we walked an unknown stretch of the Rochdale Canal from Walden to the centre of the old Yorkshire village of Todmorden. Just as we got to the edge of the village I spotted this very interesting wall that may once have been a dwelling perhaps. Of course for us fans of fences and suchlike it offers a real treat. The canal itself runs just between me and the low wall here. Enjoy full size and have a great week.

Back to last years Yorkshire coast week and we are here in Saltburn-by-the-sea. A charming Victorian town just south of the industrial town of Redcar and north of Whitby. This was a cold, miserable day as we get quite a lot of on this coast but it was nice to stroll up and down this lovely pier. Enjoy full screen.

We are in the hamlet of Sandsend just north of Whitby, looking north-west, and as the crow flies the next sizable village is Runswick Bay, around seven mile north. Sandsend is known as a small fishing village but there were scant signs of boats nor mooring spots on our trip. It is better known perhaps for its child-friendly sandy beach even at high tide as it is now. There is in fact a rather nice woodland walk to an ancient ruined 13thC castle (Mulgrave Castle), but our day here was not one of the three days a week opening of the trail. Pity See PiPs and adjacent photo for alternative views from this same spot. Full screen essential.

Sea groynes are always interesting to see. We love to watch the sea splash around them and gradually cover or uncover them. Best Full screen.

A rather fine view down the cliffs to this old port taken form the coastal path. The old port can only be explored now by boat or torturous cliff steps. The old part, a derelict former ironstone exporting port lies on the North Yorkshire coast midway between Staithes and Runswick Bay. The modern hamlet is situated just to the left of that red roofed house on top of the cliffs. Enjoy full screen.

One of the fishing huts down in this cove. Someone’s pride and joy in the old flotsam fishing hut. See adjacent photos for full view of the other hut and sea-view scene. (PiP's) Keep safe. Herb

A view down in Port Mulgrave proper.

There are a few huts down here but this for me the best photographically. A nice view from down here too. See PIPs. Enjoy full screen.

Sitting in the old port area, at the end of the ruined pier are the remains of a possible portable crane or winch. The bottom left photo is a coil of metallic cable no doubt used for the winch now on its last legs of existence –a solid rusted mass. The top right shows what I imagine to be the top of another winch nearer to the old tunnel that brought the workers and ore here from nearby dwellings and quarries. The harbour was constructed by Sir Charles Palmer in 1856-57 at a cost of £45,000. Initially the harbour exported ironstone to Jarrow on Tyneside to supply Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited Later ironstone was sent to blast furnaces by the River Tees When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to run out Sir Charles Palmer established Grinkle ironstone mine 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east near the hamlet of Dalehouse and in 1875 a narrow-gauge railway line was built to the mine. The ironstone wagons from Grinkle Mine were taken over bridges then through a tunnel under Ridge Lane down a mile long inclined tunnel on a ropeway powered by a steam engine situated by the east pier then emerging in the cliff side 30 ft above sea level. The railway wagons were then led onto a gantry with bunkers on the east harbour wall ready for loading the ironstone directly into ships in the harbour. See the tunnel photo for the full history. Enjoy full screen.

Saltburn, a seaside resort on our East coast just south of Redcar. Today it is a place where tourist flock in warm weather to sit on its beautiful beach, walk the long pier and also ride the popular Victorian cliff lift on its 120 feet ascent/decent (see PiP). There is even a very nice Italian garden here but I shall leave it up to the visitors to investigate that. Here we see the front promenade with the lift from the far end of the pier and showing parts of the main town above. Another pip shows the opposite end of the pier that was entered in our HFF group some weeks back. Enjoy full screen.