The Jumbles crane

The construction of the Stocks Reservoir was undertaken by the Fylde Water Board between 1921 and 1932. Stone for culvert arches and elsewhere in the works was obtained from Jumbles Quarry which was opened out high up above the reservoir site. A three foot gauge railway was constructed to move the stone and a standard gauge steam rail crane by Smith of Rodley was installed in the quarry. Stone for aggregate was first exposed here in September 1925 and larger stones were being quarried by March 1926.

On completion of the reservoir the quarry was abandoned and now, nearly seventy years later, the tracks and crane are still there. Apart from the cylinders which have been removed, the crane is remarkably intact, probably due to the remote and inaccessible location.