Cheshire

A reminder of a Boxing Day walk a couple of years ago. It is being able to access landscape such as this within a few minutes of home that makes living here so enjoyable.

In 1937 the Staffordshire Potteries Water Board gained authority for the erection of pumping stations at Peckforton and Tower Wood in Cheshire, with a reservoir on Bulkeley Hill, whence the water would gravitate to a large storage reservoir at Cooper’s Green near Audley, for distribution to Tunstall and the Potteries. Most of these enterprises were held up by the Second World War and it wasn't until 1953 that the Peckforton scheme and its linking aqueduct to Audley had been completed. There are two boreholes where water is pumped from the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer which is near to the surface: Close to the Coppermine Inn (three pumping stations) and at Peckforton Gap. There is a holding reservoir at the Gap, from where water is pumped up 110 metres to a covered reservoir on Bulkeley Hill at 210 metres above sea level. From there a 27 inch steel pipe feeds the water under gravity to the reservoir at Cooper’s Green, Audley, 140 metres asl. The Bulkeley Hill railway was the hauled tramway used in the construction of the Bulkeley Hill reservoir and water main, including a massive anti-surge valve at the top of the tramway. There are foundations for a haulage angine at the top of the line. The climb up the track is approximately 105 metres of ascent. The tramway is on the route of the main supplying the water to the Potteries. This view is looking downhill from the top of the line.

One of the more interesting survivals of our local collieries is this Newcomen enginehouse that pumped the Redacre Pit in Lyme Handley. It may well have been erected here before 1800, but it was certainly still in use in 1830. The building has had some of its height reduced in the intervening years, but the site of the boiler chimney can be seen on the corner of the structrue. The back wall also shows the blocked up entrance through which the cylinder would have been brought. The shaft was outside the other end of the building

Pointed out to me by fellow flickrite Woodmine, this little beast graces a house in Hale.

Chemical nights viewed across the River Weaver.

There wasn't a lot of sun in August but I did manage to catch 6201 Princess Elizabeth in good light one morning as the Scarborough Flyer hurried past Nether Alderley. The brick building was the guard house at the entrance to the Sandle Heath munitions store that operated from WWII until the 1960s. There were extensive sidings here at one time, with the line into the storage areas heading off to the left of frame.

It's the cloud factory again, seen across the Mersey estuary from the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal.

The Macclesfield Canal has a long history of boathouses for storing pleasure boats when not in use. Those on the main line have been removed over the years, but there are still plenty to be seen along the High Lane arm which is used by the North Cheshire Cruising Club as a base.

Lining Mr Norris' pew - £1 14s 0d. Invoice from Samuel Plant to the Trustees of St George's Church, Sutton. The billhead features a goodly selection of the very latest in furnishings for the discerning Maxonian. A search of the trade directories reveals that his premises were at 58 Mill Lane which is nowadays Michael Dale Photography.

Eleanor Thistlethwaite, Confectioner, charged 5s 0d for a pigeon pie in 1853, which was certainly not cheap. The shop was at 11 Chestergate in Macclesfield and is now Jones' Jewellers.

Thos Alman, General & Furnishing Ironmonger, 24 Mill Lane, Sutton. 1 coal box repaired for the grand sum of 1s 3d. The premises which stood over, and at the south side of, the archway that led to the Victoria Mills were demolished when the Silk Road was built through to Mill Lane. This particular billhead has special significance to me because we lived in the flat over the shop in the mid 1970s. At that time it was the 'Home Improvement Centre' selling double glazing.

1858 decorator's bill for hanging flock wallpaper in Thomas Bullock's bedroom. The premises is still a furnishing retailer, currently called Medina Home.

James Davenport, trading at 29 Mill Street, Macclesfield, had to wait from 1844 until 1848 to be paid for the first item listed on this bill. The shop location has more recently house the Woolworths store and is now an Iceland frozen food supermarket.

Bengal Tram supplied from Royal Depot Mills at Park Green, Macclesfield in 1836. Tram is a weft yarn of two or more twisted strands of silk. The purchaser, Thomas Bullock & Son were silk manufacturers in the town. 1½% discount for cash in one month. It was actually settled in just over two months. The mill was demolished to make way for the architectural wonder that is the NatWest Bank and County Court in a building called Silk House.

Tanker narrowboat leaving lock 2 on the Marple flight on its way to the Ashton Canal. Marple locks are very rural on the lower half of the flight and shortly after leaving the bottom you then find yourself sailing over the Goyt on Outram's fine stone aqueduct.

After years of work by the volunteers at the excellent Anson Engine Museum in Poynton the mill engine saw its first public steaming recently. This horizontal cross-compound was built in 1903 by Stott & Co of Haslingden and had operated until 1960 at the premises of Messrs A Barton & Sons, wadding manufacturers, of Hazel Grove, Stockport.

The Widnes Free Library and Technical School in Victoria Road was built 1894-6. Architects for the building were Woodhouse & Willough of Manchester. The terracotta is of a very high quality.

The tower of St Paul's in Widnes was completed in 1907 and incorporates some nice terracotta decoration.