Cockersdale watercourses and mills

Si · Post by Si » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 11:16 am

Phill_dvsn wrote: Have you see these old maps Si? I haven't Phill, but Jim might have them. I'll spend a while studying them!Cheers!

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 11:47 am

Phill_dvsn wrote: jim wrote: Can you show that pit's site? I got all the info here Sihttp://savetongvalley.org.uk/docs/Mining.pdfIt's mainly pits around Tong, but it goes into great detail about them and how they were worked, it's interesting stuff. Phill, On behalf of all SL'ers,would just like to say I think your "offer" to this site is,as usual,interesting,informative and invaluable.Now THAT's alliteration for you !Well done,keep up the good work( a la school report fashion ! ).

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 11:50 am

jim wrote: Hi Phill. I noticed that, along with the gas works and brass mill, but thought I've enough headaches with mills and railways/tramways already to start diversifying! So as not to forget the "foot soldiers" either-it's guys like you who go out in the field to bring us these really interesting photos and reports.Well done Si/jim.....thanks for all your efforts.

Si · Post by Si » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 12:32 pm

Thanks, Somme!

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 12:38 pm

somme1916 wrote: jim wrote: Hi Phill. I noticed that, along with the gas works and brass mill, but thought I've enough headaches with mills and railways/tramways already to start diversifying! So as not to forget the "foot soldiers" either-it's guys like you who go out in the field to bring us these really interesting photos and reports.Well done Si/jim.....thanks for all your efforts. Yes absolutely, It's the intrepid explorers who started the thread and went out there who have done all the hard work... Well done all concerned

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 3:33 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: jim wrote: Can you show that pit's site? I got all the info here Sihttp://savetongvalley.org.uk/docs/Mining.pdfIt's mainly pits around Tong, but it goes into great detail about them and how they were worked, it's interesting stuff. This link will be very useful if and when we get around to looking at the Tong/Bowling Ironworks railway. There are brief mentions of Cockersdale and its environs, but nothing to help with our search. Pity the article didn't spread its net a little wider. Thanks for posting it - and for the maps.

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 3:53 pm

Si wrote: I've since noticed that, according to Google Earth, the line of the possible track that we observed from Old Lane crossing that field toward the small modern brick building on Whitehall Road, is exactly in line with Dale Road opposite, the gradient leading down to Cockersdale, and could have been in use before and after the embankment was built. What do you think? I've been thinking about this since we got back Si, and perhaps I have been barking up the wrong tree a little here (couldn't think of what else to do with it - the tree, I mean.....).If the railway incline in fact ran from where we propose, it would have made more sense for it to have originally run straight down Old Lane to the valley bottom from its inception before the Whitehall Road embankment was built. If the railway was still required after that date, then it would have to have been diverted because the embankment would have severed its route, and an alternative could have been sought via the course across "that field toward the small brick building..." and on down Dale Road. The site visit we undertook made me reconsider the lie of the land and the gradients we saw, and this seems a more plausible interpretation of the few facts we have at our disposal in trying to suggest a possible line for the railway mentioned in the gazetteer in Baxter's book. If only Baxter had footnoted his sources.....

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 3:57 pm

somme1916 wrote: So as not to forget the "foot soldiers" either-it's guys like you who go out in the field to bring us these really interesting photos and reports.Well done Si/jim.....thanks for all your efforts. Thanks for the thanks......and please remember to include Tilly.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Thu 26 Jul, 2012 11:09 am

jim wrote: somme1916 wrote: So as not to forget the "foot soldiers" either-it's guys like you who go out in the field to bring us these really interesting photos and reports.Well done Si/jim.....thanks for all your efforts. Thanks for the thanks......and please remember to include Tilly. Of course jim....Tilly too.Thanks to all.

Si · Post by Si » Thu 26 Jul, 2012 2:57 pm

jim wrote: Si wrote: I've since noticed that, according to Google Earth, the line of the possible track that we observed from Old Lane crossing that field toward the small modern brick building on Whitehall Road, is exactly in line with Dale Road opposite, the gradient leading down to Cockersdale, and could have been in use before and after the embankment was built. What do you think? I've been thinking about this since we got back Si, and perhaps I have been barking up the wrong tree a little here (couldn't think of what else to do with it - the tree, I mean.....).If the railway incline in fact ran from where we propose, it would have made more sense for it to have originally run straight down Old Lane to the valley bottom from its inception before the Whitehall Road embankment was built. If the railway was still required after that date, then it would have to have been diverted because the embankment would have severed its route, and an alternative could have been sought via the course across "that field toward the small brick building..." and on down Dale Road. The site visit we undertook made me reconsider the lie of the land and the gradients we saw, and this seems a more plausible interpretation of the few facts we have at our disposal in trying to suggest a possible line for the railway mentioned in the gazetteer in Baxter's book. If only Baxter had footnoted his sources..... I agree, Jim. Sometimes you get so close to something, you can't see the wood for the trees (barked-up or otherwise...)