Old rail lines Oulton near Leeds

geoffb · Post by **geoffb** » Thu 19 May, 2011 2:02 pm

try again

geoffb · Post by **geoffb** » Thu 19 May, 2011 2:10 pm

tried again no luck though, file size too big apparently, you can find it on Google Earth it is located on the A683 which runs from the A65 near Kirkby Lonsdale to Lancaster

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 19 May, 2011 5:24 pm

geoffb wrote: There is still an aerial ropeway in operation at the Claughton brickworks in Lancashire, it brings the raw materials from a quarry about 1.5 miles away, I'll try and post a photo from Google Earth Thanks for that info Geoff. I didn't know there were any left, it's good this one is still working. Here's a video of it in operation.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ0mwbeMILc

geoffb · Post by **geoffb** » Thu 19 May, 2011 6:32 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: geoffb wrote: There is still an aerial ropeway in operation at the Claughton brickworks in Lancashire, it brings the raw materials from a quarry about 1.5 miles away, I'll try and post a photo from Google Earth Thanks for that info Geoff. I didn't know there were any left, it's good this one is still working. Here's a video of it in operation.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ0mwbeMILc Thats great Phil. I used to pass under this every week on my way to work at the Morecambe Bay Gas support base on Heysham quay. it fascinated me to find something from the Industrial revolution still in operation! Adjacent to this there is the old ropeway which fell into disrepair probably 30 years ago. If you think about it, it is probably the most eco friendly method of getting the materials from the quarry to the works.

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Thu 19 May, 2011 7:05 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: Hi Parksider, probably the best thing I've seen to show how those aerial ropeways work is on the end of the 1971 film Get Carter. You can watch the scene herehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWfrpqGDJig&feature=relatedYou can see the coal waste being dumped straight into the sea, and so with it goes the villain Eric lol It just goes to show how times have changed in 30 years. That kind of thing would never happen today, the sea is jet black on the film. The aerial ropeway was really quiet an impressive structure as well. The huge concrete structures in the sea especially. That was filmed at Blackhall Rocks in the North East, the aerial ropeway has long since gone, but the effects of dumping so much coal spoil into the sea is still clear to see to this day. It's a very slow progress to clear the area up. I saw that a long time ago Phil - Ian Hendry the villain and Alf Roberts chucked over the multi story car park wall. I'll only park on the ground floor of those!!!! THANKS for that - it shows how it works superbly - it now however begs the question of an inquisitive mind why build an ariel ropeway out to sea - was it because the tide would wash the spoil out to sea and therefore there would not be a pit heap?

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Thu 19 May, 2011 7:08 pm

geoffb wrote: tried again no luck though Well we got there so THANKS very much for trying.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 19 May, 2011 7:59 pm

The coal spoil and waste was mainly dust, which I can vouch for from my forays into the coal ole as a lad I guess the thinking as as you say was to simply wash away and dispose of it with the tide. Very enviromentally unfriendly, but that's how it was in the old days.

w41tzer · Post by **w41tzer** » Sun 11 Mar, 2012 3:44 am

i remember the tracks going into a very deep quarry between this lane and the houses on A642, i must have been 50' to the water and that sounded deep too, if you want to see a local aerial ropeway/conveyor remnant find where the E+WYUR runs accross leadwell lane robin hood and about 400 yds from the road is a spoil heap in a field with tower from the transport system from probably jane and bye pit

Richard A Thackeray · Sun 11 Mar, 2012 12:10 pm

Plus, don't forget there's a reminder in the street name 'Quarry Hill' on the other side of Aberford Road (A624), running up behind Coopers Garage, from adjacent to the 'Old Masons Arms' geoffb wrote: There is still an aerial ropeway in operation at the Claughton brickworks in Lancashire, it brings the raw materials from a quarry about 1.5 miles away, I'll try and post a photo from Google Earth I pass that if I got to Morecambe/Lancaster on that route, & it's still impressive each time I go under itIn fact, wasn't Coopers garage built on part of the old Quarry workings? (when they moved there from 'Bramham Crossroads')

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Sun 11 Mar, 2012 1:17 pm

jim wrote: Hi Phill, those railway branches certainly look like Grandma's knitting don't they? Hopefully I might be able to unravel them to some degree. I have consulted old-maps map references 43700, 428600 and the Industrial Railway Society's "Industrial Railways and Locomotives of West Yorkshire" and "NCB West and North Yorkshire".To the east of Woodlesford railway station and Aberford Road three branches leave the MR main line from Leeds to Normanton. The first runs north west to Eshaldwell Brewery and does not concern us.The next leaves the main line on its north side and swings north east to a staithe on the south bank of the Aire and Calder Navigation. A "kickback" line runs south west, passing through a bridge underneath the main line and swinging west under the colliery line. This line bifurcates before crossing Eshald Lane (apparently known as Hesp Lane at the date of many of the maps) with the northernmost track continuing to a quarry and a number of smallish buildings. The second line swings south crossing Hesp Lane diagonally (probably the site of the crossing which aroused your interest) and then turning east to end between two large buildings, probably the brickworks.The third branchline leaves the MR main line on its south side and serves the Water Haigh Colliery, at the far end of which it swings round through 180 degrees, passing beneath the main line and serving staithes alongside the Navigation.There is also a connecting line branch which leaves the colliery sidings west of the pithead running west-north-west to join the quarry/brickworks branch immediately before passing beneath the colliery branch.Oulton Brickworks and Quarry, Woodlesford were opened by George Armitage and Sons Ltd between 1896 and 1908. This company also had rail-served brickworks at Howley Park near Morley, Lofthouse, and Thorpe. The Woodlesford brickworks and the railway siding had closed by 1955, although the quarry was still working with road transport.Water Haigh Colliery, Oulton was sunk in 1908 and opened in 1910 by H. Briggs Son and Co. The company also owned Saville Colliery at Mickleton, Snydale Colliery at Featherstone, Whitwood Colliery at Castleford, and Forge Quarry at Kirkstall.Water Haigh passed to the NCB in 1947, closed as a colliery in 1970, and closed as a coal preparation plant in 1971.This is what I like about this site....The info is fascinating and there's some great research done by some great lads........Well done and thanks for this and similar posts.