Cumbria

The closed Florence ironstone mine sits in the sunshine awaiting its fate.

Maker unknown. Seen at seen Leegate Quarry, Pardshaw, Cumbria

It was a long but worthwhile climb up to the little gem of a limekiln high up above the River South Tyne.

Face shovel action at the Threlkeld Quarry photoshoot.

ALPHA (Hudswell Clarke 1172) newly restored at Stanfold Barn is shunting across the access road at Threlkeld Quarry. In the background outside the shed is resident Bagnall SIR TOM.

The Furness Railway Company's main line west of Ulverston opened in 1854 but was built with tight curves and steep gradients that proved problematic for heavy freight trains. In 1876 and 1881 the company obtained Acts for the construction of a new double-track railway line following the north coast of Morecambe Bay from Ulverston to Barrow to provide an alternative route. Only two miles of this proposed line was ever built before the scheme was abandoned. This section, from Plumpton Junction, east of Ulverston, to Bardsea (Priory Station), opened in 1883. To carry this new railway track across the Ulverston Canal a sliding bridge, designed by the engineer Frank Stileman (1851-1912), was installed. A bridge with a moveable subsidiary framework was built at 90 degrees to the canal and onto this the railway tracks were attached, at 45 degrees to the framework. The bridge crossed the canal at towpath level. To allow boats to pass, the framework's central part was designed to roll back on wheels into a small dock built into the canal's south bank, thus leaving a central navigable channel for boats. The bridge was hydraulically operated, however the cylinders and rams were removed in 1952-3 and an associated engine house was demolished. A tall brick accumulator tower stands nearby on the canal's south bank. The bridge and tower are listed Grade II.

BRONLLWYD sets off from the siding by the shed at Threlkeld Quarry.

One of many small draw kilns to be found in a small area of Cumbria near the A686 west of Alston.

A small draw kiln in Cumbria high up on Haresceugh Fell.

Hudswell Clarke 1173 of 1924 - 0-6-0WT+T 'ALPHA' heads into the Threlkeld Quarry on a recent 30742 Charters event. The locomotive was restored to working order in 2016 at Statfold Barn.

This is the survivor of two banks of kilns on a site that was burning lime in the 18th century and continued until late in the 19th century.

There are three limekilns on the hillside at Snab End above Garrigill in the east of Cumbria. This one with its tiny quarry behind can only have been used a few times and the burned lime taken to improve the adjacent pasture. It is good order for something that is probably more than 200 years old.

Looking into the pot of a limekiln at Snab End not far from Alston Moor in Cumbria. There are at least five kilns along this particular hillside.

Flusco Lodge Limestone Quarry seems to have been operated on a small scale from the 1920s, but it does not seem to be until the 1950s that the four pot kiln was erected in concrete. It is unusually faced with concrete bricks. Map evidence suggests that it went out of use in the 1970s or early 1980s.

Setting green bricks in the kiln at The Furness Brick & Tile Co Ltd. The business has been established for over 145 years and remains family owned. The works can manufacture a vast range of standard and bespoke bricks to order. The transverse-arch continuous kiln has twenty chambers and is coal-fired.

Joffre class Kerr Stuart 3014 climbs the bank up to the quarry at Threlkeld whilst in the foreground the 1909 Ruston proctor steam navvy lays a smokescreen.

Crushing and grading plant at the Cemex operated Shap Blue Quarry. The ‘blue’ quarried granite rock is used exclusively for hardcore purposes, and as aggregate for tarmacadam and concrete plants. This stone is found to be superior to other chippings use in road making, because it does not break easily and therefore does not require replacing so frequently.

A visit to Threlkeld Quarry is a must for anyone interested in old excavators and quarry equipment. The quarry railway is an added bonus.