Lincolnshire

This Nissen Hut was spotted whilst mooching around Lincolnshire recently. It is in good condition and being used by a builder.

The Lincolnshire oilfields are exploited by Island Gas Ltd through a large number of wells. This example is in the parish of Grange de Lings, not far from Scampton.

South Ferriby works was built in by 1938 by Eastwoods Humber Cement.The first chalk was dug by hand and transported by bucket conveyor to the works and the clay was excavated from behind the works and transported on a narrow gauge railway system. The works was commissioned by three German engineers, who were called home due to the outbreak of World War II before their work was completed. Rugby Portland Cement Co.Ltd bought out Eastwoods Humber Cement in 1962 and installed a new kiln and conveyor. There are now two kilns in operations at South Ferriby: Numbers 2 and 3. The original kiln Number 1 was sold to a company in Jamaica following the works' first major plant upgrade in 1968. Today the South Ferriby works is operated by Cemex UK. It produces in the region of 800,000 tonnes of cement per annum and employs nearly 150 people.

Cement clinker store at the South Ferriby Cement Works. The works is operated by Cemex UK. It produces in the region of 800,000 tonnes of cement per annum and employs nearly 150 people.

At West Burton there are two power stations on the River Trent near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. One is a coal-fired power station, which was commissioned in 1968, and the second is a combined cycle gas turbine power station, commissioned in 2011. Both stations are owned and operated by EDF Energy. This is the coal fired station which generates 2,000 MW and was the first station of this capacity in Britain.

I finally took a trip to Barnetby to see what is probably the best surviving set of semaphore signals remaining in Britain on a main line. Visible in this view of a Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport train arriving at the four platform Barnet by Station there are nine semaphore arms plus a shunting disc. Some of the replacement colour light signals were already apparent nearby.

This pumping station was built by the Isle of Axholme Drainage Board in 1910 when two tandem compound steam engines by Marshalls Sons and Company Limited of Gainsborough were installed to drive a pair of Drysdale centrifugal pumps. Steam was provided by two Cornish boilers which were also made by Marshall. The site is now partly a museum and some of the old plant is demonstrated on open days. Both boilers are worn out but this right hand boiler would be capable of restoration if this was economically practical. In fact the remaining engine will soon to be powered by a small gas-fired unit which will be easily adequate to turn the engine over without load.

Oil pumped by the nodding donkey in the background is stored in tanks on this site for collection by road tanker. This makes it a bonded site with a range of draconian penalties for anyone caught removing the oil without permission from HMRC. Grange de Lings, Lincolnshire.

This grade II listed building dates from 1867 and stands over the Boating Dike / North Engine Drain. It originally contained a James Watt low pressure condensing beam engine from the Soho, Birmingham, works, driving a scoop wheel. This was replaced in 1928, and again in 1952 with electrically driven pumps.

South Humber Bank Power Station is a 1285 MW gas-fired power station on South Marsh Road at Stallingborough in North East Lincolnshire. The CCGT plant was completed in 1999 and is now wholly owned by Centrica. This evening view was taken from Stone Creek on the Yorkshire side of the estuary.

Oil wells at work behind Gainsborough Central Station. The output may be fairly small but the quality of the oil is very high.

Cooling towers at the Scunthorpe steelworks.

The sliding bridge at Keadby was constructed in 1925 by Sir William Arrol of Dalmarnock (Glasgow) and rebuilt in 2004. The original rail crossing here was a swing bridge with its pivot located at the other side of the canal to the drawbridge. Its replacement with a sliding bridge was to minimising disruption to rail services during construction. It is battery operated using a set of 64 submarine type batteries which are trickle charged when not in use. The railway passes over the Stainforth & Keadby Canal on a skew. In the railway opened position it is supported on the nose abutment, the front wedges and the rear wedges. Control of the bridge is by the signalman from the adjacent signal cabin. An interlock with the railway signalling system ensures that the bridge cannot be opened unless rail traffic is prevented from crossing the bridge. The main actuators of the bridge are a set of hydraulically driven lifting jacks, two sets of electrically driven wedges and an electrically driven winch haulage drive which operates through an open gearbox with a six foot diameter differential gear.

At West Burton there are two power stations on the River Trent near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. One is a coal-fired power station, which was commissioned in 1968, and the second is a combined cycle gas turbine power station, commissioned in 2011. Both stations are owned and operated by EDF Energy. This is the coal fired station which generates 2,000 MW and was the first station of this capacity in Britain.

This pumping station was built by the Isle of Axholme Drainage Board in 1910 when two tandem compound steam engines by Marshalls Sons and Company Limited of Gainsborough were installed to drive a pair of Drysdale centrifugal pumps. Steam was provided by two Cornish boilers which were also made by Marshall. The site is now partly a museum and some of the old plant is demonstrated on open days.

Maerz kilns in action at the Singleton-Birch limeworks at Melton Ross. Three of the limekilns date from the 1980s with a fourth being added in 1996.

A great day out at the Scunthorpe steelworks yesterday. The furnace line is hemmed in by other stuctures but it is just about possible to see all four blast furnaces (the Four Queens) in this view. The water tower is a bonus.

M.A.N. type waterless gasholder at Scunthorpe Steelworks.