Join me on my merry trek of old ruins, cinemas, railways and things that just catch my attention around Yorkshire and the UK. John.
View this post on Instagram Disused part of Esholt Waste Water Treatment Works. The new sewage works built in the 1920s by Bradford Corportion had forty huge settlement tanks (shown here). Grease in the waste water from the large numbers of woollen mills was separated off in the works and sold for use as axle grease on the railways, in paints and it also powered locomotives of the works' extensive railway system; in the 1940s these sales more than covered the operational cost of the works! The tanks were superceded by modern equipment in the early 21st century and now lie empty. Esholt is now a much less fragrant village 💩 #abandonedindustry #sewage #sewageworks #esholt #esholtsewageworks #bradford A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 28, 2019 at 8:26am PDT
Disused part of Esholt Waste Water Treatment Works. The new sewage works built in the 1920s by Bradford Corportion had forty huge settlement tanks (shown here). Grease in the waste water from the large numbers of woollen mills was separated off in the works and sold for use as axle grease on the railways, in paints and it also powered locomotives of the works' extensive railway system; in the 1940s these sales more than covered the operational cost of the works! The tanks were superceded by modern equipment in the early 21st century and now lie empty. Esholt is now a much less fragrant village 💩 #abandonedindustry #sewage #sewageworks #esholt #esholtsewageworks #bradford
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 28, 2019 at 8:26am PDT
View this post on Instagram White Wells Spa Cottage where in the 18th century were fitted 'two commodious new baths with sitting rooms adjoining for the accomodation of such persons as may wish to visit this Spaw. The medical qualities, famous for the cure of tumours and sores proceeding from scrophila and other disorders - recommended for - bad eyes - the spine - or the constitution enervated'. One of these plunge baths still remains in use. Also the cheaper 'Poor Bath' (now toilets) and drinking fountain. Sunny day on the moor, sadly the cafe was closed :( #whitewells #whitewellsilkley #ilkley #ilkleymoor #spa #historicbuildings #wells #drinkingfountain A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 27, 2019 at 3:23pm PDT
White Wells Spa Cottage where in the 18th century were fitted 'two commodious new baths with sitting rooms adjoining for the accomodation of such persons as may wish to visit this Spaw. The medical qualities, famous for the cure of tumours and sores proceeding from scrophila and other disorders - recommended for - bad eyes - the spine - or the constitution enervated'. One of these plunge baths still remains in use. Also the cheaper 'Poor Bath' (now toilets) and drinking fountain. Sunny day on the moor, sadly the cafe was closed :( #whitewells #whitewellsilkley #ilkley #ilkleymoor #spa #historicbuildings #wells #drinkingfountain
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 27, 2019 at 3:23pm PDT
View this post on Instagram Ruts in old double paved track leading to ganister and coal mines. Iron wheeled corves were hauled or pushed by women from the mines to the village, the stones were set down to prevent the carts sinking into the boggy ground. Mining on the moor ceased in the nineteenth century. #brandcliffpit #minerstrack #baildon #baildonmoor A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 25, 2019 at 5:45pm PDT
Ruts in old double paved track leading to ganister and coal mines. Iron wheeled corves were hauled or pushed by women from the mines to the village, the stones were set down to prevent the carts sinking into the boggy ground. Mining on the moor ceased in the nineteenth century. #brandcliffpit #minerstrack #baildon #baildonmoor
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 25, 2019 at 5:45pm PDT
View this post on Instagram Found it! Third pillbox in Steeton, squeezed between two new residential buildings. The two storey pillbox makes more sense when seeing this one as the tops of both are at the same level, with the taller one being further downhill. This pillbox appeared in the 1979 film 'Yanks' (pic 2) starring Richard Gere and Vanessa Redgrave as well as Charlie from 'Casualty' and Wally Batty (in pic 2) from 'Last of the Summer Wine'! Pics 1 and 2, and 3 and 4 are taken from roughly similar positions. Pic 3 was taken by Andy Wade who started the ball rolling getting them listed. #ww2 #pillbox #steeton #royalordnancefactory#incongruous #yorkshire #yanksfilm #wallybatty #joegladwin #steetonpillbox #pillbox #steetonfirepost A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 24, 2019 at 3:27pm PDT
Found it! Third pillbox in Steeton, squeezed between two new residential buildings. The two storey pillbox makes more sense when seeing this one as the tops of both are at the same level, with the taller one being further downhill. This pillbox appeared in the 1979 film 'Yanks' (pic 2) starring Richard Gere and Vanessa Redgrave as well as Charlie from 'Casualty' and Wally Batty (in pic 2) from 'Last of the Summer Wine'! Pics 1 and 2, and 3 and 4 are taken from roughly similar positions. Pic 3 was taken by Andy Wade who started the ball rolling getting them listed. #ww2 #pillbox #steeton #royalordnancefactory#incongruous #yorkshire #yanksfilm #wallybatty #joegladwin #steetonpillbox #pillbox #steetonfirepost
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 24, 2019 at 3:27pm PDT
View this post on Instagram Grade II listed pillboxes in the middle of a housing estate in Steeton! Built to defend a former Royal Ordnance Factory in the Second World War. One of only four known four type 24 two story pillboxes apparently! There is a third pillbox which I have yet to find (used in the 1979 film 'Yanks'), rain and fading light having thwarted me on this trip. #ww2 #pillbox #steeton #royalordnancefactory #incongruous #yorkshire #steetonpillbox #pillbox A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 23, 2019 at 2:48pm PDT
Grade II listed pillboxes in the middle of a housing estate in Steeton! Built to defend a former Royal Ordnance Factory in the Second World War. One of only four known four type 24 two story pillboxes apparently! There is a third pillbox which I have yet to find (used in the 1979 film 'Yanks'), rain and fading light having thwarted me on this trip. #ww2 #pillbox #steeton #royalordnancefactory #incongruous #yorkshire #steetonpillbox #pillbox
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 23, 2019 at 2:48pm PDT
View this post on Instagram Looking into the Second World War pentagonal pillbox on Nut Hill, which overlooked the nearby Gloster Aircraft Company and airfield at Brockworth (now Gloucester Business Park). It had an anti-aircraft machine gun sited to one side. The entrance has been filled. Barnwood ROC bunker (constructed during the cold war) is a few metres away. Nut Hill was bought by the Woodland Trust in 1999 and opened to the public. #ww2 #pillbox #brockworth #nuthill #uptonstleonards #antiaircraft #woodlandtrust #coldwar #barnwood #royalobservercorps #gloucester A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 21, 2019 at 1:33pm PDT
Looking into the Second World War pentagonal pillbox on Nut Hill, which overlooked the nearby Gloster Aircraft Company and airfield at Brockworth (now Gloucester Business Park). It had an anti-aircraft machine gun sited to one side. The entrance has been filled. Barnwood ROC bunker (constructed during the cold war) is a few metres away. Nut Hill was bought by the Woodland Trust in 1999 and opened to the public. #ww2 #pillbox #brockworth #nuthill #uptonstleonards #antiaircraft #woodlandtrust #coldwar #barnwood #royalobservercorps #gloucester
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 21, 2019 at 1:33pm PDT
View this post on Instagram Tender of United States of America Transportation Corp No. 5820 in use on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Over two thousand of these heavy freight class S160 locomotives were built in the USA for use during and after the Second World war across the world. Hundreds were in use in the UK prior to the D-Day landings and throughout Europe later on. They were designed to be quick to build but were not necessarily built to last. This example was built in Lima, Ohio and was used in Poland. #usatc #steamtrain #railway #kwvr #keighley #ww2 #poland A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 20, 2019 at 4:55am PDT
Tender of United States of America Transportation Corp No. 5820 in use on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Over two thousand of these heavy freight class S160 locomotives were built in the USA for use during and after the Second World war across the world. Hundreds were in use in the UK prior to the D-Day landings and throughout Europe later on. They were designed to be quick to build but were not necessarily built to last. This example was built in Lima, Ohio and was used in Poland. #usatc #steamtrain #railway #kwvr #keighley #ww2 #poland
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 20, 2019 at 4:55am PDT
View this post on Instagram In a cave in the woods... This small wooded craggy valley was scoured out by water from melting glaciers at the end of the last ice age with exposed rock cliffs along it. My guess is that this small cave (6-8m deep) was mined for coal or iron ore, it doesnt look smooth enough for natural erosion. Stone was also quarried in this valley and mined in the area but this looks too shallow in height for that. #cave #exploration #shipleyglen #eldwick #yorkshire #crawling A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 19, 2019 at 1:52am PDT
In a cave in the woods... This small wooded craggy valley was scoured out by water from melting glaciers at the end of the last ice age with exposed rock cliffs along it. My guess is that this small cave (6-8m deep) was mined for coal or iron ore, it doesnt look smooth enough for natural erosion. Stone was also quarried in this valley and mined in the area but this looks too shallow in height for that. #cave #exploration #shipleyglen #eldwick #yorkshire #crawling
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 19, 2019 at 1:52am PDT
View this post on Instagram I wonder how many people accidently got out the wrong side of the train and fell onto the tracks #blackout #trains #secondworldwar #londontransport #ww2 #gasmask A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 9, 2019 at 11:13am PDT
I wonder how many people accidently got out the wrong side of the train and fell onto the tracks #blackout #trains #secondworldwar #londontransport #ww2 #gasmask
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 9, 2019 at 11:13am PDT
View this post on Instagram Photos of recently desecrated war graves in Hirst Wood Burial Ground taken in November before the headstones were smashed on 3rd or 4th June (police estimate) and discovered and reported on the day of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The crime has been widely reported in national media in the UK (search if you want to see pictures of the damage). Gravestones of six of the eight graves there maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were pretty much destroyed. The Yorkshire cemetery is owned by St Paul's Church in Shipley in the Bradford metropolitan area and was opened as an extension to churchyard which had run out of space for any more graves. It has been closed to new burials (other than a few exceptions) since the 1980s and is now minimally mantained with help from volunteers. The Celtic cross here is not a war grave but looked like it was vandalised relatively recently. The CWGC have said that they plan to replace the gravestones and have cleared the debris and laid temporary markers. The six acre burial ground (only around two acres have ever been used) was opened in 1895 in the same year as the much larger 20 acre Nab Wood Cemetery owned by Shipley Urban District Council who refused to have a consecrated area in that cemetery for cost reasons (it would have required building an additional chapel plus other ongoing costs). RIP Arthur Sheard (died in a military hospital in WW1 and was buried with his four year old daughter who died the day after he did), Henry Hardy, Peter WM Bilsborough (killed on flying duty in WW2) and J (Sapper) Stephenson #hirstwoodburialground #hirstwood #shipley #wargraves #commonwealthwargraves #commonwealthwargravescommission #cwgc #cemetery #graveyard A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 8, 2019 at 12:25pm PDT
Photos of recently desecrated war graves in Hirst Wood Burial Ground taken in November before the headstones were smashed on 3rd or 4th June (police estimate) and discovered and reported on the day of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The crime has been widely reported in national media in the UK (search if you want to see pictures of the damage). Gravestones of six of the eight graves there maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were pretty much destroyed. The Yorkshire cemetery is owned by St Paul's Church in Shipley in the Bradford metropolitan area and was opened as an extension to churchyard which had run out of space for any more graves. It has been closed to new burials (other than a few exceptions) since the 1980s and is now minimally mantained with help from volunteers. The Celtic cross here is not a war grave but looked like it was vandalised relatively recently. The CWGC have said that they plan to replace the gravestones and have cleared the debris and laid temporary markers. The six acre burial ground (only around two acres have ever been used) was opened in 1895 in the same year as the much larger 20 acre Nab Wood Cemetery owned by Shipley Urban District Council who refused to have a consecrated area in that cemetery for cost reasons (it would have required building an additional chapel plus other ongoing costs). RIP Arthur Sheard (died in a military hospital in WW1 and was buried with his four year old daughter who died the day after he did), Henry Hardy, Peter WM Bilsborough (killed on flying duty in WW2) and J (Sapper) Stephenson #hirstwoodburialground #hirstwood #shipley #wargraves #commonwealthwargraves #commonwealthwargravescommission #cwgc #cemetery #graveyard
A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jun 8, 2019 at 12:25pm PDT
