INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY

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Sweden Visit � Motoring in Ireland � Cockatoo Island � Buffalo GrainElevators � Weston Pier � Amberley Lime Kilns � £2m for Buildings at Risk

158AUTUMN

2011

AIA visit to Sweden,30 May – 4 June 2011

This was a truly remarkable trip. It included threeUNESCO World Heritage Sites; two hard-rockmines both with histories of several centuries;two ‘Lancashire’ hearths - which were the basisof Sweden’s leading position as a supplier ofquality steels; and a completely preservedbaroque theatre! All this was within 200km, westand north, of Stockholm.

Richard Hartree

We started at the Drottningholm Royal SummerPalace, a short train and bus journey fromStockholm, where there is a perfectly preservedbaroque theatre. Built in 1766, it had summer usefor less than thirty years and, with a change ofking and his tastes, it was used as a furniturestore until its ‘rediscovery’ in the 1920s. It wasthen carefully restored with the royal boxreplaced by special central seats and an electricallighting system replacing candles. All the originalstage machinery, man-powered by windlassesand capstan, was still in working order exceptwhere rats had eaten the ropes. The theatre is stillused in the summer for productions of baroqueoperas, all in period style. Originally the crew of25 stagehands were seamen used to suchmachinery; now they are professionals from themain Stockholm theatres doing a ‘summer job’.Scene changes of flats and drops can becompleted in 4 seconds! We had a good look atall the machinery and heard the ‘thunder- box’thundering. It was our first World Heritage Site.

Mining for copper and gold at Falun(Kopparberget or Copper Mountain) wascontinuous from the 10th to the 20th centuries. Itwas hard rock underground mining with verticalshafts and horizontal galleries. The main shaft is450 metres deep. All were cut by hand using fire-setting, though later gunpowder and dynamitewere employed to weaken the rock. OnMidsummer’s Day 1687 there was a huge cave-inand the mine became a big pit - rather than amountain. Fortunately it was a holiday and nomen were in the mine. It is still an impressive sitewhich in the 17th century produced the greaterpart of the copper used in Europe. It and theassociated township of Falun is a World HeritageSite, our second.

The silver mine at Sala which was operatedfrom medieval times until 1908, produced in allabout 400 tons of silver. It was owned by thecrown to monopolise its silver for coinage and itactually yielded about 50 tons of lead for everyton of silver. This was another hard rock mine, toa depth of 300 metres, with its own town site.Because of the value of the ore fire-setting waspreferred to explosives. Apparently some 2 to 3cubic metres of wood was required to loosenabout a fifth of a cubic metre of rock! As a touristyou can now spend a night in the mine in the155m level.

These hard-rock mines drew on largesurrounding areas for their huge timber needs.Over a million cubic metres of timber wereneeded annually at Falun alone, much of it ascharcoal for smelting. Hoists and pumps weredriven by water power which required elaboratecanal and dam systems working all year round.

The ‘Lancashire Hearth’ was a Swedishdevelopment of producing wrought iron/steel

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INDUSTRIALARCHAEOLOGY

NEWS 158Autumn 2011

Honorary PresidentProf Marilyn Palmer63 Sycamore Drive, Groby, Leicester LE6 0EWChairmanTony Crosby 261 Stansted Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts CM23 2BTVice-ChairmanMark Sissons 33 Burgate, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 7AUSecretaryDavid de HaanAIA Liaison Office, Ironbridge Gorge Museum,Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DXTreasurerBruce Hedge7 Clement Close, Wantage, Oxon OX12 7EDIA Review EditorsHelen Gomersall & Dr Mike Nevell14 Church Hill, Luddenden, Halifax HX2 6PZIA News EditorChris BarneyThe Barn, Back Lane, Birdingbury CV23 8ENAffiliated Societies OfficerVacantConference SecretaryJohn McGuinness29 Altwood Road, Maidenhead SL6 4PBEndangered Sites OfficerAmber PatrickFlat 2, 14 Lypiatt Terrace, Cheltenham GL50 2SXLibrarian and ArchivistJohn PowellIronbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DXPublicity OfficerRoy Murphy3 Wellington Road, Ombersley, Worcs WR9 0DZRecording Awards OfficerDr Victoria Beauchamp3 Parsonage Court, Parsonage Crescent, Walkley, Sheffield S6 5BJSales OfficerRoger FordBarn Cottage, Bridge Street, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV15 6AFCouncil MembersDavid Alderton (Heritage Alliance)Bill Barksfield (overseas trips)Mike Bone (Heritage Alliance)Dr Robert Carr (BA Awards)Dr Paul Collins (Conservation Award & Partnerships)Steve Dewhirst (Conservation Award)Michael Messenger (Website manager)Stephen Miles (Conference bookings)Paul Saulter (overseas trips)Mark Watson (TICCIH GB National Rep)Dr Ian West (Health & Safety)Honorary Vice-PresidentsProf Angus Buchanan Sir Neil CossonsProf John Hume Stuart B. Smith

Liaison OfficerDavid de Haan and Anne Sutherland (assistant), AIA LiaisonOffice, The Ironbridge Institute, Ironbridge Gorge Museum,Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DX. Tel: 01325 359846. E-mail: aia-enquiries@contacts.bham.ac.ukWebsite: www.industrial-archaeology.org

COVER PICTURE

The Great Pit at Falun, Sweden, 95 metres Deep. Attimes the mine accounted for two thirds of the world’soutput of copper

Photo: Bill Barksfield

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INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—3

from pig iron, akin to puddling. At EngelsbergBruk there is a well preserved blast furnace whichoperated from 1779 to 1919 – producing all of 10tonnes a day. The blowers and hoists were drivenby water wheels. Just up river was a ‘LancashireHearth’ forge with two hearths and a triphammer, again with its own water wheel. Quite anumber of the buildings of the ‘bruk’ or villageare preserved and the whole complex is a WorldHeritage Site.

We saw another ‘Lancashire Hearth’ forgeplant at Trångfors near the Stromsholm Canal.This had four ‘Lancashire Hearths’ and a water-powered trip hammer. Its restoration, since 1988,has been entirely by volunteer activity. We werevery impressed by the work that had been done.

The Stromsholm canal was built in 1772-95for the export of iron bars. 100km of waterwaywere achieved by 12km of artificial waterwaybetween a succession of lakes. Much of theexcavation was in solid rock. It was supersededby the railway; the last cargo vessel was in 1948.The 13 locks at Hallstammer have a fall of 50metres.

Lake Amanningen is part of the StromsholmCanal system and on it is Oljeon or ‘oil island’which is home to the oldest oil refinery in theworld, not a World Heritage Site! It operated as adistillery from the 1875 to 1902, initiallyprocessing 1000 barrels each year ofPennsylvania crude and it continued blendinglubricating oil and greases until 1927. We wereguided around it in very lucid English by the 93year old son of the last manager. He had firstgone there as a five year old and now lived in theoriginal manager’s house on the island. It was aremarkable visit in many ways.

In Eskilstuna, the Sheffield of Sweden, wesaw the Rademacher forges. These were built inthe mid 1600’s with the idea of attracting skilledmen to Sweden to increase manufacturingcapacity, especially of firearms. Twenty of the oldbuildings are now occupied by craft workersincluding a blacksmith, a goldsmith, acoppersmith and one knife maker/cutler. Heshowed figures for the history of cutlers inEskiltuna – 2 in the late 1700s, up to 180 in the1800s and now back to 2 again, he being one ofthem; much like Sheffield!

Eskilstuna had a good industrial/technicalmuseum with a fine show of machine tools byMunktells, the local maker. There was a display ofstationary steam engines and a Britishlocomotive; much to our delight.

The Swedish Railway Museum in Gävle wasanother part of the tour. The main museum is in aconverted roundhouse. Exhibits were wellpresented and labelled. The Beyer Peacock locosfrom Manchester in 1856 had been the first inSweden. A hundred years later Sweden wasexporting locos, steam and then electric, ASEA ofcourse. There was the usual display of Pullmancars, with second and third class as well.

A preserved linesman’s cottage gave anopportunity to learn a little about the linesman’sduties. He was expected to walk the track beforeeach train. This included clearing snow. Hisplough was for only one rail which he would push

Engelsberg earth and timber blast furnace as reconstructed in 1878. It was last blown in 1919 Photo: Bill Barksfield

Lancashire forge at Engelsberg. This used an adaptation of the ‘puddling’ process to suit charcoal Photo: Bill Barksfield

Trip hammer at Trångfors to work the iron into bar. Last used in 1919 Photo: Bill Barksfield

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for maybe 2km before turning on to the other railto push ‘home’! He had a day off every otherSunday, but had to cover for his neighbour on theother Sunday. The cottage had some land andoutbuildings attached so the he could keep somelivestock and grow some produce but only for his‘own consumption’.

Our visits to mines which produced wealth insilver and gold have been mentioned. Our finalvisit was to the site at Tumba where the specialpaper for banknotes has been produced since1758. Some of the original buildings have beenrefurbished to form a delightful museum. Theneeds of security required the plant to be in anisolated location. The workers lived on siteforming its own community with school, hall,library, musical bands and sports activities. Nextdoor is the present producer of banknote paper,well secured but not so isolated.

For some of the party a very special ‘extra’was a visit to the Vasa museum in Stockholm. Theship is in a remarkable state of preservation andthe collection of items from her is very extensive.All is beautifully presented together withbackground displays on 17th century shipbuildingand fitting-out. It is an outstanding museum.

All the sites were well presented for visitorsboth casual and those with more technicalinterest. Information is intelligent and welltranslated. Our guides were excellent. The touristauthorities are anxious to promote industrialhistory. For more information trywww.ekomuseum.se orwww.visitfalunborlange.se .

This was the first AIA trip run by Heritage ofIndustry under Bill Barksfield and Sue Hayton.They have set themselves a high standard. We canhappily look forward to the future trips.

Motoring in Ireland

James Joyce might have called it motoroaring.Many AIA members will be motoring throughIreland this summer to attend the annualconference in Cork on 26-28 August. SouthernIreland is a place where post boxes andtelephone kiosks are green and signposts canshow distances in miles, kilometres or Irish miles.What adventures will our motoring delegateshave? The Irish Automobile Association wasfounded just over 100 years ago.

Robert Carr

The Irish Free State and Éire The Irish Free State came into existence on 6December 1922. It was succeeded by a new state,Ireland (Éire) in 1937 which formally declared it arepublic under the Republic of Ireland Act of1948. Customs controls were introduced on theborder between North and South shortly after theestablishment of the Free State. These controlswere maintained, with varying degrees ofseverity, until 31 December 1992 when theEuropean Single Market came into effect andthere are no longer any customs posts on eitherside of the border.

There is a slight difference in road signsbetween North and South. Also in NorthernIreland speed limits are in miles per hour while inthe Irish Republic they are in kilometres per hour.In some areas where Gaelic is spoken, mainly inthe extreme west, road signs are in Irish. Morethan 72,000 people in the Republic use Irish as adaily language - a spoken vernacular.

Since 1987 Irish road-vehicle registrationplates have displayed; firstly two digits for theyear (09 for 2009), then a county code (D forDublin, C for Cork, DL for Donegal etc), followedby a number with up to six digits starting with thefirst vehicle registered in the county that year.

The Irish AA CentenaryIn Ireland the Automobile Association plays moreof an establishment role than it does in the UK.This is because when the Irish Free State was setup there were few existing Irish organisations tocarry out the routine functions of government. Forinstance from 1922 the AA has dealt withcustoms documents for motorists andinternational driving licences.

Last year saw the centenary of the IrishAutomobile Association and An Post, the state-owned provider of postal services in the Republicof Ireland, issued a 55c commemorative stamp on14 October. This showed a patrolman on amotorcycle combination in full uniform giving thetraditional AA salute. In 1910 Ireland had about55,000 miles of roads and the total of registeredmotor vehicles was just over 7,800. The Irish AAwas established at 12 College Green in Dublin, itsobjectives being to improve the state of the

roads, organise opposition to speed restrictionsand set up a national system of warning anddirectional signs of which there were hardly anyIn the first year they put up 4,000 road signs.

Initially AA patrolmen used bicycles, andcarrying tools rode about looking for members indistress. They would also warn of hidden speedtraps by saluting cars which displayed an AAbadge. The authorities claimed that this wasillegal, so a convention was established thatpatrolmen would salute members unless therewas a speed trap ahead. As well as potholes otherproblems to be confronted were heavy taxation,permits and car theft. The AA campaigned for thebetter use of car owners’ tax contributions andhas always remained strictly apolitical, beingscrupulously careful to avoid any kind of politicaldonation.

During the Great War of 1914-18 and theIrish War of Independence, private motoringalmost came to an end. The partition of Irelandbetween the six north-eastern counties andtwenty six counties of Southern Ireland tookplace on 3 May 1921. In 1922 the Irish Free Statewas established and almost all ties with theUnited Kingdom were severed. New ways ofdoing things had to be introduced quickly. Atimportant border crossings AA Frontier Officerswere on duty to assist members.

About 1925 the first AA patrols usingdistinctive yellow and black motorcyclecombinations appeared and the first AA phonebox was installed in 1925. The first Irish edition ofthe AA members’ handbook came out in 1927and the first AA road book of Ireland waspublished in 1931. In 1938 a secondcomprehensive road signposting scheme wasstarted.

Some old dark-yellow & black AA roundelroad signs can sometimes still be seen. A townsign has the name of the place displayed on ablack horizontal bar across the middle withdistances to nearby places above and below it.The slogan ‘safety first’ appears at the bottom.

Cockatoo Island inSydney Harbour

First a prison and then, for 150 years, a navalshipyard this island is now open to the publicwith the extensive remains of an industry whichonce employed 3500 and over its life had built,docked or slipped over 12000 ships.

Chris Barney

The south shore of Sydney Harbour, sometimesdescribed as the finest anchorage in the world,was largely marshy when the first white settlersarrived in 1788 while the north shore was evenless inviting as it is steep, rocky and mostlycovered in a near impenetrable forest. In theharbour are a number of islands, most of thembare rocks and waterless. Cockatoo Island is oneof these, originally about 32 acres and around 50feet high consisting of Sydney sandstone, a

AA Duncormick Road Sign Wikipedia Commons

AA Ireland centenary stampReproduced by courtesy of An Post ©

superb building material. It is about two milesupstream of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

In 1839 the Governor of New South Walesdecided that it should be used to accommodateconvicts brought back from the recidivist prisonon Norfolk Island and they were put to workbuilding their accommodation as well as largegrain silos, dug into the rock, to store corn againstthe periodic poor harvests. As is normal withprisons, the accommodation rapidly becameseriously overcrowded.

From 1845 there were proposals to build agraving dock for the navy using convict labourwith the intention of using the same labour towork on the ships once the dock was in use. Workbegan in 1847 but the dock was not completeuntil 1857 by which time 1.5 million cubic feet ofrock had been excavated. Subsequently known asthe Fitzroy Dock, it was initially 284 feet long and58 feet wide. It was closed by a galvanised ironcaisson prefabricated in Blackwall, London andassembled at Cockatoo. The steam pumpingmachinery was also built in London by Georgeand Sir John Rennie.

It soon became apparent that a larger dockwas needed with one report stating that “….anyincreased dimensions would be simply a matterof more excavation ….. I have thought it shouldslightly exceed the dimensions of those otherdocks described, [Chatham, Portsmouth, Maltaand Melbourne] so that we may truly boast ofhaving the largest single dock in existence.” By1880 the dock had been extended twice to nearly500 feet and “…being now long enough to takein any ship in the world but one [the GreatEastern]..”. It was, however, not deep enough andin this form it still exists.

In the same year (1880) plans were approvedfor a new dock at Cockatoo suitable for thedeepest vessels including ironclads and largerthan any other dock then existing. This was to be

the Sutherland Dock with a length of 638 feet(subsequently increased to 680 feet) and a depthof about 26 feet which would haveaccommodated the hull of the Great Easternwithout her paddle wheel sponsons. The slidingcaisson was 90 feet long and the pumpingmachinery was by James Watt and Company.

A report from 1886 states that “The dock is inalmost constant occupation, HM war-ships,foreign men-of-war, and the mail-ships of thePMS Company being regularly accommodatedthere, together with the numerous fleet of tugs,dredges, etc., belonging to the ColonialGovernment. Dredges, tugs, and punts for theDredge Service are built at the island, a large staffof mechanics being constantly employed for thispurpose ….”

Nevertheless by 1900 the dockyard was in apoor shape and there were allegations ofmismanagement. Under a new superintendantthe facilities were improved to the extent thatthey could build and equip substantial vesselswith all the necessary equipment includingboilers and engines. In 1907 the AustralianCommonwealth government approved plans forthe purchase of three torpedo boat destroyers,two to be built in Britain and the third to besupplied as prepared material for assembly inAustralia. Fairfields laid the keel of this vessel, theWarrego, at Govan in May 1909 and subsequentlydismantled her. The parts were shipped to Sydney,the keel was re-laid on Cockatoo in December1910 and the ship launched in April 1911.

After this experience the dockyard took onthe construction of a cruiser and three furthertorpedo boat destroyers for the CommonwealthGovernment. An experienced British managerwas appointed who reported numerous seriousproblems of staffing, solved relatively easily,inadequate machine tools which led to abureaucratic nightmare of dispute between thevarious authorities and most importantly aninadequate electrical power supply. A new powerplant was urgently needed but through furtheradministrative delays this was not completeduntil 1919. Meanwhile, at one time, generatorsintended for a ship under construction werecalled into service with steam supplied byborrowed locomotive boilers. Despite all theproblems, during the First World War, with some3000 men working on the island 500 ships weredocked and 22 built. There had been a hugeprogramme of development to bring the facilitiesin line with modern requirements.

After the end of the war, amidst muchdisagreement on the ownership and the form ofmanagement, Cockatoo Dockyard movedtowards commercial work for private customerswhich led to further disputes with other shipyardsalleging unfair competition. With inadequategovernment work available employment fell to

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—5

Cockatoo Island in 1944. About half of the sheds at wharf level have now gone but most of the buildings on the upperlevel remain. USS Gilmer (9) is in the Fitzroy Dock and HMAS Australia (3) is the the Sutherland Dock. The building slipsare in the background

Cockatoo Island – Fitzroy Dock. Caisson moored in foreground. Well known feature in backgroundPhoto: Chris Barney

500 by 1932 and the government leased thedockyard to a private company. This enabled themto tender for outside work.

Following the outbreak of war, in 1940, a newarrangement was agreed which meant that thecompany became the manager of the dockyard onbehalf of the Commonwealth for the duration.Between 1940 and 1945 some 750 ships weredocked for repair including many with substantialtorpedo damage. In addition numerous vesselswere refitted as troopships or had other alterations.The Queen Mary appears in the list seven times asdoes the Aquitania which on one occasion had heraccommodation increased by 500.

After 1945 the dockyard was busyreconverting many of the former passenger shipsand later refitting naval vessels with modernequipment. The last ship constructed on Cockatoowas HMAS Success, completed in 1986, whichwas the largest naval ship built in Australia. Atthe same time a considerable amount of generalengineering work was done includingrefurbishing turbines for power stations. The finalwork on the island was a rolling programme ofsubmarine maintenance which ended in 1991.

Much of the equipment and machinery wassold and many of the buildings dismantled.Neglect set in. However, in 1998 the SydneyHarbour Federation Trust was established to plana more positive future. Along with other defenceestablishments Cockatoo Island was transferredto the Trust. After necessary work the Island wasopened to the public in 2007.

Although much has been lost a great dealremains. The two dry docks are there althoughthey cannot be operated as their caissons arederelict. The main slipways are intact. Most of thelarge workshops have gone but the turbine andheavy machine shops remain and the bones ofsome of the machinery are still in place includingthat of a lathe with 100 foot bed and some of themassive plate forming machines. On the upperpart of the island, which is that part where therock has not been excavated to reduce it to wharflevel, there is still the vast drawing office and themould loft, a clear space 150 by 60 feet. The dockpumping station and generating station remainbut are not open to the public. Most of the otherbuildings can be visited at will.

Many of the 60 cranes are still in place andalthough some are in poor condition a devotedgang of volunteers is working to refurbish others.They have just completed work on a 1901 steampowered 10 ton machine which they had finishedsuperbly.

The iconic Sydney ferries provide an hourlyservice to their new wharf on the island and anexcellent leaflet guides visitors around.Information boards are intelligent though not yetcomplete. Some of the old staff houses can betaken as holiday lets and most imaginatively,there is an area where small tents have beenerected which can be rented for those who wanta night on the island.

The last day I was there an art college hadoccupied many of the tents for a week longcourse. They were also using many of thebuildings, though not exclusively and I kept

coming on ‘installations’, some in surprisingplaces. There are numerous children’s days andpublic events are held on the site of thedemolished buildings.

As a conservation project with sensible publicinvolvement it is impressive and very well wortha visit.

The HeritageAlliance and theLottery Fund’sStrategic Plan

Officers of the Association took part in a specialworkshop held on 28 March 2011 to prepare aresponse to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)Strategic Plan. The Association is an importantpart of the Heritage Alliance representing theparticular interests of industrial archaeology innational affairs.

The Heritage Alliance is the largest coalition ofnon-government heritage interests in England. Itnow brings together 90 major organisations fromspecialist advisers, practitioners and managers,volunteers and owners, to national fundingbodies and organisations leading regenerationand access projects. Together its members own,manage and care for the vast majority ofEngland’s heritage; their specialist knowledgeand expertise across a huge range of issues is ahighly valuable national resource much of whichis contributed on a voluntary basis for publicbenefit; they are supported in turn by thousandsof local groups and over 5 million members.

This consultation is so important to the futureof our heritage over the next decade that we havepromoted it at every opportunity, includingthrough our ebulletin Heritage Update, andencouraged all to participate in the events andthe on-line consultation.

The Alliance is uniquely placed to identify aconsensus from across its membership and tofocus on the more strategic aspects. This responseis based on the members’ discussion at a specialworkshop held on 28 March 2011. About 50representatives of national organisationsattended, many of them with membershipnetworks of their own. Over half of theparticipants had direct experience of applying forHLF funding and all were in a position to take anoverview of the funding challenges ahead.

Our response covers 5 areas:1. HLF’s strategic role2. Sustainability – heritage assets and

organisations3. Commensurate knowledge and skills4. Administration costs5. Current and proposed grant programmes

1. HLF’s strategic roleThe Heritage Alliance membership is hugelysupportive of the HLF, the scale and scope of itssupport to heritage and the responsiveness with

which it has listened to the sector and conductedits business in the current economic climate. Westrongly stress the principle of additionality isadhered to in the period of the new Plan. Even inthis economic downturn, HLF cannot and shouldnot directly replace the loss of central and localgovernment support to our heritage but it canand has adjusted its criteria, for example onmatched funding, to mitigate the impacts.

Making a positive and lasting difference toheritage and people’The wider scope of this statement and its implicitcommitment to sustainability met with approval.The less specific wording avoided the previouspriority given to ‘learning’ and ‘participation’outcomes that had possibly deterred potentialapplicants and, by being more inclusive, mightnow give applicants more confidence. Howeveradditional guidance on what such a high-levelstatement actually meant would be necessaryand any reference to conservation should be wideenough to include regeneration as well asrestoration. This new strap-line also affirms HLF’swider role in the cultural sector as champion ofour heritage and in drawing attention to theeconomic and social benefits it delivers.

HLF is a powerful advocate making the caseon national and regional platforms forheritage asa significant part of our cultural identity. Notleast, HLF funding releases the passion andcommitment in civil society to care for it andinspires others to enjoy it. Both these messagesare endorsed by the Alliance. As well as its publicvoice, we appreciate the way HLF engages inheritage/cultural forums and initiatives tostrengthen joint working for the benefit of all.

To read the full report covering sections 2 to 5go to the website below and under News openthe article – ‘The Heritage Alliance responds toHLF Strategic Plan’.

www.theheritagealliance.org.uk

The Future ofStationary SteamMuseumsA seminar at Kew Bridge Steam Museumexplored the problems and risks in operatinglarge historic steam engines in modernconditions.

John Porter

Kew Bridge Steam Museum’s seminar on thefuture of museums operating elderly steam plantwith a team of enthusiastic volunteers but notmuch else, took place on Friday 27 May. About 45people attended, from as far away as Darlington,Bradford and Rochdale in the north and Herefordto the west, as well as a good representation fromthe more local sites in south-east England.Delegates from the big boys; the National Museumof Science and Industry, Manchester’s Museum ofScience and Industry and Birmingham’s Thinktankplayed a very constructive role.

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This turn out reflects a growing realisationthat the days of a band of devoted enthusiastsrestoring and running old steam sites, primarilyfor their own pleasure and satisfaction, arecoming to an end. Ageing volunteers, reducednovelty, increasing costs for fuel and insurance,and the need to ensure that steam operation issafe for visitor and volunteer alike, is driving all ofus towards a new approach.

In his opening paper, John Porter, a Trustee atKew Bridge, pointed out that Kew Bridge SteamMuseum had made an operating loss in each ofthe past few years. Without a much appreciatedlegacy from a Newcomen Society member, theMuseum might have had to severely curtail itsactivities, if not close altogether. Fortunately 2011is looking better. While the safety record of theU.K.’s steam museums is extremely good, a fairlyswift look around outside the Museum soon findsreminders that disaster may be just around thecorner, and can happen even in the best regulatedorganisations.

It is unthinkable that the UK’s wonderfulcollection of steam museums might close. This isalso the view of the Institution of MechanicalEngineers which is giving ever more support tolocations of outstanding engineering merit. KewBridge was delighted to have Mrs Sonia Rolt OBEto unveil their new plaque when Phil Cheetham,of the Institution, reminded us of her latehusband’s words about the engines: ‘Take steamaway and their breath of life is gone’.

With this encouragement, and afterwitnessing the dramatic sight of the near 30tonne mass of the recently restored Bull engine(built 1859, cylinder diameter 70 inches) rushingupwards to stop within an inch or two of theterminal blocks, the delegates turned to considerhow the goal of eternal life might be achieved.

Speakers from the large museums, with aformal structure, illustrated what they have to do inthe way of risk assessment, operating manuals,training of staff and routine checks. Chris Hodrien, ofthe International Stationary Steam Engine Society,clearly showed the legal structure that applies tosteam museums and that it is not prescriptive. Itrequires operators of such plants to develop systemsappropriate to them, to be able to demonstrate thatthey have them and that they apply them. He alsoreminded delegates that the overall requirements,particularly for pressure systems, are evolving andtrusts and societies must keep up to date withchanges. Oliver Pearcey described the marketresearch that has been taking place at Kew Bridgeand the need to focus on providing a good day outfor family groups and people who were notprimarily steam buffs. Jan v d Veen, of Nijkerk in theNetherlands, reminded us that his museum was inthe middle of nowhere and that their cafe andinformation centre was greatly used bybirdwatchers and passing cyclists. In this way theygenerate income from a much wider market.

Alas, the supply of good, useful volunteersremains a major problem. Catch them young,keep in touch while they enjoy the excitement ofyouth, the early years of marriage, and be readyto receive them back as these demands lessen,seems to be the only answer available.

What was clear, after a talk from leaders ofthe Heritage Railway Association and theNational Traction Engine Trust, is that theseburdens become lighter if they are shared;something that the stationary steam movementhas failed to do so far. The seminar showed thatthere was now an appetite for cooperation. OliverPearcey, Chairman of the Kew Bridge trusteessuggested a meeting early next year whenpositive proposals can be tabled. We hope to dothis at the Bradford Industrial Museum. In themeantime, John Porter at Kew Bridge SteamMuseum (john.s.porter@virginmedia.com) willact as a focal point for ideas, offers, support andcriticism to keep the momentum going.

The Trustees of Kew Bridge Steam Museumare very grateful for the encouragement of thosewho attended, from others such as Colin Tysonand Neil Cossons who could not attend, and totheir friends at the Musical Museum for the use oftheir Concert Hall and its excellent AV facilities.

The National PiersSociety

The first of an occasional series about specialistsocieties which members may like to know moreabout.

Tim Mickleburgh, Hon Vice President, NationalPiers Society.

Lester Kitching, the first National Piers Society(NPS) Archivist, set up the Independent PiersSociety back in 1973 after learning from Sir JohnBetjeman that there was no national societydevoted to piers. That was also true when Ipublished my Guide to British Piers five yearslater. However after contacting John Lloyd ofBrighton West Pier Society, which received thebook’s profits, I was invited to become involved inthe setting up of what would be the NPS.

A number of preparatory meetings were heldin London, involving pier owners, the VictorianSociety and those active in the world of pierpreservation. Three important piers, Brighton

West, Clevedon and Southend were then deemedto be at risk, and it was this that had largelygalvanised people into action.

Finally an official launch was held at theConnaught Rooms in London on 11 July 1979,attended by the society and the afore-mentionedSir John. With this covered by BBC TodayProgramme and illustrated articles in TheGuardian, Daily Express and Daily Telegraph, theNPS got off to a flying start.

Or so we thought. Sadly, it was to be more ofa false one. For it soon became apparent that wehadn’t got the back up and administrativesupport for a countrywide society. Neverthelessthe NPS kept going, helped by a newsletter thatwas sent at erratic intervals to a membership thatstayed at around the 50 mark.

I suppose it was the appointment of RobertEastleigh as Editor that put the society on an evenfooting. In April 1987 the first journal wasproduced, which appeared on at least a quarterlybasis, as it has done ever since. This has helpedwith the recruitment of new members, and hasbeen the society’s rock for 24 years

The highlight of the year for members is theAGM weekend, invariably held at a resort with apier, and involving visits to other attractions. Afirst for 2010 was a trip to Belgium, includingtrips to the piers at Blankenberge and Ostend.

Much of what the society does is behind thescenes, such as supporting Lottery Bids. Publicityis vital and we are regularly in contact with boththe national and local media, particular when anindividual pier becomes newsworthy. Twice anMP has put forward an Early Day Motion in theHouse, while 1996’s “Year of the Pier” included aParliamentary Reception attended by two cabinetministers.

We still have the valued input of pier owners,who welcome the opportunity to be a member ofa body that fights for piers. They see the NPS as aclearing house for information, as well as apressure group.

If you would like to join us, a RegisteredCharity, Membership Secretary Neville Taylor canbe contacted at Flat 1, 128 Gloucester Terrace,London, W2 6HP (neville.taylor@homecall.co.uk).Subscriptions are £16 ordinary, £12 concessions.

Members of the National Piers Society at AGM weekend

8—INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158

AIA NEWS

Deficits forecast for thisyear and nextAnyone reading the publishedaccounts for the Associationincluded with this Newsletter mightbe forgiven for believing that asurplus of £35k for 2010, coupledwith a cash balance of £196k wasgood news. But the story is muchmore complex.

We have a generous, butanonymous, donor who finances theRestoration Awards made by theAssociation. During 2010 he gave tous a further £35k, which with thegift aid we are able to recover,accounted for £43.8k of the totalIncome of £126k. Allowing for the£14k awarded out of these fundsthe net effect on the surplus was toreduce it by £29.8k to £5.7k. Still,you might think, a satisfactory resultfor an Association with only 516members.

However, closer examinationwill reveal a surplus on last year’sconference of £5.3k.

Your Association regardssurpluses on conference to bereserves against possible losses onconferences and not necessarily forrunning the Association. Finalbooking numbers for the Corkconference are not known as I writethis, but are likely to be significantlydown on previous years, leading to apotential loss. Removing thisconference reserve from the quotedsurplus leaves us in a barelybreakeven position for 2010.

Whenever Council meets Ialways present them with the fullaccounts, but also address the issueof how the Association is fairingwith regard to its subscriptionincome plus gift aid, and otherincome, such as sales, interest, etcand compare this with the runningcosts incurred in the period. Becauseit is that income, and only thatincome, which is available forCouncil to run the Association. Allour other funds, the NeaversonLegacy, the Initiative Award fundsand the Restoration Award fundsare not available for day-to-runningexpenditure.

My forecast for the currentfinancial year is a deficit of between£3k and £4k. There is little that canbe done to alter that in the timeremaining. I’m aware of moneypressures many members will beexperiencing but if we are to survivein the long-term it is an issue thatmust be addressed in the coming

weeks and something I will bespeaking on at the forthcomingAGM.

Bruce Hedge ACMA

President’s Awards,Cornwall 2010It was with great pleasure that Iwent to Cornwall in April to makethe awards that followed the AnnualConference in Falmouth lastautumn. Since I did a great deal ofindustrial archaeological work inCornwall in the 1980s withLeicestershire Industrial HistorySociety’s flying squad and was alsoa mentor on the planning for theCornish Mining World Heritage Sitefor English Heritage, I was delightedwhen the conference delegatesvoted for two mining sites for theawards!

The Initiative Award waspresented to the Rosevale Minenear Zennor, which is a privatelyowned mine being restored by asmall band of volunteers ( Fig 1).Mike Shipp, who received theaward, has worked in mines all overthe world but was at South Croftywhen he gave me permission towork at the Basset Mines in the1980s, so it was good to meet himagain – he obviously cannot stopgoing down mines! The restorationworks have been undertaken usingtraditional methods and materials,whilst meeting modern Health &Safety requirements, therebypreserving the mine as an authenticand realistic example of a smallnineteenth/twentieth centuryCornish tin mine. The long-termobjective is to maintain the mine asa heritage site and to continue toopen up some of the currentlyinaccessible workings.

The main award was split, oneof the plaques going to the KingEdward Mine in Troon in which thepresentations took place. Part ofSouth Condurrow on the Great FlatLode, this mine was taken over byCamborne School of Mines as atraining mine and equippedaccording to modern practicebetween 1897 and 1906. It ceasedto be used for this purpose in the1980s and a small group wasformed to preserve the mill complexand turn it into a museum of tindressing, now owned by a jointcompany from the Trevithick Societyand the Carn Brea Mining Society.The mill contains one of the few

surviving sets of Californian stampsin working order, together withshaking tables, a Frue Vanner, aCornish frame and other pieces ofequipment. Conference delegateswill remember the enormous noiseproduce by the working stamps onour visit: imagine what it must havebeen like in all Cornish miningvillages! It is part of the CornishMining World Heritage Site and avaluable resource for local schoolsas well as adult visitors. Tony Brookstaught at Camborne School ofMines after a varied career inmining and is now one of theleading lights at the museum and,together with John Watton, wrotethe illustrated guidebook to the site(Fig 2).

The other award was presentedto Libby Buckley, a Director of thePorthcurno Telegraph Museum.Founded in 1997 when the Cable

Station ceased to have an activerole, it is now owned and run by theCable and Wireless Porthcurno andCollections Trust (the PK Trust). Thisremote valley was the hub ofinternational cable communicationsfrom 1870, when the first underseacable was laid from Porthcurno toPortugal, which linked with othercables to enable Britain tocommunicate with India, until 1970and then used a a training centreuntil 1993. Today, it houses anamazing collection of artefactsconcerned with the communicationsindustry, secret World War II tunnelsand, like King Edward Mine, is avaluable resource for local schoolsas well as visitors to West Cornwall.

Many thanks for our Chairman,Tony Crosby, for organising theevent and to Tony Brooks and KingEdward Mine for hosting it.

Marilyn Palmer, President

Rosevale Mine Group Photo: Marilyn Palmer

Marilyn Palmer with Tony Brooks at the King Edward Mine Photo: Marilyn Palmer

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—9

AIA NEWS

Peter Neaverson AwardThe judges of the 2011 PeterNeaverson Award for OutstandingScholarship in IndustrialArchaeology faced a difficult task,with a record number ofnominations for the award, some ofwhich were substantial pieces ofwork. In the end, the judges wereunable to chose between two of thecandidates and have taken theunprecedented step of making twoawards this year, for two verydifferent and very commendablecontributions to the discipline. Thefirst is Neither Here Nor There? Themining and transport of iron orefrom the Brendon Hills to SouthWales, by M H Jones and the late JR Hamilton. This two-volume work isthe result of many years ofpainstaking research, supported inpart by the Heritage Lottery Fundand published by the ExmoorNational Park Authority, basedaround the remains of the WestSomerset Mineral Railway. Thesecond winner is The Arts ofIndustry in the Age ofEnlightenment, by Celina Fox,published by the Yale UniversityPress. A wide-ranging and lavishlyillustrated study of the myriadinterfaces between the politepursuit of intellectualism and thedark and mysterious world ofindustry during the 18th and 19thcenturies, it suggests many newareas of research for the student ofindustrial archaeology.

Each winner will receive acheque for £500 and a framedcertificate. Arrangements forpresenting the awards are still beingfinalised and both books will bereviewed in a future issue ofIndustrial Archaeology Review.

Any member of AIA maynominate a published work for thisaward; details can be found on theAIA web site or in a leaflet availablefrom the Liaison Officer.

Ian West

Endangered Sites - AnUpdateThe CBA continues to send theAssociation notification of listedbuilding applications affectingindustrial sites. The Association hascommented on a variety of sitesincluding Bracebridge PumpingStation in Worksop, and ClipstoneColliery both in Nottinghamshireand at the other end of the scale a

complete cider mill and press nearMonmouth. My appeal forvolunteers to monitor applicationshas resulted in a number ofmembers offering to help and thankyou to those who have put theirnames forward. However, more helpis needed. If you have not done soand think you can help either with ageographic area or a specific subjectplease get in touch. For examplethere are few people to cover thewest and south of the country. Evenif I already have some one in aparticular area or subject there isalways room for someone else.Guidance on what to do will beprovided.

Amber Patrickamber@amberpatrick>plu.com

National HeritageProtection Plan

At the Council meeting on 11 June2011 AIA Chairman Tony Crosbyreported progress on the Plan asfollows:

At a meeting on 23 March 2011 thelatest version of the Plan wasintroduced to a meeting of thestakeholders who had been invitedto previous meetings and I attendedon behalf of the Heritage LotteryFund. This interim version took into

account responses to theconsultation held earlier this year,which had been very supportivewith some helpful comments. AnAdvisory Board of about 20members is being established togive advice and feedback on thedevelopment of the plan, meetingtwice a year. It is to be administeredby Heritage Alliance.

On 23 May 2011 EnglishHeritage’s priorities for the next fouryears were presented at an eventaddressed by the Minister, JohnPenrose, Baroness Andrews, Chair ofEH, and Simon Thurley. BaronessAndrews began by stating that theNHPP was written by EH but incollaboration with its partners andthat partnerships with organisationswith local knowledge and expertiseare important to its delivery. TheMinister outlined the Government’sthree priorities for heritage: an up-to-date designation system;heritage at risk and especiallybuildings that have been on theregister for a number of years; andphilanthropy. He again highlightedpartnerships and the Civil Society.Simon Thurley said that designationis also a priority for EH – both‘Strategic Designation’ (groups ofbuildings taken together, e.g. watersupply) and defined area surveys(e.g. ports and harbours). He said

that new forms of partnership areneeded in the light of the reductionin Local Planning AuthorityConservation Officers. Otherpriorities include heritage crime(theft and vandalism); and heritageat risk for which they are makingmoney available for emergencyfunding and feasibility studies.

AIA/CBA day schoolsconclude in LancasterThe series of eleven day schools runby the AIA in conjunction with theCBA and funded by an EnglishHeritage National Capacity Buildinggrant came to a successfulconclusion in the Maritime Museum,St George’s Quay, Lancaster, onMonday 21 February , 2011.Delegates were welcomed by boththe President and the Chairman ofAIA, and Keith Falconer, Head ofIndustrial Archaeology with EnglishHeritage, paid tribute to thepartnership between AIA, CBA andEnglish Heritage that had enabledthese day schools to take place. Hesaid that he was the envy of many ofhis colleagues in English Heritage inthat he was able to work with avoluntary group on the scale that hasbeen possible with AIA: he alsoreferred to the successful strategy forstewardship of the industrial heritagethat was set up between AIA, HLFand English Heritage in 2008.

The day’s programmecommenced with a presentation byLynne Walker, the CBA’s HistoricBuildings Officer, on the changes toplanning legislation that had takenplace since the day schools began in2008. Lynne has taken part in alleleven day schools and AIA is verygrateful to her for her willingparticipation. Richard Newman,Historic and Natural EnvironmentOfficer for Cumbria County Council,spoke about the port facilities andassociated maritime infrastructurein North Lancashire and Cumbria.Mike Nevell then contributed apaper on the Cooperative buildingson the north-west, where theCooperative Movement began withthe Rochdale Pioneers in 1844,pointing out the importance of thesurviving buildings not just of retailshops but also their importantwholesaling warehouses. Themorning was concluded by DavidGeorge on the important remains ofcharcoal blast furnaces in Cumbria.The afternoon was taken up with atour led by Ian Gibson, former HeadBracebridge Pumping Station, Worksop 1980

10—INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158

AIA NEWS

of Collections with LancashireCounty Council, of the restoredLancaster water frontage, wherewarehouses and other maritimebuildings have been successfully re-used for housing and otherpurposes. The series of day schoolshas concentrated on successful and

not-so-successful adaptive re-use,since most planning applicationsconsidered by the CBA and itsvolunteers are concerned withschemes for the re-use of industrialbuildings.

Day schools have been held inAshton-under-Lyne, Bristol, York,

Ipswich, London, Ironbridge,Newcastle, Exeter, Chilworth, LongEaton and Lancaster betweenSeptember 2008 and February 2011,one for each of the nine EnglishHeritage regions and two pilot dayschools to test the format of thetraining days. They have beenattended by nearly 200 delegates,mainly volunteers from CBA and AIAwho assist in the scrutiny of localplanning applications on behalf ofthe CBA, but also including quite afew representatives from localplanning authorities, archaeologicalcontract units and English Heritageregional offices. The administrationof the day schools has been carriedout by Brian Grimsditch from theCentre for Applied Archaeology inthe University of Salford, and itsDirector, Mike Nevell, hasintroduced most of the days as wellas led all the debriefing sessions.Our thanks go to both of them fortheir hard work. The AIA’s PublicityOfficers, first Roger Ford and thenRoy Murphy, have also managed toattend most of the days with the

AIA stand and publications, greatlyadding to the AIA’s national profile.AIA’s contribution in kind to theEnglish Heritage grant was itsvoluntary labour, and many AIAmembers have both acted as thelocal organisers of day schools aswell as contributed illustrated talksand the fact sheets on particulartopics which have been a feature ofeach of them. The latter are beingcollected together and expanded asthe CBA Handbook of IndustrialArchaeology, currently being writtenand edited by Mike Nevell, MarilynPalmer and Mark Sissons forpublication later this year.

Partnerships such as thisbetween AIA, CBA and EnglishHeritage have always been centralto AIA Council’s long-term strategy.A series of eleven day schools is avery considerable achievement for avoluntary organisation like AIA and,as Chairman of the Steering Group, Iwould like to thank all AIA memberswho have given up their time tomake these events such a success.

Marilyn Palmer

Ploughing Matches These generally take place in theautumn and are held all over thecountry. Here you can see not onlyexamples of farm machinery fromthe last eighty years, but machinesdoing the job they were designedfor. It’s quite educational to followthe development of ploughing fromhorse traction to present-day largetractors: the increase in efficiency isstriking. Unlike the horses that theyreplaced tractors do not reproducethemselves. When the early tractorswere superseded by newer ones,

older models tended to be just leftin barns or sheds in case they mightcome in useful again sometime.Now, years later, the restoration andoperation of vintage tractors hasbecome a popular hobby; a restoredFordson tractor in good workingorder can now be bought for about£1,500. Ploughing by horses wasphased out in the mid nineteenfifties. The photograph was taken atCottingham Farm Hertfordshire inOctober 2010.

Robert Carr

Maritime Museum, Lancaster. Formerly the Port of Lancaster Custom House built in 1764Photo: Roy Murphy

Lancaster – River frontage Photo: Roy Murphy

Lancaster – Industrial remains Photo: Roy Murphy

Ploughing at Cottingham Farm Hertfordshire in October 2010 Photo: R J M Carr

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—11

If you have a momentto wasteYou would be amazed at how manytube trains are running at anymoment. To see them in action tryhttp/traintimes.org.uk/map/tube/.This extraordinary ‘animated’ maphas been devised by MatthewSomerville but beware, stare at thisfor too long and you may get toldyou should ‘get out more’.

A Maglev for £100The train that took the strain forholidaymakers lugging cases fromBirmingham Airport is in retirementin a Kenilworth field.

Heralded as a revolution in lighttransport when it was launched, theMaglev has been stopped in itstracks for a bargain basement £100.

Andy Jones snapped up the carriageafter a previous eBay bidder failedto stump up a pledged £25,100. Hereckons he not only grabbed thebargain of the century but a slice ofengineering history as well.

The airport opened theMagnetic Levitation (Maglev) line toBirmingham International railstation in 1984. Suspended abovethe track using electromagneticforce, the train was way ahead ofthe green revolution, but it cameunstuck by 1995 when it wasdeemed unreliable.

Now former engineer Andy iskeen to find another role for theiconic train. “I thought I would getthings going by putting in anopening bid of £100, but nobodyelse bid for it. I had no idea that Iwould end up getting it.

“I had watched the earlierbidding out of interest and I justwanted to get the ball rolling. Wehave offered it to various museumssince we bought it, but nobody hasbeen able to accommodate it. As aconsequence I’ve got a five tonnetrain in the field opposite my houseand I’ve now got to find a suitableuse for it.”

The ex-engineer in the Royal AirForce and Rolls Royce said he usedto be a frequent flyer fromBirmingham Airport andremembered riding on the Maglev.

Coventry Evening Telegraph

See ‘Maglev’ on Wikipedia for agood explanation of the theory anda description of the Birminghamline.

LETTERS

VAT on conversionsThe comment in ‘More IndustrialBuildings in Danger’ (IA News 157)that VAT on ‘new residentialproperty is zero rated for VATwhereas conversions carry VAT at20%’ is not entirely correct. Byreference to VAT Buildings andConstruction, Notice 708 June 2007,sections 5 to 7, published by HMRevenue and Customs, it can beseen that in certain circumstancesconversions are zero rated or at areduced rating, when being sold forand being converted for residentialuse. Section 9 details zero rating ofapproved alterations to protectedbuildings, which extends the zerorating to include conversions‘intended for use for a relevantcharitable purpose’. I recommendthe above notice be consulted formore details of VAT rating inconnection with building works.

John McGuiness

Note from ‘HeritageUpdate 210’ In response to the ParliamentarySelect Committee’s recommend-ation that it should commissionresearch into reducing the rate ofVAT on historic building repairs, theDepartment for Culture Media andSport said this was “beyond the UKGovernment powers” due to“longstanding agreements withEuropean partners”, and that assuch “we do not consider thatresearch as to the impacts wouldrepresent a good use of resources.”

The Heritage Alliance has written tothe Secretary of State and theMinister for Heritage re-iterating thedestructive impact of VAT at 20 percent on repairs and maintenancebut at zero on new build, to offeralternative suggestions for a wayforward. Solving the VAT issueremains a top priority for theheritage movement.

Tyre ovens Members of the Society forLincolnshire History andArchaeology have recently recordeda wheelwright’s oven on thepremises of a wheelwright/wagonmaker’s works in Horncastle, Lincs.The brick oven is of sufficient size toaccommodate several large ironwagon tyres side by side and it hasa chimney approximately 5.6 mhigh. The date of building isunknown, but pre-1888.

The advantage of the tyreoven over the traditional method ofheating a tyre placed horizontally onan open fire was that several tyrescould be heated at once and onlyone attendant was needed to tendthe fire and turn the tyresperiodically to ensure that theyheated evenly. Nevertheless, the useof tyre ovens does not seem to havebeen very common. This may be dueto the difficulty of ensuring evenheating but it may also reflect thescale of business needed to justifythe capital cost.

It is clear from literature thattyre ovens were “known” but onlyone other example has been

located; it stands in the village ofEast Walton, Norfolk. The purpose ofthis letter is to ask readers whetherthey are aware of any others, eithersurviving or recorded. Pleasecontact me at:

chris@chrislester.com, 01636707642 or via the SLHA, Jews’Court, Steep Hill, Lincoln LN2 1LS.Thank you in anticipation.

Chris Lester

Wheelwrights oven at Horncastle, Lincolnshire

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12—INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158

NEWS

Congratulations to DrSimon Thurley, on hisCBE for Services toConservation.Dr. Thurley has been the ChiefExecutive of English Heritage since2002. His time there has beendevoted to finding ways of makingheritage protection fairer and moreeffective; and making sure thatEngland’s heritage plays a positiverole in improving the quality ofpeople’s lives. As protecting heritageis a technical process, in fact part ofEngland’s planning system, he hasspent a huge amount of time overthe last five years working onimproving heritage protection law,government planning guidance andworking on training projects withcentral and local government. Hisname often appears in thesecolumns which indicates theparticular concern he has forindustrial heritage.

Gold Medal for Serviceto Trevithick SocietyThe Trevithick Society presents itsGold Medal to those who havemade a very particular contributionin the Society’s areas of interest.Such presentations are rarely madeand are therefore very specialoccasions. But the most recent ofthese, at the Society’s May AGMweekend, was particularlynoteworthy when the Society’sPresident, Bryan Earl, presented aTrevithick Gold Medal to the secondmember of the same family.

Receiving his medal to mark hisimpending retirement from the

office of Society Treasurer after anunprecedented 26 years wasStephen Thomas of Camborne.Stephen has guided the Society’sfinances through a period ofunprecedented change. Stephen’sfather, Milton Thomas, was ‘Greaser-in-Chief’ and leader of the gang,who restored to steam the 1840beam engine at Levant Mine in the1970s. In recognition of this projectand his service to the Society, MiltonThomas also received the TrevithickMedal in 1991. Previous recipientsinclude such Cornish miningluminaries as the late Dr. A. K.Hamilton Jenkin, the late Mr J. H.Trounson and Mr. L. J. Bullen who ishappily still with us.

Stephen’s talents will not belost to heritage matters. He will nowbe devoting more of his time to hisother interest, the Helston RailwayPreservation Company, where he isDirector of Locomotives and RollingStock.

Pier of the year –Weston-super-Mare on arollHard on the heels of theOutstanding Achievement Awardpresented last November, the GrandPier at Weston-super-Mare has beenchosen as the National PiersSociety’s Pier Of The Year 2011. Itcomfortably beat off Eastbourne,Southend and Swanage, all of whomtied for second place. A further 19piers received at least one vote inthe Society’s annual poll of its 650members.

The award crowns amomentous year for the Grade II

listed Grand Pier, which reopenedlast October with a brand new £50million pavilion replacing thebuilding that burned down twoyears previously. In addition theGrand becomes the first ever pier towin the National Piers Society’saward twice, having been chosen bymembers for this honour back in2001.

The Grand Pier opened in June1904 – nearly 40 years afterneighbouring Birnbeck - to a lengthof 1080 ft. (instead of the 6,600 ftfirst envisaged). Construction cost£120,000, a considerable sum inthose days, and included a 2,000seat pier head pavilion, stagingperformances of opera, ballet andShakespeare plays, as well as musichall and boxing. An extensiondoubling the pier’s length wasadded in 1906 to receive boats butthis was unsuccessful owing todangerous tidal conditions, and wasdemolished ten years later. In 1930the pavilion was destroyed by fireand its replacement, which openedin 1932, was given over toamusements rather thanperformances. For over sixty yearsfrom 1946 the pier was owned bythe Brenner family, who carried outmany improvements. They sold it toKerry and Michelle Michael inFebruary 2008 but just five monthslater a devastating fire took place,necessitating complete closure forjust over two years. The replacementpavilion is altogether on a granderscale and incorporates manybreathtaking rides as well asfacilities for conferences andpresentations. Party On The Pier, anationwide celebration aroundBritain’s coastline, was launchedthere on 12 March with TourismMinister and local MP John Penroseand National Piers Society patron,actor Timothy West.

Commenting on the news NPSPresident Gavin Henderson said:“The phoenix riding proud abovethe Weston waves is an inspirationfor many other piers; Grand indeed,and richly deserving of this award.”

Kerry Michael, owner of theGrand pier, said: “We are delightedto receive this prestigious award onbehalf of everyone who worked sohard helping us to rebuild thismagnificent structure, which wehope will be enjoyed by futuregenerations for many years tocome.”

‘Making it’ - Textiletechnology in MedievalEurope

This study day explored the textilesof the Middle Ages in North WesternEurope by examining the way inwhich they were made, anddemonstrating the practical skillsneeded and technology in usebetween the fifth and the fifteenthcenturies.

Arranged by the Medieval Dress andTextile Society, the study day on 5March, took place in the Museum ofLondon.

The tools and practical skillsneeded for the production of yarnand cloth were emphasised by theresearch papers and made evidentby the practitioners, illustrating howthe high level of craftsmanshipneeded in the making of medievaltextiles would have affected theircost, usage and survival.

One of the main themes of thestudy day was the series of hugetechnological changes in textiletechnology during the period. In heropening overview Professor GaleOwen-Crocker outlined thesechanges explaining that thedevelopment of specialised guildsmaintained high standards ofcraftsmanship in different areas ofproduction. Between them RuthGilbert and Alan Raistrick outlinedthe technological changes in yarnspinning during the period. Alan, aretired engineer, explained thetechnical advances of spinningwheel components, which resultedin the enormous increase in yarnproduction in the period. The ‘GreatWheel’ demonstrated by AnnMarkwick was an important step inthis development.

Medieval weaving technologywas outlined by three papers anddemonstrated by Jo Wexler a tabletweaver and Glenys Crocker who hasgraduated from weaving tabby tofour-shed twill on her impressivewarp weighted loom. The historicsignificance of this remarkableachievement was outlined by apaper from Anna Norgaard. Dr. NatAlcock described a project inCoventry to re create a weaver’shouse, loom and weaving tools fromevidence in local wills and recordsfrom 1540, by which time the loomwas horizontal and worked bypulleys and treadles, gathered bythe Spon End Conservation Trust.

Brian Earl presents Stephen Thomas with the Trevithick Gold Medal

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—13

NEWS

£2 Million Boost forBuildings at Risk

Voluntary groups who rescuehistoric buildings at risk are to get amajor boost in the form of a new £2million Challenge Fund put togetherwith a donation of £1 million fromthe Andrew Lloyd WebberFoundation, matched by £1 millionfrom English Heritage, administeredby the Architectural Heritage Fund(AHF).

Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive ofEnglish Heritage, said: “This is apioneering new venture for theheritage world between a publicbody with national expertise, acharity with a grass roots networkand the charitable foundation of amajor philanthropist. It willspecifically support rescues of GradeI and II* listed buildings at risk,some of the country’s mostimportant historic treasures whichare on our danger list – the Heritageat Risk register.”

The £2 million Challenge Fundwill be managed by the AHF, anindependent charity, which willdisburse it in grants of up to£200,000 each over the next fiveyears to voluntary sector groupssuch as Building Preservation Trusts

(BPTs), Civic Societies, Developmentand Groundwork Trusts who take onhistoric building rescues.

Dr Thurley continued: “As wellas providing a financial kick-start,the Challenge Fund will also help tospread skills and experience to morepeople at local level. We’re askinggrant recipients to bring in anexperienced project manager towork alongside existing trusteesand also to involve and tutor a lessexperienced group of volunteerswho can then go on to undertakeanother rescue. The result should bemore historic buildings at riskfinding a new use and once morelending character and dignity totheir neighbourhoods –indeed tothe country as a whole.”

Ian Lush, Chief Executive of theAHF, said: “Currently, of the 250Building Preservation Trusts inexistence, only about 100 are fullyactive. The rest are unable to findsufficient funds to take on a rescueor lack the expertise and confidenceto tackle complex and demandingGrade I and II* buildings.

“Through the Challenge Fundwe will be able to marry the terrificknowledge and skills oforganisations such as the Prince’sRegeneration Trust or the HeritageTrust of Lincolnshire with smaller

Building Preservation Trusts whohave passion and commitment butless confidence and who lackspecialist skills in areas such asconservation, planning, fund-raisingand project management. Grantswill in some cases help to unlockfunds which have been endowed forbuilding restoration in specific areasof the country but which on theirown just aren’t enough. For mostprojects, these grants will be used asmatch funding for applications tothe Heritage Lottery Fund, BigLottery or other foundations or toprovide development funding at avital early stage. We will alsowelcome applications from othervoluntary sector groups, perhapsthose looking to tackle a project likethis for the first time.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “Iam delighted that my Foundationwill be contributing to a solution forat least some of England’s 1,600Grade I and II* buildings at risk andam proud of the fact that theChallenge Fund will create a wealthof new talent in the process.Philanthropy is well-established inother cultural fields but England’svery special heritage forms the

backdrop to all our lives and thepeople who put countless voluntaryhours and untold effort into savingit from neglect and decay deservethe strongest possible support.”

Historic buildings saved byBuilding Preservation Trusts over thelast few years include:

Pakenham Water Mill, Bury StEdmunds, saved by the SuffolkBuilding Preservation Trust

Richmond Railway StationBuilding in North Yorkshire, savedby the Richmondshire BuildingPreservation Trust

Perrott’s Folly, Edgbaston,Birmingham, saved by theBirmingham Conservation Trust

Building Preservation Trustswho are currently unable tocomplete a rescue and might benefitfrom a Challenge Fund grantinclude:

West Midlands HistoricBuildings Trust who want to saveFoster, Rastrick & Co Foundry,Stourbridge

Coker Rope & Sail Trust whowant to save Dawe’s Twine Works inWest Coker, Somerset

DOROTHEARESTORATIONS

LTDIncorporating Ernest Hole (Engineers) of Sussex

CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS IN THECONSERVATION OF HISTORIC METALWORK,

MACHINERY AND WIND/WATER MILLS

Recent contracts include designs for an atmosphericrailway, and a replica steam locomotive, restoration of18C lead sculptures, repair and gilding of the AlbertMemorial bronze decoration, conservation work on

Turbinia, Lion, Sans Pareil and Locomotion, and eventhe restoration of an hydraulic catafalque!

Over 100 man years experience

Northern Works: New Road, Whaley Bridge, via Stockport,Cheshire SK23 7JG. Contact: Dave HodgsonTel: (01663) 733544 Fax: (01663) 734521

Southern Works: Unit 1B, Barton Hill Trading Estate,Barton Hill, Bristol BS5 9RD. Contact: Geoff WallisTel: (0117) 9715337 Fax: (0117) 9771677

Perrott’s Folly, Rotton Park, Edgebaston BirminghamPhoto: Birmingham Conservation Trust

NEWS

Heritage Open DaysIn May the Heritage Allianceannounced that it will be inpartnership with Civic Voice and theNational Trust to take onresponsibility for co-ordination ofHeritage Open Days.

Heritage Open Days is England’slargest grassroots heritage event,delivered by an army of volunteersacross the country (except London,which has Open House London)annually on the second weekend inSeptember. Following the demise ofthe Civic Trust in 2009, which usedto co-ordinate the event, its futurehad been uncertain. EnglishHeritage, which came to the rescuein 2009 and currently co-ordinates itat a national level, will continue toprovide funding until March 2015and will be responsible for HeritageOpen Days in September 2011.

De Witt lime kilnsrestoration at AmberleyThese kilns are thought to be theonly known surviving example oflime kilns, built 1904-5, to a Belgiumdesign. Originally 18 De Witt kilnswere built in a single block.However, the design failed and by1910 all but two were blocked up orchanged to traditional English kilns.The kilns were in use until the 1960sbut fell into disrepair when the sitewas abandoned in the late 1960s.

By the time the Museum tookover the site and opened to thepublic in 1979, the kilns had beendesignated a Scheduled AncientMonument and some emergencyrepair work was carried out.

In 2007 the Museum wasawarded £391,000 from the HeritageLottery Fund to restore and interpret

the De Witt kilns including stabilisingthe kiln block, reinstating theshedding to the west side of the kilnblock and re-laying the railways in thearea. The grant also allowed for freshinterpretation of the De Witt kilnswithin the context of the site and thelocal community. This consisted of anew exhibition ‘Life and Lime atAmberley’. Additional funding of£18,000 from the Museum Friends,Horsham District Council and WestSussex County Council was alsosecured as was an in-kind volunteerlabour contribution of £15,900.

In many ways, the project hasrestored the heart of the Amberleysite, drawing all elements of thelimeburning and quarryingoperations into one unified thread.

The project was officiallyopened by HRH Prince Michael ofKent on 4 May 2011.

The Historic Bridge andInfrastructure AwardsThe Historic Bridge andInfrastructure Awards (HBIA) wereset up in 1998 by the CountySurveyors Society, English Heritageand the Institution of Civil Engineersto ‘recognise and encourageexcellence and innovation inconservation’.

The Awards are currentlysponsored by British Waterways, theAssociation of Directors forEngineering, Planning andTransportation (ADEPT), EnglishHeritage, and Network Rail, withsupport from New Civil Engineer.Three awards were announced inApril.

The 24 arches of themedieval Long Bridge atBideford were widened in 1925with cantilevered footways whichwere now suffering from chloridedamage. A cathodic protectionsystem was installed to resist furtherattack.

At Scarborough the 27m highcast iron Spa Footbridge, built in1826 and widened with timbercantilevers in 1880 was fullyrepaired using traditionaltechniques and the deck timbersreplaced.

The third award went to theStanley Dock Bascule Bridge inLiverpool built in 1932 whichneeded extensive refurbishing,replacing steel components andrepairing the engine room.

The judges also commendedwork on the Wilford SuspensionBridge in Nottingham andreconstruction of part of the ValeRoyal Locks at Northwich. BritishWaterways received a SpecialMention for the successful

completion of an extensive andvaried programme which hasdemonstrated an exceptionalcommitment to maintaining andenhancing engineering heritage.

Broadgate ListingIn June English Heritagerecommended that the early phasesof Broadgate Square in the City ofLondon should be listed grade II*. Atleast one good Ove Arup buildinghas already gone. Consternation hasbeen expressed in the City that thisgives an unfortunate messageimplying that the area is no longer‘open for business’. It seems onlyrecently that Broad Street railwaystation, previously on the site ofBroadgate, was demolished. Thestation closed in 1986.

Robert Carr

Buffalo’s historic grainelevator demolished

The opening of the Erie Canal fromBuffalo on Lake Erie to Albany onthe Hudson River gave a giantimpetus to the grain traffic from theMidwest to the east coast andBuffalo developed into the world’slargest grain port from the 1850suntil the first half of the 20thcentury. It once had the largestcapacity for the storage of grain inthe USA and over thirty concretegrain elevators were located alongthe inner and outer harbours.

Immediately after a judge’s orderwas delivered demolition started onthe Wheeler Elevator and GLF FeedMill, despite apparent outstandingfees for permits to demolish them.

Built in stages from 1909 to1961, at its peak the grain elevator

14—INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158

Amberley Lime Kilns in operation about 1905 Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre Scarborough Spa Footbridge 1826, widened 1880 Photo: Keir Grevil 2005

Amberley – De Witt lime kiln. The damagedSE corner before repair

Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—15

NEWS

complex once employed more than330 mill workers and dozens ofwheat scoopers, and was the site ofthe Scoopers Strike of 1953, a keyexample of national tensionbetween farmers and urban labour.The Cooperative Grange LeagueFederation bought the property in1929. (The federation vacated thesite in the 1970s.) Among thebuildings in the demolition plans arethe original 1909 Wheeler Elevatorwith its unique monitor roof, andthe gable-roofed marine tower, bothof which influenced architects suchas Walter Gropius, Frank LloydWright, and Erich Mendelsohn.

“These grain elevators arecentral to our identity, it’s alandscape you’re not going to seeanywhere else,” says Tim Tielman,executive director of The Campaignfor Greater Buffalo History,Architecture & Culture, and amember of Buffalo’s preservationboard. “You’re going to see maybe abig elevator sitting out on theprairie, you’re not going to see a

dozen of them lining this narrowwaterway, it’s a really compellingcultural landscape.” The non-profit campaign was in the processof securing landmark status forthree grain elevators and variousoutbuildings when thecommissioner’s demolitionorder came through.

The Agriculture and FoodProduction Section of TICCIH haschosen these icons of modernarchitecture, celebrated by Gropiusand Le Corbusier, as the focus for itsthird international conference inFrance this autumn. It will be inNogent, centre of a traditionalwheat processing area in whichEurope’s largest malt-house wasbuilt last year. The conference’s fourthemes are preserving and storingfood; construction technology andeconomic strategies; aesthetics,styles and images; and industrialhazard, perceptions and heritage. -see diary

Lively Westminster Halldebate on future ofheritage assetsOn 7 June a Westminster Halldebate took place on the future ofheritage assets, called by StellaCreasy MP (Labour, Walthamstow)to quiz Heritage Minister JohnPenrose on his plans to tackleheritage at risk and make it easierfor communities to “live ourheritage, not just to look at it.”

Whilst focusing on assets withinher constituency, such as the EMDCinema and the Walthamstow DogTrack, Ms Creasy raised concernsabout wider issues of heritage policywith regard to the effectiveness of

powers to save heritage assets fromneglect: “I have become concernedthat current heritage regulations areunclear in their intentions oreffectiveness. In particular I amconcerned that where landlords failto get permission to change the useof a listed building and allow it tofall into disrepair it is extremelydifficult to act to protect thesesites.” Mr Penrose agreed there wasa need to look at achieving the“right mix of carrots and sticks” todevelop more nuanced escalationpowers to encourage intervention,and confirmed that the Departmentfor Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)was already looking at why someLocal Authorities aren’t usingintervention powers such ascompulsory purchase orders orurgent works notices.

Detailing numerous examples ofheritage-led regeneration ofcommunities Ms Creasy highlightedhow easily heritage buildings can be“anchors around which our future isshaped” if given the rightmechanisms for intervention. HerLabour colleagues Gloria De PieroMP (Shadow Heritage Minister,Ashfield) and Tristram Hunt MP

(Stoke on Trent Central) also calledon the Government to see heritageassets as catalysts for economicregeneration, whilst highlighting thedisproportionate cuts the sector hassuffered.

42nd South Wales andWest of England IAConferenceThis year’s conference was held onSaturday 2 April and hosted byOxford House Industrial HistorySociety. The venue was theimpressively appointed LlanhillethMiners’ Institute, situated in theEbbw valley between Crumlin andAbertillery. The occasion was well-attended by 130 delegates whowere treated to six presentations, ahot lunch and, following theconference, a choice of guidedwalks to local sites.

Councillor Hedley McCarthyopened the conference with a shorthistory of the venue and its recentrefurbishment as a continuingentertainment centre for the presentcommunity in the former coalmining settlement of Llanhilleth. TheBuffalo, New York State – The Wheeler Elevator 2010

Buffalo, New York State – The WheelerElevator 1909

first presentation by David Maddoxcommemorated the centenary of the1910-11 Tonypandy Riots and coalstrike. David has recently publisheda lavishly illustrated book on thesubject, the text of which draws onmany first hand interviews heconducted over the years when hewas a school master in the Rhonddavalley. The riots centred on thecolliery power house at Llwnypiaand after years of dereliction thereare now serious plans to re-use thisiconic building for communitypurposes. Inevitably, thepresentation raised the ever-emotive subject of WinstonChurchill’s role in sending troops torestore order during the riots.

Mike Jones’s talk took us backto the nineteenth century as heexplored the connections betweenthe proprietors of the Ebbw Valeironworks and Risca collieries andthe operation of the Brendon Hillsiron mines in Somerset. Mike toohas recently published a book - hislifetime work on the history andarchaeology of the Brendon Hillsmines and the West SomersetMineral Railway. Iron ore from themines would have passed close tothe conference venue on its way toEbbw Vale.

The morning session closedwith Malcolm Johnson who took us

back further in time to thebeginning of the nineteenth centuryand Crawshay Bailey’s round housesat Nantyglo. Apart from Bailey’sperceived need to fortify hisproperty, the farm is notable for thewidespread use of structural castiron.

After lunch Richard Clammergave an entertaining illustratedhistory of Cosens & Co of Weymouth.The company is well-known foroperating pleasure steamers on the

Dorset and Hampshire coast but itwas also able to provide generalfoundry services to the town.

Stephen Rowson followed witha paper on the Crumlin Viaduct thatuntil 1963 spanned the valley justsouth of the conference venue.Stephen’s theme was the familyconnection between the viaductbuilders and the LondonStereoscopic Company whopublished stereoscopic images ofthe viaduct under construction in

1856. Such marketing brought othercommercial photographers topublish images and for the bridge tobecome a ‘must visit’ location onthe mid-Victorian’s grand tour.

The final presentation, byRichard Lewis of the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust,described the cooperative workGGAT has undertaken with MillerArgent at the Ffos-y-Fran opencastsite, Merthyr Tydfil. This surfacearchaeology has recorded manyironstone and coal pits operated bythe Dowlais Iron Company, abrickworks at Penydarren, workershousing and the elaborate Dowlaisfree drainage system.

By the time the conferenceended, the morning rain had clearedto give a dry and sunny evening forthe guided walks. Most popular wasa visit to Roundhouse Farm atNantyglo, followed by a tour ofCrumlin that included the listedbuildings of Navigation Colliery andthe abutments of Crumlin Viaduct.Other visits were to the AbertilleryMuseum and Oxford House’s ownIndustrial Museum at Risca.

Stephen Rowson

New Awards for AngelsEnglish Heritage has launched theHeritage Angels Awards, designedto recognise and celebrate theefforts of local individuals or groupswho have rescued or are currentlyrescuing heritage at risk in theirlocal area. Supported by AndrewLloyd Webber, ‘the Angels’ wasunveiled as the leader of theweekend section in The DailyTelegraph – the media partner forthe awards.

There will be four annual awards forthe best rescues or repairs of historicbuildings or sites on the Heritage AtRisk Register - the best rescue orrepair of a historic place of worship,the best rescue of a historicindustrial building or site, the bestcraftsmanship employed on aheritage rescue, and the best rescueof any other entry on the register.The closing date for entries is 12August. For further information on

the application process, emailAngels@english-heritage.org.uk

The panel of judges, to bechaired by Andrew Lloyd Webber,will include Melvyn Bragg, CharlesMoore of the Daily Telegraph andSimon Thurley, Chief Executive ofEnglish Heritage. From a short-list of16 entries from around the countrythey will choose four winners, onefor each category. The Angels will bepresented in the autumn at areception hosted by Andrew LloydWebber at the Palace Theatre inLondon’s West End,– all short-listedcandidates will be invited. The DailyTelegraph will showcase theshortlisted entrants and winners ontheir English Heritage AngelsAwards page.

Meanwhile don’t forgetthe HeroesThe launch of The Angels shines awelcome and well-deserved

spotlight on the army of peopleacross the country giving up theirtime in support of our heritage. TheHeritage Alliance’s own awardscheme, Heritage Alliance Heroes,also celebrates the outstandingcontribution to society made byheritage volunteers, from Alliancemember organisations and theirmembers. The Heritage AllianceHeroes 2011 will be presented atthe Alliance’s Heritage Day event inDecember, by our Chairman LoydGrossman OBE. Entries are nowopen and the closing date is 15September. Information fromwww.her i tagel ink.org.uk/tag/heritage-heroes. Good luck!

Brunel Prize 2013The Bristol Industrial ArchaeologySociety is calling for entries for thebiennial BIAS Brunel Prize. Reportsof original research into, orrecording of, IA sites in the Bristol

region are eligible. They should beabout 5000 words together withillustrations and must be submittedby 31 August 2012. Full details canbe had from Mike Chapman, 51Newton Road, Bath, BA2 1RW.

Our Northern MillsThe future of northern textile millswas the subject of a meeting atSaltaire. A small group met tolaunch a project aimed at raising theprofile of the textile mills in thenorth of England. Discussions areunderway with English Heritagewith the hope of organising anevent during the Industrial Heritageat Risk Year which begins inOctober. For further details and theopportunity to be involved contactNigel Grizzard, Leeds,ngrizzard@aol.com, telephone07798 855 494 or Tom Clinton,tommyclinton@aol.com.

NEWS

16—INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158

Nantyglo Roundhouse Photo: Peter Stanier

NOTICES

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158—17

East MidlandsDavid Lyne reports fromLeicestershireLIHS are continuing with their “Dig”at the Swannington site of theVictorian Califat Mine, now in itsthird year (or is it fourth), and wehave now unearthed (orunrubbled?) foundations of theengine house, boiler house, chimneybase as well as drainage andventilation tunnels butinterpretation of the use of thebuilding, (pumping, winding,ventilation etc,) is still somewhat ofa mystery. We are opening the siteup as part of the NationalArchaeology Festival.

In the City the battle to save thec1790 Donisthorpe Mill fromdereliction continues. Thedevelopers have pulled out of a re-build project, the lead thievesmoved in and the City Council arenow in protracted negotiations withthe “owners”, an Irish Bank, tomake the Grade II building weatherproof An application to EnglishHeritage to upgrade to II* has beenwith them for over a year with nosign of any decision !

Other Leicester City Buildingsnotably the first footwearcooperative, Equity Shoes, factory inWestern road has been tastefullyconverted into studentaccommodation, and the CWSfactory at Knighton, which whencompleted was the worlds largestfootwear factory producing 50,000pairs of boots & shoes per week isbeing converted into mixedaccommodation whilst retaining themajority of the external Victorianfeatures. With assistance from thelocal unit of the national rescue

team, LIHS explored tunnels underthe building which were part of thehypocaust system for supplying hotair through the building originallydriven by a beam engine and fanover a grid of heated tubes.

Similar treatment is proposedfor the 58 acre site of the formerTowers Hospital in Humberstonewhere work on Phase 1 to convertpart of the building into flats andapartments is nearly complete andsimilar schemes for the remainingbuildings which allow for theretention of the original Victorianfaçade are envisaged.

Peter Perkins reports fromNorthamptonshire Northampton Borough Council isundertaking a consultation aboutthe creation of a Conservation Areacovering Northampton’s historicBoot & Shoe Quarter. Situated to thenorth of the town centre, the areaconsists of a Victorian streetscape ofshoe, leather and other factoriesintermixed with terraced housing.Many of the redundant shoefactories have already beenconverted into apartments withvarying results for the appearance ofthe buildings but there are still afew retained for their original use.Trickers Footwear in St Michael’sRoad for example is still producingfootwear and was the shoe factorywhich featured in the 2005 film‘Kinky Boots’. Others such as thenearby former GT Hawkins shoefactory have been derelict for anumber of years.

Opened in 1857 on the MidlandRailway’s Leicester to Hitchinextension, Glendon & Rushtonstation closed to passengers in 1960

and although someone lived in thestation house until relativelyrecently, the building with itsattached ticket office and waitingroom has been deteriorating eversince. It is listed Grade II andconstructed of limestone with semi-circular headed windows lined inpolychrome brick. A local group hasformed the ‘Friends of Glendon &Rushton Station’ with the aim ofpreserving the station buildings andconverting them to a museum. Thegroup has achieved charitablestatus and is holding regular opendays, whilst undertaking essentialmaintenance work.

One of the longest nineteenthcentury 3-storey shoe factorybuildings in Northamptonshireconstructed in a single phase isunder threat of demolition. The 18-bay building, some 40 metres long, isin Desborough and dates from the1870s. It has been derelict for anumber of years, last being used by

shoe components firm RS Lawrence.Now a supermarket want to build onthe site and since the site is ownedby Kettering Borough Council andtheir stated aim is to demolish thefactory, opposition to the demolitionseems doomed to fail.

News from GrimsbyGrimsby Ice Factory was built in1901 and, at that time, it was thelargest and most technicallyadvanced factory of its kind,providing ice for the trawlers whichmade Grimsby the most importantfishing port in the world. It closed 20years ago. Today the disusedbuilding (listed Grade II*), whichstill contains the manufacturingplant, is in a parlous state. TheVictorian Society recently listed itamongst their top ten buildings atrisk and a trust, the Great GrimsbyIce Factory Trust (the Great GIFT,http://grimsbyice.co.uk/), has been

REGIONAL NEWS

The Swannington dig continues Photo: David Lyne

Donisthorpe Friars Mill – Leicester Photo: David Lyne

CWS footware factory – Leicester Photo: David Lyne

18—INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS—158

REGIONAL NEWS

set up under the initiative of thelocal Civic Society to campaign forits restoration and re-use. Severalwell-attended public meetings havebeen held.

There are many difficulties, notthe least being its location in themiddle of a busy working port, but anEngineering Report and ConservationStatement commissioned by NorthEast Lincolnshire Council are bothmore positive than might have beenexpected. The ConservationStatement, after noting theinternational importance of thebuilding and its machinery,concluded that it had good potentialfor new uses, and recommended thatan Options Appraisal be undertakenas a next step. In the mean time,representatives of the Prince’sRegeneration Trust have visited thesite and a visit from the ArchitecturalHeritage Fund is planned. Only timewill tell whether there is a glimmer ofhope for this important building.

David Lyne

South-East EnglandThe London Bus Museum, foundedin 1966, was established in 1972 ina building at Cobham which wasformerly a WWII out-station of theVickers works at Brooklands. The

collection consists of some 35buses, mostly from London Transportwith some service vehicles and afew privately-owned buses. There isalso a collection of LondonTransport items such as bus-stopsigns and memorabilia. The museumis in process of moving to apurpose-built building, entitledCobham Hall, at the BrooklandsMuseum. The exhibits have all beenmoved from the old site and thenew building is scheduled to openon 1st August 2011. In addition toexhibition space it will also containworkshop facilities for the continuedrestoration and servicing of thevehicles. No additional entrancefees beyond those payable forentrance to the Brooklands Museumwill be required. Further informationabout the museum may be found onthe web-site of the London BusPreservation Trust at www.lbpt.org.

Reigate Heath Windmill is theonly one in the country which is alsoa church. Services are held duringthe summer. Reigate and BansteadBorough Council carried outrestoration work in the summer of2010, including fitting a newtailpost, various repairs andretarring of the exterior.

The Wey and Arun Canal Trust

has received from the WaterwaysTrust its Community Award for 2011in respect of the completion of theLoxwood Canal Crossing project.The canal was prevented fromproviding clear passage underLoxwood High Street by theconstruction of a low bridge, andthe project involved cutting thecanal lower and building new locksto take it down and up to the oldlevels, as well as the replacement ofthe bridge. Funding for the projectwas raised from donors entirely bythe Trust. The Devil’s Hole Lock atthe northern end has also now beenrestored. Work is proceeding at thenorthern end of the canal with theeventual objective of opening itsouthwards. This will involve cuttinga new channel over much of theroute past the village of Bramley.The National Trust has granted a 99-year lease of Gun’s Mouth Island, atthe junction between the canal andthe River Wey (GodalmingNavigation), to facilitate theclearing of vegetation and thecreation of a new channel. Work onother sections of the canalcontinues with the assistance ofenthusiastic volunteers.

Shoreham Airport, the oldestlicensed airfield in the UK,

celebrated its 100th anniversary in2010. After numerous changes inthe types and duties of the aircraftusing it, it is now a general aviationairfield for private and businessflying. The terminal building,constructed in 1934 in art decostyle, is Grade II* listed.

An example of how it is possibleto change the mind of theauthorities on conservation mattersis the refurbishment of the swingbridge at Southease over the RiverOuse - a relatively modest structure,which the Environment Agencyassessed as needing replacement.Members of the Sussex IASinspected it and disagreeing,persuaded English Heritage to listthe structure, who gave it Grade IIstatus. The Environment Agencywere therefore obliged to proceedwith restoration and the bridge wasreopened in November 2010. It isnot at present capable of swinging,but replacement of the great spurwheel means that it could be madefully functional in the future, shouldfunds become available.

An aspect of railway closurethat may seem bizarre is the runningof occasional trains, perhaps once aweek, over lines that are no longerused for services, so as to avoid the

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PUBLICATIONS

Local Society and other periodicals received

Abstracts will appear in Industrial Archaeology Review.

Brewery History, 140, Spring 2011

Brewery History Society Newsletter, 51, Christmas 2010; 53, Spring2011

Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society Journal, 43, 2010

Cumbria Industrial History Society Bulletin, 79, April 2011

Dorset Industrial Archaeology Society, Newsletter 30, May 2011

Hampshire Industrial Archaeology Society, Focus No 76, June 2011

Historic Gas Times, 65, December 2010, 66, March 2011

Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society Newsletter, 253,April 2011; 254, June 2011

Merseyside Industrial Heritage Society Newsletter, 308, May 2011

Midland Wind and Watermills Group Newsletter, 99, April 2011

Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter, 118,Spring 2011

North East Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology Society, Newsletter42, May 2011

Piers: the Journal of the National Piers Society, 99, Spring 2011

Scottish Industrial Heritage Society Bulletin, 59, June 2011

Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society Bulletin, 116, April 2011

Suffolk Industrial Archaeology Society Newsletter, 113, May 2011

Surrey Industrial History Group Newsletter, 181, May 2011

The Midland Wind and Water Mills Group, Wind and Water Mills No 30, 2011

Yorkshire Archaeological Society Industrial History SectionNewsletter, 82, Late Spring 2011

Books

The Leicester & Swannington Railway The Leicestershire Industrial History Society has just published its mostambitious research project, on the Leicester & Swannington Railway, aschronicled by Clinker and now updated and edited by LIHS member KeithDrury.

Because of the size of the work, over 640 pages, and in order to makeit available at reasonable cost this has been produced on a CD as an E-publication and is a “must have” for anyone with a computer and interestin one of the world’s first steam hauled railways. It is extensively illustrated.

Even local Leicestershire inhabitants are generally unaware of theexistence, since 1832, of this piece of international industrial history on theirdoorstep which includes a tunnel over a mile long running across the cityboundary.

Copies are available at £12 inc P&P from the secretary, David Lyne, 10Somerville Road, Leicester, LE3 2ET.

REGIONAL NEWS

expense of operating the legalclosing procedures and, possibly,public obloquy. Such a ‘ghost train’apparently runs from NewhavenMarine, a station which is officiallyclosed because the platform canopyis said to be unsafe - although carspark under it.

The Sussex IAS has for manyyears been concerned withrefurbishment, operation anddisplay of the waterwheel-operatedbeam pump at Coultershaw. It isnow intended to install a waterturbine, using an Archimedeanscrew, in the old wheel-pit of theadjacent former corn mill, togenerate electricity. This is beingpartly funded by the landowners,the Leconfield Estates, which willreceive the income from the sale ofthe electricity to the grid, estimatedat £15,600 p.a.. Other funding hascome from the Coultershaw Trustand the South Downs JointCommittee. The site is expected tobe operational in September 2011.

In November 2010 the CalshotSpit Light Vessel was moved from

Ocean Village in Southampton to atemporary home in Southampton’sEastern Docks. It will form an exhibitin the museum Aeronautica, basedat the Trafalgar Dry Dock, for shipsand aircraft, which will replace theSolent Sky museum. It is expected toopen in 2015. The Aeronauticaproject was launched by theSouthampton Heritage Foundationon 14th June 2010.

A workshop building has beenerected near the Trafalgar Dock tohouse the three trams which havebeen stored by Southamptoncouncil for a number of years. Thebuilding is shared with the DunkirkLittle Ships Restoration Trust, andthe hull of the former RN pinnaceDorian was moved in on 6th May2011.

Progress is being made inapplying for HLF funding for therestoration of the SS Nomadic,which was the tender stationed atCherbourg for the use of passengersto and from that port travelling onthe White Star liners, includingTitanic. It is proposed also to restore

the Hamilton Dry Dock at Belfast,where Titanic was fitted out, in timeto mark the centenary of the sinkingin 2012.

The New Forest National ParkAuthority and Wessex Archaeologyhave carried out a ‘dig’ at the formerPennington salt works nearLymington, in advance of a planningapplication to convert the remainingGrade II buildings into office andstorage space. Remains of the sea-salt boiling houses have beenfound.

The 2011 excursion programmeof the SS Shieldhall has had to becancelled because of the discoveryof serious corrosion in the hull underthe engines, and a six-figure sumhas to be found for repairs. It isintended that she will eventually bepart of the plans for the Aeronauticamuseum.

A new hull is being constructedat Bristol for the paddle steamerMedway Queen, which will bemoved to a new base, withworkshops and a visitor centre, atGillingham. Refitting of the hull will

be carried out by apprentices fromMid Kent College with four full-timeinstructors. Numerous missing itemsare being sought.

Gravesend canal basin,including two locks and a swing-bridge, on the Thames and MedwayCanal has been listed Grade II. TheThames and Medway CanalAssociation has long-term plans toreopen a 700 yard stretch of canalfrom the basin, to make more than 3miles of navigation accessible fromthe Thames.

Alan Thomas

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DIARY

26 AUGUST – 1 SEPTEMBERAIA ANNUAL CONFERENCEat Cork, Ireland. The association’sconference this year is beingdirected by Colin Rynne, a formerRolt lecturer and winner of the firstPeter Neaverson award, and will bebased at University College, Cork.Programme of lectures and visits tolarge sites of major industrialinterest. See AIA website for details.

5-8 SEPTEMBER 2011RUSTBUCKETS OR FLOATINGHERITAGE International conference on shippreservation to be held in Stockholm(Sweden) and Mariehamn (Åland,Finland). For details and registrationhttps://www.netigate.se/s.asps=46100X2270 Further informationrustbuckets2011@maritima.se.

8-11 SEPTEMBER 2011TEXTILE TOWNS A City Safari to look at Halifax andHuddersfield encompassing Carpetsand Wool respectively. Informationat www.heritageofindustry.co.uk

10-11 SEPTEMBER 2011 DRAGLINE OPEN DAY Friends of St Aidan’s BE1150dragline. Swillington Leeds LS268AL. Details Paul C Thompson 07889286634

13-16 OCTOBER 2011THE LAST GREEN VALLEYThe (American) Society for IndustrialArchaeology Fall Tour 2011Quinebaug-Shetucket Valley/

Connecticut/MassachusettsFurther information www.sia-web.org

15 OCTOBER 2011EMIAC 82 STONED INNORTHAMPTONSHIREThe county’s quarrying and miningindustries at Cogenhoe Village Hall,Cogenhoe, Northampton, hosted byNorthamptonshire IndustrialArchaeology Group. Details fromJane Waterfield, 6 Bakers Lane,Norton, Daventry, NN11 2EL(including sae) or emailnewsletter@northants-iag.org.uk

20-22 OCTOBER 2011TICCIH AGRICULTURE ANDFOOD SECTIONTechnology, construction, aesthetics,conservation.Nogent-sur-Seine.Picot.francoise@yahoo.com

14-16 DECEMBER 2011RAILWAYS AND SPEEDInternational conference. Twocenturies of speed on the railways,thirty years of high-speed trains.International Union of Railways, 9,rue du Château-Landon, F-75010Paris www.ahicf.com

29 OCTOBER 2011 R&CHS CLINKER LECTURE;SIR WILLIAM CUBITT (1785-1861) at the Birmingham & MidlandInstitute, Birmingham, commencingat 2.15pm. No booking necessary.The Railway & Canal HistoricalSociety’s annual Clinker Lecture isgiven this year by Peter Brown. Sir

William Cubitt, who died in October150 years ago, had an unusuallyvaried career: windmills engineer,consultant to an ironworks, inventorof the prison treadwheel, gas worksmanager, then a civil engineeradvising on water supplies, docks,navigable waterways and railways.

5 NOVEMBER 2011 DEVIZES IA SYMPOSIUM2011 at the Wharf in Devizes. Speakerscovering canals, the Cold War, millsand railways. Further detailsavailable fromwanhs@wiltshireheritage.org.uk orthe Bookings Secretary, WiltshireHeritage Museum, 41 Long Street,Devizes, SN10 1NS

1 - 16 NOVEMBER 2011TASMANIA “A DEVIL OF AGOOD PLACE TO VISIT”Various options of tours of industrialsites on the occasion of the 16thEngineering Heritage AustraliaConference, Hobart, Tasmania.Contact Paul Saulter, 80 UdimoreRoad, Rye, TN31 7DY or visitwww.heritageofindustry.co.uk

22 - 28 APRIL 2012MALTA THE (AMERICAN)SOCIETY FOR INDUSTRIALARCHAEOLOGY 2012 STUDYTOUR Looking at how the island hasexperienced the high technologythat comes with being a militarybase and meeting place of manycultures.Full details: www.sia-web.org

28 APRIL 2012SERIAC 2012St Bartholomew’s School, Newburyhosted by Berkshire IndustrialArchaeology Group. www.biag.org.uk

7 - 12 JUNE 2012 FIFTH INTERNATIONALEARLY RAILWAYSCONFERENCE at Caernarfon. Advance notice only.For further information seewww.erc5.org.uk

Waiting to descend the shaft into the old copper workings at Falun on the AIA Spring Tour to Sweden Photo: Bill Barksfield

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS(formerly AIA Bulletin ISSN 0309-0051)ISSN 1354-1455

Editor: Chris Barney

Published by the Association for IndustrialArchaeology. Contributions should be sentto the Editor, Chris Barney, The Barn, BackLane, Birdingbury, Rugby CV23 8EN.News and press releases may be sent tothe Editor or the appropriate AIA RegionalCorrespondents. The Editor may betelephoned on 01926 632094 or e-mail:aianewsletter@btinternet.com

Final copy dates are as follows:

1 January for February mailing1 April for May mailing1 July for August mailing1 October for November mailing

The AIA was established in 1973 to promotethe study of Industrial Archaeology andencourage improved standards of recording,research, conservation and publication. Itaims to assist and support regional andspecialist survey groups and bodies involvedin the preservation of industrial monuments,to represent the interests of IndustrialArchaeology at national level, to holdconferences and seminars and to publish theresults of research. The AIA publishes anannual Review and quarterly News bulletin.Further details may be obtained from theLiaison Officer, AIA Liaison Office, TheIronbridge Institute, Ironbridge GorgeMuseum, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DX. Tel: 01325 359846.

The views expressed in this bulletin arenot necessarily those of the Associationfor Industrial Archaeology.

Information for the diaryshould be sent directly to the

Editor as soon as it is available. More Diary Dates can be found

on the AIA website atwww.industrial-archaeology.org