Roy B

(continued from above) The W.H.Shaw Loom Works site before demolition. Pic credit to the Lone Ranger. Up until a few weeks ago you would have come to the old W.H.Shaw’s Dobcross Loom Works on your left hand side. This was the most impressive building in Diggle. The loom works were built in 1860, with the main chimney added in 1863. The centre-piece was the office building built in 1890.It was known locally as “The Cathedral” and had a Gothic style 4-stage clock tower. This was connected to the works by a link bridge. The works were extended between 1890 and 1900. The company was a world leader in the manufacture of textile machinery, and the “Dobcross Loom” was exported worldwide in the late 19th century. A lot of the original buildings were lost due to a huge fire in 1925. Serious reconstruction followed with the addition of a water tower. The buildings were used for munitions in World War 1, and for making parts for Russian submarines in World War 2. Between 1969 & 2006 the site became the one of the largest pallet works in Europe. It last saw use as an injection moulding business. There was a huge auction at the site in March 2007. Just a few of the items sold: Eight fork lift trucks, pallet trucks, Climax 90 Sideloader, Rolls Royce diesel generator, Ford tractor, gas fired steam boilers, Atlas air compressors, pressure washers, Mig Tig welders, power hacksaws, three Scania sleeper cab tractor units, Leyland Daf 85 330 shunter and a Ford Transit 190 dropside tipper. The factory even had its own buses. In 2015 an application for planning permission to demolish the existing buildings on site, and construct a new school were submitted. In July 2019 the plans were approved with the exception of demolishing the office building, clock tower and link bridge. These have been given Grade-II listed status. On an earlier visit to the area to do a reccy for access to the tunnel i had a look around the works. Much to my now deepest regret I didn’t have a camera with me on that day. The industrial delights this place had to offer were superb. There was a mixture of different buildings all with their own character. Some of the floors were like a skating rink with all the plastic beads left behind from the injection moulding business. The ground floor of the admin block was simply stunning. Plush carpets throughout, tiled walls, stained glass windows and a very high standard of fixtures and fittings. A wonderful decorative cast iron spiral staircase led to the upper floor. The owner of the pallet business was offered thousands for this but would never sell. He appreciated the grandeur and history in that part of the site. The Victorian clock in the tower was a thing of beauty. This had been looked after by Maurice Brayford, a retired chap who used to enjoy keeping it going even after closure. He would visit the clock three times a week to keep it wound and check everything was in order. He managed to replace a worn out part of the clock mechanism by fettling a metal insert from an old Wellington boot. It fitted perfectly to within a thousandth of an inch! Time is standing still now though. In 2015 vandals smashed and bent a major part of the mechanism. The internal workings have been left irreparably damaged. Maurice was left devastated as the clock had become part of his family over the years. It got him out of the house and gave him something to look forward to doing. It literally brings tears to my eyes to think how heartbroken he must have been. Metal thieves have ransacked the site over the years and lead flashings/slates have been removed from the buildings. When I returned to photograph the tunnel i planned a repeat visit to the works. Too late!! The demolition gang were on site which made access highly dangerous. Conveniently the listed connecting bridge between offices and works “accidently” ended up being torn down. Apparently one end of it was attached to an unlisted building and when that went down it took the bridge with it. This great pic shows the old tunnel arrowed, the canal, and the W.H.Shaw's site as a train heads for Manchester I’ve been back since and the site is now cleared apart from the clock tower etc. I’m kicking myself for not having a camera with me that first time. A missed opportunity for sure. This is the second time this has happened. I went (with camera this time!) to have a mooch around inside 10 Shop at the Crewe Locomotive Works. Guess what? Demolition day again!! Pics of all this write up in the gallery. That’s it for now folks. Thank you for coming along with me on these travels through this extended close season period. Back with plenty more at the end of this short F1 season. Nic isn’t going back racing just yet so Jane and I will be doing the results. Whilst the pits are out of bounds i’ll try and get a bit of pit news, and a few pics using binoculars and a zoom lens! Cheers, keep safe, Roy

(continued from above) Let’s go and have a look at the tunnel then. We make our start from Diggle which is in a very picturesque setting in the foothills of the Pennines. It was an important centre of the woollen and textile trade. The Huddersfield Narrow Canal enters Standedge tunnel here. The tunnel took sixteen years to build using only gunpowder, picks and shovels. It was opened in 1811 and was used extensively until the last working boat passed through from Dewsbury to Mossley in 1921. Its decline for goods movement came about with the advent of the railways. In addition to this there is no towpath so the boats had to be legged through by the crew. They had to lie on the top of the boat and walk it through along the walls or roof of the tunnel. It is the longest and deepest in the country, and can take a modern diesel powered narrow-boat up to two hours to get through the three and a quarter mile distance. In the mid 1800’s there were inevitable delays as queues formed at both ends. By the mid 1970’s the canal was derelict and partially filled in, but thankfully a team of volunteers were successful in obtaining funding to restore it. Re-opening came in 2001. Walking alongside the canal and the main line we come to Diggle Junction signal box. Opened in 1885 it is still functional today, but living on borrowed time. A staff redundancy occurred in 2005 when Marmalade the signal box cat was given early retirement. He had transferred from Brewery Sidings box at Miles Platting in 1998. This was at a time when the railways still looked after their valued employees! As we get closer to our goal we cross under the main line via a brick built foot tunnel. This was constructed by the railway company to enable farmers and mill workers access to both sides. The disused track-bed now becomes very overgrown. In winter it is a quagmire and you invariably end up wading through a thick layer of muddy soup. As the tunnel comes into view the first thing you’ll notice is the absolute blackness within. Time to get those torches out folks. To be honest they will only illuminate a very small area in front of you as the darkness just swallows the light. I take a construction site floodlight alongside a Lenser P7 (other makes are available). The only way to get decent photos in these places is to use the light painting technique. I’ll go into what’s needed and how in a future post. The roof of the tunnel has a nice layer of soot interspersed with calcite straw stalactites. These form from the minerals leaching through the brickwork/mortar. At ground level there are flowstone deposits forming on the old track-bed. They are a brilliant white colour and are made by calcite rich water dripping from the tunnel roof. There are high-level rows of cable hanger brackets attached to the walls, and rail chair screw bolts lying around. The tunnel is 329 yards (300 metres) long and has a gentle curve to the south end. This far end has been back-filled and landscaped externally. An eerie mist appeared very briefly when I was down that end. There was no change in temperature, or any holes through the brickwork to the outside. It disappeared as quickly as it came so can only surmise it was a ghostly presence from the past! A lot of these tunnels saw death and injury when they were built and have a reputation for being haunted. I didn’t turn around when i heard the footsteps!! At regular intervals there are refuges set back into the walls to enable the platelayers and permanent way gang to get to safety when a train came thundering through. A number on a ceramic plate attached to the back-wall of the refuge helped to identify how far into the tunnel the gang were. Back outside we can climb up the embankment and have a look at the parapet over the tunnel portal. The coping stones have become dislodged and part of it has fallen onto the track-bed below. Walking back to Diggle gives an opportunity to see the skill of the canal builders with a number of locks alongside us. There is an even older foot tunnel (late 1700’s) here which goes under the canal. (continues below)

(continued from above) The Micklehurst Loop was a double-track, six and three quarter mile alternative route between Diggle and Stalybridge on the Huddersfield-Manchester line. The loop was spread over the borders of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire. The attached route map shows our tunnel marked by the green arrow. Why was the loop constructed? The Huddersfield and Manchester Railway Company (1844) was amalgamated into the London and North Western Railway in 1847 after the LNWR had recognised the potential of the line. It provided an economic link between Leeds, Huddersfield, Manchester and Liverpool. The textile manufacturers of the Colne and Thame valleys would also add to the line’s profitability. The history of this major line would cover many pages so we’ll just concentrate on its association with the loop. Such was the success of the Huddersfield-Manchester route that two tracks proved totally inadequate to handle the traffic. The original single-track Standedge Tunnel (1849) had been quadrupled by 1894. Further south, industry and housing on the western side of the valley crowded the route. It was impossible to squeeze extra railway tracks into the space without extensive demolition and expensive engineering. The solution was to layout an entirely new route on the eastern side of the valley. Even this involved some complex engineering challenges. Three tunnels, five viaducts and four stations all had to be constructed. The industrial nature of the valley required goods depots and sidings to be provided at regular intervals along the route. All of this needed expanses of flat and level land which had to be created from the steep valley sides by cutting or tipping. During the construction there were some engineering setbacks and accidents, and customary outbreaks of violence involving the navvies. An innovative method of working through the night illuminated by powerful electric lamps was trialled here. It attracted onlookers to the scene who thought it was like Blackpool prom! The line opened fully to passengers on May 1st 1886. The loop’s passenger service soon proved to be little used as the four stations were in effect duplicated and served by the main line. All four had closed to passengers by 1917. The loop remained very important, however, for goods traffic, and as a relief line for summer excursion trains. BR’s north-eastern region timetable actually used this route as a priority over the main line in busy periods. The four former stations remained in use to handle the goods traffic until the 1960’s. Freight was now switching to road transport and the line’s use declined. It was decided that the original double track on the western side of the valley would be sufficient for the Huddersfield-Manchester route. The last passenger train to use the loop was a Pennine Railtour on Sunday October 2nd 1966. The line was closed to through traffic the next morning. The track was lifted by 1970 with the exception of about a mile at the southern end of the loop which remained in use to carry coal to a power station. This ceased in 1972 and the remaining track taken out of use by July 1976. We’ll have a look around another part of the Micklehurst Loop in the future. (continues below)

Hi there folks, There’s plenty to read this time. Get a brew, feet up and get stuck in. For this last one before the F1 mini season begins we’re heading to the border between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. Did any of you manage to get the clue from the pic last time? I’ll admit it wasn’t the easiest to see but it shows an old catch point post. This can only mean one thing: It’s railway related. You can’t beat a bit of old railway abandonment! We’re going to be exploring the disused early 1880’s Butterhouse Tunnel on the Micklehurst Loop. Constructed in engineering brick (known as blue brick), its main lining is seven courses thick at the crown. Towards this end you can see three to six rings of red brick which have been inserted as a secondary lining for strengthening purposes. (continues below)

LUKE ‘WRENCHES’ THE WIN FROM THE WESTCOUNTRY Cheshire’s Luke Wrench (560) takes victory in the Final at Taunton on Monday the 10th Aug. Since being given approval to return to racing this was Autospeed’s seventh meeting in three weeks. With eight Smeatharpe meetings lost owing to the lockdown conditions an attempt has been made to reschedule as many of them as possible. The extra dates are being run in August and September in the hope of more favourable weather than later in the year. There's no better place to spend a warm Monday evening. The south-west has seen the majority of race meetings since returning to racing and I bet there’ll be a strong westcountry flavour to the new grading list. I would expect to see many more red tops in this part of the country come September 1st. There has also been tremendous support from drivers who have travelled great distances. In addition to Luke, Liam Bentham (with John Dowson Jnr on spanners) (488), and Aaron Vaight (184), both Ormskirk based, continued their ever-present run for these Monday night fixtures. They were joined tonight by Manchester’s Ant Riley (282) for the second week in a row, Market Drayton’s Tristan Claydon (210), and Bolton’s Phil Mann (53). The journey down from the north was not a good one on Monday. At least three hours was added on owing to a crash between junction’s 16-15 on the M6, and another on the M5. The meeting was also round three of the Autospeed August Accumulator. Five rounds, two tracks (here, and the United Downs Raceway at St. Day), one month. All drivers score 10 attendance points for each round they race in, with multiplication factors for the grading points thrown in. White x 5, yellow x 4, blue x 3, red/superstar x 2. There will be sixteen prizes ranging from a Zetec exhaust system, Weber carb, Zetec water pump kit, porta power, trolley jacks, link bars, tyres etc. This was the tenth year for the Remembering Rog memorial event. Owing to the need for social distancing the Grand Parade at the start of the meetings has been temporarily put on hold. A feature of this meeting was always a presentation of cupcakes and mementoes to all the participants. It is now twenty years since Roger Willcock (95) made his debut at St. Columb. This was also the first meeting in Cornwall that Autospeed under the tenure of Crispen, and Andrew promoted. Roger had a reputation for being a lively lad with a quick temper. His short fuse when things didn’t go to plan was evident on many occasions. A trademark fling of the steering wheel out of the cab was witnessed many times. It was this that inspired the creation of the Remembering Rog trophy - a steering wheel mounted on a wooden plinth. When Rog set out on his F2 career it was in an ex Mike James car. Four years later he unveiled a brand new Motorworld car built at John Harding’s workshop. Over nine seasons he appeared 141 times winning seven races in the car. Smeatharpe was the venue he attended the most, with appearances at St. Day and St. Columb. A few trips to Bristol, and a quartet of the Good Friday meetings at Ringwood also featured. 2008 was his last season, and it was not long after that he became ill and sadly passed away in November 2010. Onto the meeting then. On a glorious summer’s evening another very respectable entry of 37 cars were on hand to do battle. The evening began with a white top race which had a prize fund of £100, plus a gallon of oil for the top three. Ten cars took the green with Wayne Wadge (920) taking an early lead until the race was brought to a stop after a three car tangle. Wadge led off at the restart only to be passed by Josh Weare (736), and Mike Priddle (14) near the end. The 920 car successfully fought back however and took the victory. Result: 920, 736, 14, 663 and 903. N.O.F. Heat One: 18 cars. Priddle and Wadge disputed the early lead in this one allowing the pack to close in. Chevy Mills (538) was on a charge from the yellow grade, with new red top Chris Mikulla (522), and the British Champ Steven Gilbert (542) in close range. With three to go Mills pushed Wadge aside to take the lead with 542 and 522 also passing the 920 car. Entering turn three on the last lap Mills took a tight line as a big hit from Gilbert made contact. In the run to the flag 542 edged over the line first with 538 holding off 522. Luke Wrench (560) had delayed himself firing Ryan Sheahan (325), and Jon Palmer (24) into the wall early on but still came home in 4th. Result: 542, 538, 522, 560, 920, 24, 302, 539, 325 and 91. First ten to the Final. Heat Two: 16 cars. A caution early on in this one as Ben Farebrother (115) drifted wide coming out of turn two and ended up turned across Phil Mann (53) and into the back straight wall. Josh Weare (736) led off the restart until halfway when Aaron Vaight (184) took over. Liam Bentham (488) and Ben Borthwick (418) tried in vain to catch the 184 car who duly took his third win in ten days. The 418 car rode out a last bend hit from Matt Stoneman (127). Result: 184, 488, 418, 127, 464, 126, 890, 736, 210 and 196. Consolation: 14 cars. The small field for this one was reduced soon after the green flag as Marc Rowe (526) and Bryan Lindsey (663) piled into the pit bend fence, at the same time as Farebrother clouted the Honiton end. James Rygor (783) relieved Ant Riley (282) of the lead to take his fourth win of the month. Result: 783, 282, 14, 320, 53, 115, 720 and 903. Final: A 28 car field around this tight Taunton track made for some hard hitting action. Rygor made the early break to get the lead before halfway. Mills was in second behind a lapped 418 who had been dumped out of the battling red tops early on. Weare (the early leader of heat two) was turned sideways across the following Wrench and Palmer (24). In the ensuing melee Ant Riley hit the unsighted 736 car at full speed. Fortunately there were no injuries to either driver but the 282 car ended up with a severely rearranged front end. The 560 car was gaining on the leaders after the mid distance restart and moved ahead with some skilful use of the front bumper. The red tops behind were battling amongst themselves, the 24 car putting a big hit in on the 542 car via a backmarker. Luke duly took the victory from Rygor and Vaight. In his post-race interview Luke said his target this year is to claim all three south-west track championships. Result: 560, 783, 184, 538, 24, 522, 542, 127, 488 and 302. What can happen with 28 cars around Taunton! Every credit to the 282 team for getting it fixed for the GN. GN: 25 cars. With only a one race gap a superhuman effort by the 282 team and others to repair the damage saw Ant take his place on the grid. Unfortunately a leaking brake pipe scuppered his chances to score any points. Wadge led most of the race until moved out by a backmarking Mikulla. Mills took over a lead he kept to the finish. The one lap handicap certainly didn’t hold the 560 back as he blasted through for 4th. Result: 538, 184, 783, 560, 920, 302, 539, 542, 24 and 488. That was the end of another belter of a Monday meeting. I thought i was seeing things in the pits as all the way from Rochdale was the Team Smith Motorsport bus. Stuart has sold it to an F2 driver. When the new owner picked it up Stuart told him that apart from routine maintenance he hadn’t had to take a spanner to it. Within half an hour of heading south the throttle linkage sheared! It obviously didn’t want to leave its old home. To see who’s bought it head to the gallery. Check back here at the weekend for the last of our off season escapades until the F1 mini season finishes. Don’t forget that torch.

THE SALTIRE SWEEPS SKEGNESS Gordon Moodie races to a dominant Heat and Final at Skegness on Saturday. Gordon's giving Rob some tips on how to win Heat and Final at his own track! Every credit to Rob and the team for meeting the challenge of re-opening the stadium. All was in place for a top night of action. Richard Kaleta announced a few changes over the p.a concerning race winners presentations. There wouldn’t be a pace car, trophies, or driver interviews. No drivers or mechanics to go to race control. Spectators to clap or sound air horns. There was a one way system in and out of the pits for anyone who qualified for access. Heat one for the F2’s saw Billy Webster (226) race his tar car. Speaky got a rear flat. Brad McKinstry (NI747) and Dave Polley (38) were up front early on, and joined by Neil Hooper (676) who was dishing out the front bumper with gusto. Another hitting hard was Dan Fallows (581). Ministox graduate Harley Burns (992) drove a fine race to claim the win. Result: 992, NI747, 676, 190, 9, 376, 38, 226, 581 and 960. First ten to the Final. Heat two saw an epic battle for the lead between Aaron Vaight (184), Gordon Moodie (7), Jon Palmer (24) and Liam Bentham (488). James Riggall (527) was fired into some parked cars in turn four by the 24 car. An emotional Gordon dedicated the win to his Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Anne. Result: 7, 184, 488, 24, 606, 183, 390, 42, 731 and 319. The Consolation had Speaky and Mark Gibbs (578) trading some big hits. Result: 783, 527, 282, 200, 482, 524, 618, 161, 218 and 578. The Final began with Guinchy (183) being steamrollered into the turn 3 plating by a hard charging pack of star men. The resultant damage couldn’t be repaired in time for the GN. Gordon piloted the 7 car to the front in supreme fashion. That youngster Harley Burns took some catching though. Definitely one for the future. The two Polley built cars finished together in 4th and 5th. Result: 7, 783, 992, 38, 488, 218, 581, 190, 9, and NI747. The GN had good pals 184 and 24 take the top two placings, with 488 following his car builder 38 home in 5th and 6th this time. Result: 184, 24, 783, NI747, 38, 488, 190, 578, 226 and 218. Ministox top three results: Race one: 180, 68 and 277. Race two: 45, 269 and 180. Race three: 68, 45 and 269. Final: 68, 180 and 27. V8's top three results: Race one: An all girl top three – 154, 525 and 8. Race two: 288, 154 and 8. Final: 288, 154 and 438. GN: 176, 466 and 222. In the Saloons Karl Hawkins (75) was having a go in a hire car racing from the yellow grade. Deane Mayes was well and truly cannoned in by Simon Venni. Speaky (318) was one of the fastest all night. He passed Diggy (116) and Billy Smith (161) with ease and was so much quicker coming out of the corners. He was really getting stuck in with some big hits being dished out. He was enjoying himself immensely especially fighting back after getting spun out a few times. Top three results: Race one: 120, 600 and 116. Race two: 902, 349 and 161. Final: 368, 341 and 120. An excellent night of incident packed tarmac racing at its very best. Many thanks to all the drivers for the entertainment. Pics in the gallery.

(continued from above) With the impending return of F1 (fingers crossed) we’ve just time for one more before this extended off season ends so, Next time: You’ll need to bring a high powered light for this one. There is a clue in the centre of the pic as to what it concerns. I’ll put a few pics from Skeggy in the gallery later this week.

(continued from above) Now let’s go to the other end of the crag. Wainman’s Pinnacle was built in 1898 by a member of the Wainman family of nearby Carr Head Hall. The family had lived in the hall for over 300 years. There are many stories concerning the reasons for the monuments construction. One tale goes that a member of the family at Carr Head was possessed by the Evil Eye, and the column was built so that it was the first thing she saw each morning, and thus her gaze would cause no misfortune to those around her. A secret ledge containing a witch’s broomstick is rumoured to exist. There is said to be a charm buried under the pinnacle to rid Carr Head of ghosts. Other theories are that it was part of a network of beacons that were used to warn of marauding Scots invaders, and also as a landmark for aeroplanes. One of the old roads originally went over the high ground which was surrounded by bogs and pot holes. Shepherds and travellers used the two towers to guide their way as it was very easy to get lost on the moors. It was often said the monument dated back to the Civil War, but the most likely explanation is that it was built by William Wainman to commemorate the battle of Waterloo in 1815. Wainman’s son had served in the campaign against the French so the monument would also have celebrated his safe return home. Whilst the pinnacle serves its purpose as an eye-catcher the exposed position on the edge of the crag means it’s at the mercy of the Yorkshire weather. It has been struck by lightning numerous times. It was struck twice in one year and a large stone block was dislodged. It left it looking as if it had a large piece bitten out. Many thanks to Bob for the suggestion to check these out. Pics in the gallery include some scenes of the surrounding area. It sure is a nice spot. (continues below)

(continued from above) Notwithstanding a connection they both have an interesting history attached. They both sit at opposite ends of a rocky outcrop known as Earl Crag. Let’s start with Lund’s Tower (additionally known as Sutton Pinnacle, Ethel’s Tower and Jubilee Tower). William Lund had made his fortune in the textile manufacturing business. His son James bought Malsis Hall across the valley in 1860 and replaced it with a vast mansion. Malsis Hall was replaced with this fine mansion. In 1887 he commissioned a firm of local architects to design a monument that could be seen from the grounds. The tower was believed to have celebrated his daughter Ethel’s 21st birthday. It gets its Jubilee name from the commemoration of the jubilee of Queen Victoria. The tower played a role in the celebrations for another of Lund’s daughters. To mark the occasion of Marion Emmeline’s marriage a huge flag was floated from the top. The flagpole remained for a number of years afterwards. Amazingly the doorway is not blocked and you can climb the dark and narrow steps to the top. The old flagpole on the tower. Pic credit to Dave Martin. (continues below)

(continued from above) Now what do the Lund’s and Wainman’s have in common? Well the answer is in the pic below. High on a ridge above the villages of Cowling and Sutton- in-Craven in North Yorkshire are two stone monuments. The left one is Lund’s Tower, and the right is Wainman’s Pinnacle. They are known locally as the Salt (right), and Pepper Pots (left). I have asked Annette, Frank Snr, FWJ and JJ if they know of any link to their families. They are not aware of any, but it would need their respective family trees studying to confirm it one way or the other. With the two Johns (53 and ex95/153) residing in Lancashire 15-18 miles away there probably isn’t a connection. However, Silsden is only 5 miles distant so the possibility is far greater. There is also a Wainman Close in Cowling itself. Cowling was once the largest community for miles, and an important centre for weaving with six mills in the village. (continues below)

( continued from above) During May 1941 the stadium suffered severe bomb damage during an air raid which demolished the main stand and offices. Sadly the two night watchmen on duty were killed. The blast also extensively damaged the nearby cinema and police station. Pic credit to Hartlepool Museum. A 1945 aerial shot of the town centre. Pic credit to Hartlepool Museum. During the post war years boxing made its first appearance in 1957. The nation’s favourite at the time was Brian London. He was born in West Hartlepool and contested a British Heavyweight eliminator at the stadium. From the age of 16 he has lived in Blackpool, and following his retirement from boxing became a businessman in the town owning several nightclubs. In 1971 his 007 club became part of a national media story. Bobby Moore, and three other West Ham players spent the evening before an important FA cup match against Blackpool at the club. They lost 4-0 and the players were heavily criticised by the press. Moore later said that they knew they were leaving themselves vulnerable meeting up with Brian! Now aged 86 Brian can still be seen out on his daily run. By 1965 the rugby club were in dire financial straits. The stadium owners had no choice other than to evict them. Greyhounds then became the only source of income over the next decade. In 1975 stock cars arrived and became a great success for the next twenty years. (continues below)

Hi there folks, We start off with another in the “What was there before?” series. Hartlepool is the featured track this time. On this late 1800’s map the stadium site is bottom left and was the cricket ground. The docks and railway sidings to the right of Clarence Road would have been a hive of activity. The six acre site first opened as the Clarence Cricket Ground before the turn of the twentieth century. Amateur football came next, followed by rugby union. It became West Hartlepool’s home ground. Greyhounds arrived in 1938, when the track was laid around the rugby pitch. Four thousand spectators attended the first meeting. The venue was used as a flapping track (unlicensed dog racing). (continues below)

A DEVON DELIGHT AS MINI MOSSY TAKES THE FINAL WIN AT SMEATHARPE Taunton – Monday 27TH July 2020. More than four months on from when they last raced there was finally a chance for the Brisca F2’s to race once again. The way the fixtures are looking it could be that the West Country becomes the centre of the F2 universe for a short while at least. An impressive line-up of cars included many of the early season drivers who hit the headlines all those weeks ago. Joe Marquand (689) won the opener at St.Day, and Liam Bentham (488) did likewise at Skegness. Luke Wrench (560) sits at the top of the Autospeed Track Championship table owing to high scores early on. Add to that mix a visit from Dave Polley (UK38) and Charlie Guinchard (183). It was clear that the meeting had the ingredients to be a lively one. After afternoon rain showers the track had virtually dried out for the practice session. Both Guinchy and Paul Moss (979) had engine problems. 183 looking to have an air lock as the pressure kept fluctuating, and 979 pulling off with an expensive and loud rattling sound. Heat 1: 17 cars took to the track, and after a false start white roofed Wayne Wadge (920) broke away to lead until over half way. He was caught with two to go by Chris Mikulla (522) who went on to win. A battle between Jon Palmer (24) and Ben Borthwick (418) ended with the 24 car riding up the right rear and cutting the tyre of 418. Result: 522, 560, 920, 538, 542, 835, 196 and 689. First 8 to the Final. Heat 2: 15 cars for this one. A fast and aggressive drive by Neil Hooper (676) saw him charge through for the victory. 183 pulled off with a suspected cylinder head gasket failure. Result: 676, 783, 127, UK38, 315, 126, 91 and 572. Consolation: 15 on track. An easy win for 24 from 418. After changing the engine following practice 979 completed the top 3. Liam Bentham (488) hit a marker tyre and rolled out of the race in turn one. Result: 24, 418, 979, 184, 251, 320, 663, 210, 736 and 460. Final: 25 cars on the grid. Joe Marquand (689) and Jamie Avery (126) hooked together on the back straight on the first lap as the yellows came out for a false start. On the second start they were both out, along with Steven Gilbert (542) as all three cannoned into the turn 3 plating. At the next restart 979 demoted the early leading 920. 24 unleashed a monster hit on 676 going into turn one which cannoned him into 560. Luke was in the wars again shortly afterwards as he had a clash with UK38 which ended with 560’s front end needing attention. Following a further restart 979 led a queue of blue tops. All the star men were delayed by a backmarker and argued amongst themselves for the remaining laps. A last bend hit from 522 on 979 only made light contact, and Moss held on for his first Final win at the track. “I’ve got to thank Team Gilbert for lending me an engine after mine went in practice,” he said. Result: 979, 522, 315, 184, 24, 783, 127, 418, UK38 and 538. GN: This was the race of the meeting as the 22 cars traded bumpers throughout. It all came down to a classic multi car battle between Vaight, Mikulla, Wrench and Rygor. These four constantly changed the lead between them. Wrench led into the final corner and somehow managed to survive the triple onslaught from behind to claim the win. 522, 783 and 184 crossed the line behind him side by side. It was a terrific finish to round off a wonderful night of hard surface F2 action. Result: 560, 522, 783, 184, 91, UK38, 488, 127, 920 and 251. Saloon Stock Cars The 14 car turnout was a little disappointing but those in attendance didn’t hold back. Junior Buster (902) took the first heat from Deane Mayes (730) with Billy Smith (161) in 3rd. In heat two 730 despatched Scottish visitor Colin Savage (14) into the turn three plating on the last lap for the win with 161 in 2nd. Final time saw 902 claim his second victory of the night. Going down the back straight for the last time Mayes caught and passed Smith up the inside. Entering the final turn Billy left it all on and fired Deane hard into the wall. Both got over the line with 161 ahead of 730. Plenty of pics in the gallery.

continued from above Let’s head off now then along the old route. The pics in the gallery follow this exactly. The start and finish point is the blue circle bottom left, and the route follows the green arrows anti-clockwise. The canal bed is at a consistent 144 ft elevation along this entire section which is a tremendous achievement considering the era it was constructed. Leaving the layby we walk alongside the A6 and cross over the River Kent. Shortly we turn off to the left and enter the path that heads to Hincaster. Immediately alongside us is an outbuilding linked to Levens Hall. It dates from the late 1500’s and has a fine studded door. In the field to our right is a more recent addition of a wartime pill box. We soon pass Hincaster Hall which also dates from the late 1500’s. Beyond this is the horsepath which leads to Hincaster Tunnel. Owing to the canal not having a towpath through the tunnel the horses had to be taken over the top. Along here are two tunnels built by the canal company in 1817. They were constructed to allow farmers to cross the bridge above to access their fields and were known as accommodation bridges. A third tunnel dates from 1846 and was built by the LNWR when the main London to Glasgow railway line was constructed above. The end of the horsepath leads to the eastern side of the canal tunnel. Built in 1816 it is an impressive sight. The fully laden barges had to be ‘legged’ through, or if they were really carrying some excessive weight pulled through by ropes and chains. Returning over the horsepath we head north and arrive at the western end of the tunnel. Here the fixing rings for attaching the pull through chains are visible in the tunnel wall. Continuing on we pass through a wooded area. Here the trees have had various things attached to them for children to discover. We cross over the A591 and enter a field. You would never know a canal had existed here. The land slopes downhill, and there is absolutely no trace until the first canal bridge appears. This is Wellheads Bridge and is literally in the middle of the field. A surreal sight for sure. Soon we enter Sedgwick. The village has around 350 residents but no shop, no pub, and no church. Its main point of interest is Sedgwick House. This was built in 1868 for the Wakefield family who owned the gunpowder works by the River Kent (we’ll come to that later). There is a fine example of a skew bridge here. Initially bridges were built at a right angle to the canal, creating a Z bend in either road or canal. Skew structures got around this. To avoid weakness across the bridge a winding course of stones were used, whilst creating the smallest span. Leaving the village behind we come to our second bridge at Horse Park. Again, in the middle of a green expanse. From the top of this you can make out a faint darker green strip where the canal would have been. Things to look out for here are the towrope marks. These were caused by the wet ropes which would have had grit etc. embedded in them being pulled around the bridge corners. An attachment hole can be seen for the steel plates which were added to protect the stonework. A fossilised sea anemone is visible on one of the limestone blocks in the bridge wall. A wooded area then follows. The smell of wild garlic here is tremendous. Larkrigg Hall Bridge is next. This one is a gem. The archway still has the painted white outline. The towpath, bridge number plate and a benchmark which was used when surveying the route are all at hand. In addition to this the canal bed has not been filled in here so it is a good place to see the lie of the land. Close by is an old milestone. As these were approached by the barges it shows the distance from the last place behind, not the distance to come. It is confusing until you know the reason why. It was for assistance in showing how far goods had been carried and to ensure the full toll was paid. After this we come to a fence line dividing the canal bed. One side has been filled in, whilst the landowner on the other side has left it as it was. Next on our journey is Natland Hall Bridge. The village dates from the 1100’s. There is a long standing legend that Natland has a treacle mine! The secret is only known to a few village elders. The rumour goes that a man exploring a cave back in 1211 found a spring of treacle. More recently an old farmer said he used the treacle on his farm for his animals due to its healing properties. He said it was not like Tate and Lyle’s but is solid and can be melted by heating. When asked where it could be found he replied with, “Can’t rightly say! It could be near the Kendal Mint Cake Quarry!” A treacle mine cart! This bridge has a large crack down one side and is not quite symmetrical. The canal from here into Kendal tends to lose its appeal as it becomes more urban and surrounded by industrial units. We’ll turn around at this point and head back south a short distance where we’ll leave the canal and head for the River Kent. Alongside the river is Hawes Bridge which dates from the 1700’s. The body of Sir Charles de Leyburne of nearby Cunswick Hall was washed up here after being murdered by his son and thrown in the river. Keeping alongside the river we come to Wilson Place. Here is a suspension bridge dating from the 1870’s. This is a replacement for a wooden bridge that was washed away in a flood. It contains reused suspension rods from a disused bridge in Scotland. The crossing of the river here was to enable workers from Sedgwick and Natland to gain access to the new Sedgwick Gunpowder Mill. Let’s cross the bridge (max capacity 25 persons) and have a look to see what’s left. Gunpowder was the only explosive available for military use, and for blasting in mines and quarries until the mid-19th century. Water powered mills had been in use since the 1500’s gradually being replaced by steam power from the 1900’s. The production process goes through eight stages. Firstly the main ingredients of gunpowder - saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal - are mixed. This mixture is then ground and pressed into a powder cake, followed by breaking up and sizing dependant on the required use. Dusting to remove loose particles, glazing to prevent moisture, and drying in a heated building then follows. A temperature of 126 degrees Fahrenheit had to be maintained for twelve to fifteen hours a day. The last stage is the packing and moulding in barrels or cartridges. These are carried out in separate purpose built structures. You’ll be able to see some remains of these here. In 1857 a company was formed to manufacture gunpowder on the site. They employed around 50 people, and produced 20 tons a week. Water was diverted from the river via a dam and then down a long channel (leat) to a waterwheel pit. Here a 37ft waterwheel drove the incorporating mills. Some machinery here was manufactured by Messrs. Hastie of Greenock, Scotland. They were pioneers in designing the world’s first self-holding steering gear. The powder produced at this mill was of a coarse variety, and was used mainly for blasting in mines and quarries in the area. In the early stage of the works life everything had to be moved by hand in barrows and carts. Later a tramway was set up to transport powder around the site. The canal and railway were used for bringing in the raw materials and shipping out the finished product. The industry was a perilous one. Death and devastation came with terrifying speed to the men who worked the ‘powder’. On the 22nd October 1871 some maintenance work was being carried out on the roof of the press house. A spark from a chisel ignited powder residue which caused a flash explosion. The whole roof was flung into the air killing one man and seriously burning two others. Both the corning house and press house blew up in 1875. A survivor of a previous explosion was killed along with three more workers. The machinery inside the buildings was destroyed, and the whole site had to be shut down for repairs. In 1883 the worst accident in the company’s 78 year history occurred. The cartridge house exploded. Three men were killed. The blast was so fierce it was heard in Kendal, and a bright white light from the explosion could be seen. Rosie the pig makes her appearance here. She was in a nearby field and the shock wave blew her clean over the fence into the adjacent field. She was unharmed and was found rooting around in her new surroundings. It seems the later years were nothing but a list of accidents and explosions. On the 30th March 1903 the glazing house exploded after sparks from a bronze hammer set 8100lbs of powder off. Red hot debris was sent flying onto the roof of the corning house which contained another 1000lbs which promptly blew up. On 23rd June 1906 a lucky escape with no deaths or injuries occurred. Thunder storms were rumbling in the distance when all of a sudden there was a flash and loud clap of thunder. Three lightning strikes hit the press house, number eight mill and number nine mill. It’s ironic that the only building totally destroyed, the press house, was also the only one kitted out with a lightning conductor! Before the First World War at least half the powder made in the UK was produced by five mills located within a twenty mile radius of here. However, falling orders after the war saw the site became part of ICI who closed it down in 1935. Board of Trade regulations dictated that many of the buildings had to be dismantled and burned to ensure that no traces of explosives remained in nooks and crannies. There is still plenty left to see though in this living memorial to those who lived, worked and lost their lives here. Let’s move on now and head back. Tracing our steps back to the suspension bridge (but not crossing it) we continue south and go under the A591 road. There is a balcony style walkway under the road here which gives a good view of the bridge’s construction. Our final stretch takes us through the Levens Hall Deer Park. Landscaped 300 years ago the park is home to a herd of black fallow deer, and a herd of rare-breed Bagot goats. The goats are the oldest British breed with a documented ancestry. As we exit the park you’ll see Levens Hall directly in front. The present building dates from the Elizabethan era. It has royal connections as a previous owner was Keeper of the Privy Purse to King James II. A small collection of steam road vehicles are usually running on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The gardens are largely unchanged and date back to 1690. The world’s oldest topiary gardens are located right here. Ancient box and yew trees have been shaped into surreal and unusual forms. There are a number of ghosts at the hall. The earliest parts of the building date from the 1100’s. These phantoms have no taste for moonlit nights; they usually materialise in broad daylight and have a normal flesh and blood aspect, though they have an uncanny habit of suddenly vanishing. The most notorious is the Grey Lady. Her main activity is to step in front of vehicles as they approach the house. When the driver stops and gets out there is no one there. She was last seen quite recently when a member of the current family cycled “through her”. Now i think we’ve earned a brew. Let’s make for the café. There is a mouthwatering choice of cakes on offer. Chocolate and beetroot is popular, although my favourite is a large slab of liquorice and lemon battenburg. You look like you’ve been down a coal mine after eating this. The black from the liquorice needs a good scrub to get it off your hands. Well folks it’s a couple of minutes walk back to the car from here. Thank you for joining me. If you’re a glutton for punishment head to the gallery where you can relive it all again in pictures. Next time: We’ll have a look at another stadium in "What was there before?" Away from racing King John of Rimington, John (ex95) of Clitheroe, and the Wainman dynasty all have something in common. Join me as we find out what, and where. If I can swap my shifts around at work I plan to go to Taunton on the 27th, and Skeggy the following Saturday. I’ll add a meeting report and how things are at the track to this post as and when. Until then, bye for now.

continued from above Okay then, everyone set for a journey of discovery off the beaten track? Now, about this canal that isn’t. We’ll be having a look at the area known as the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal. It runs from Stainton Crossing into Kendal, and actually has a complete lack of water. We’ll be starting from the eastern end of the Hincaster Tunnel. Our route is along the red (dry) line of the canal There’s a stretch of the A6 northbound that has been bypassed near to Levens Hall, and one lane has become used as a layby. How about we meet there and i’ll tell you a brief bit about the canal. With promotion from Lancaster itself it came into being during the canal building fever of the 1700’s. In those days Lancaster was a more important town than Preston, and a competitor as a port to Liverpool. With the lack of good communications it was actually cheaper to import foreign goods to the town than to bring English goods from places such as Wigan and Manchester. Roads were in a terrible condition. In a report from 1768 there were ruts four feet deep filled with mud between Preston and Wigan. As a port Lancaster suffered the problem of the constantly shifting sands of the Lune Estuary. The tides often made entering the port difficult. A number of alternative schemes were considered to combat this including construction of new docks positioned a quarter of a mile further north. However, a decline in trade with the West Indies saw all new ideas abandoned. Coal reached Lancaster by sea from the River Douglas. This supply line also served Kendal through the port of Milnthorpe. At the same time there was a great need for agricultural lime which was required for use in arable country further south. This was the background against which the canal was conceived. These two products led to the Lancaster Canal being known as ‘The Black and White Canal’. Original proposals suggested a route linking Kendal to Manchester but problems crossing the River’s Lune and Ribble, plus the fact the route did not reach the Wigan coalfields saw this idea dropped. After many meetings and discussions the route was determined. It was to start at Westhoughton in the south and head north to Kendal. The two river crossings would be via aqueducts. Construction started in 1792, but by the early 1800’s finances were becoming stretched. To save money it was decided to split the canal into north and south halves at Preston thus doing away with the need for one of the aqueducts. The cargo would be transferred from the barges to horse drawn tramroad wagons. The Ribble would be crossed via a combination of a double track tramroad, with three inclined planes worked by stationary steam engines and endless amounts of chain. A connection to a wooden trestle bridge over the Ribble, and a subsequent reload onto north bound barges completed the crossing. The wooden trestle bridge over the Ribble with the inclined plane visible at the far side. There were several accidents on this bridge over the years. It was positioned at the foot of the steep incline. In October 1826 the chain broke and the wagon on it ran away killing two horses. A team from a colliery had crossed the bridge and arrived at the base of the incline. After attaching a wagon to the chain the slow climb began. Suddenly the chain snapped and fell into the catches of an unhooked wagon at the top dragging it down the hill. As it thundered down it caught in the gears of the loaded wagon which was by now halfway up. This ended up being dragged backwards towards the bridge. When it reached the bottom the empty wagon was catapulted over the top crashing through the bridge handrail and falling into the River Ribble. One of the horses was killed instantly, and the other fell over the bridge onto the rocks in the river and succumbed to its injuries. The colliery company’s claim for compensation was rejected however. It transpired that they had connected a second loaded wagon to the chain before the first had reached the top. This had caused the chain to break as the whole set up was designed to have only one wagon being raised or lowered at a time. In 1976 the wagon from the tramroad was found in the mud on the river bed having lain there for one hundred and fifty years. By 1805 the canal was all but complete apart from the remaining 13 mile stretch into Kendal. Two routes were considered. Both required tunnels. Again to save money the whole of this section was looked at to see if it could be a tramroad instead. Owing to the elevation changes of the land numerous inclined planes would have been required. The cost of this was virtually double the expenditure on building it as a canal. Even with the construction of locks and tunnel the canal was still the cheaper option. The Napoleonic Wars created a lack of funds and it was not until 1813 that work actually started. 86 acres of land on Killington Common were purchased ready for a reservoir for the canal. Not long after completion a leak was discovered in the reservoir dam and it had to be totally drained to make the repair. Forty cart loads of fine red trout were caught and taken to Kendal market for sale. The reservoir can be seen from the back of the Killington Services on the M6 southbound and is one of the largest canal feeders in the country. The tunnel under construction was at Hincaster. Lining of it was proving difficult as stone was the preferred material. Nearby quarries were unable to produce the amount required so brick had to be used in places. The canal company deemed this to be an inferior material but were left with little choice. Four million bricks made on site were used in the construction. It has stood the test of time as we’ll see on our walk around. Opening of the complete canal came in 1819 and proved very profitable for the company over the following years. However, a rival appeared on the scene in the 1830’s. The railways. Over the next fifty years many takeovers, amalgamations and joint ventures ensued but ultimately the canal lost out in the end. By this time the Ribble crossing had been discontinued leaving just the northern section. Trade was still respectable but not to the same level as before. Coal traffic from Preston, and grain, timber, minerals and chemicals were just some of the cargoes carried. To all intents and purposes though the company was wound up in 1886. In 1923 the canal became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. In 1944 the LMS sought powers to close a number of their canals including the Lancaster. At this time between 6,500 and 7,500 tons of coal a year were being taken to Kendal gasworks by canal as there was no railway access. This was not enough to save it though as all traffic was transferred to road. 1947 saw the last goods carried. After nationalisation of the railways in 1948 authorisation was granted to close the canal to all commercial traffic. Owing to leakage in the limestone bed the 7 mile stretch from Stainton Crossing into Kendal was drained and filled in. The remaining canal heading south to Preston is now seeing active use as a recreational waterway. Attempts are ongoing to reopen the closed section by various restoration bodies. The route has seen encroachment by the M6 motorway, a pipeline to ICI, and various road expansion plans. Even with these obstacles to overcome it would still be technically possible to achieve. However, the tremendous cost involved, and difficulty in obtaining those funds all contribute to making it a formidable and decades long task. continues below

Hi there folks, Well a bit of good news at last with some stadiums allowing spectator attendance. At present Taunton, St.Day, Skegness and Northampton all have dates announced. F.2’s make their return to racing joined by the Saloons at Taunton on Mon 27th July, followed by Skegness on Sat 1st Aug where they are both joined by V8’s and National Ministox. Hopefully more tracks to follow soon. 515 at Baarlo The first set of pics in the gallery this week are of past racing related scenes from the Netherlands. Many thanks to Bas for sending them over. continues below

Gold standard yet again. The thing i love about these interviews is that the drivers have more time in a relaxed atmosphere to add so much to their answers. Stuart epitomises all that is so good about our sport, and i wish to thank him and Jonathan and the BSCDA team for a very enjoyable couple of hours.

Cheers Ian and Bas. Have a look at this mint transporter folks. The ever enthusiastic Stavros takes us on a guided tour. He drives a Scania S580 V8 for Rory Lynch Transport of Shannon, County Clare in the Emerald Isle for his day job. Lucky fella!

continued from above It was a grand spot to spend a few hours watching all the activities going on. Bring a flask and sandwiches and you were sorted. The building adjoining the shed was the enginemens’ workshop and break room. There was a table and long benches around a roaring log fire. A very welcome retreat on a cold wet day. At the water tank end was an oil store. The embankment had lots of broken/discarded pots, stone bottles etc. If you root around you can find odd pieces even today. The remains of the break room and stores as it is now. The first closure came in 1935, reopened in 1942, and then closed to steam in 1954. In 1967 the Bahamas Locomotive Society leased the site to establish the Dinting Railway Centre. They were a group of preservationists who had rescued the loco “Bahamas”. Built in 1934 by the North British Locomotive Company at its Glasgow works this Jubilee class loco saw service with the London Midland & Scottish Railway. In 1966 British Rail withdrew it from traffic and it was sent to Hull for scrapping. Owing to a difficulty in obtaining the funds in a short timeframe BR were not very enthusiastic to let it go to the group, and they agreed a sale to a scrap merchant. A last minute reprieve with the loan of £3000 from a sympathetic businessman saved the day. The old shed saw new life once more as a workshop for the DRC. The society constructed an exhibition hall close to the old station. A café and length of demonstration track were also added. There were many different locos visiting over the years, plus brake vans, cranes, diesel shunters and oddball/obscure rolling stock on loan from other collections. Railtours were organised, and even a visit from famous engines such as Sir Nigel Gresley, and Blue Peter. A crane tank was resident here. It was built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns at Darlington in 1942. Capable of lifting four tons the elevation of the jib was powered by its own boiler pressure with a separate steam engine for the slewing movement. It was one of nine that had been used in the Sunderland shipyards. One member of the society at Dinting used to shoot rabbits along the embankment and make up rabbit sandwiches for the team. More often than not they would be seen spitting out the pellets! Closure came in 1990. BLS failed to acquire the freehold to the site when they had the chance. The freehold was bought by the owner of the resident saddle tank “Warrington” (see pic in gallery). He decided the site could be better used for RC model car racing. Disputes arose over visitor parking. He wasn’t happy with people using his model motor racing circuit as a car park. Arguments ensued and he evicted them off site. A temporary connection to the main line had to be arranged with BR to get the resident locos out. The society are now based at the Ingrow Loco Museum on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The land was sold in 2010 for £150,000 to a group of solicitors who planned to put houses on the site. Planning permission has still not been granted at the present time. No doubt it will be eventually. The new house buyers will have to get used to the squeal of trains rounding the tight curve of the Glossop line which is only a stones throw away. Pics in the gallery. Next time: Some pics from the past of the Netherlands racing scene, plus the tale of the canal that isn’t, the gunpowder works, and a pig called Rosie. All will be revealed if you’ll join me on another walk off the beaten track, and i know just the place for us to sample some unbelievable cakes to round the day off nicely.

continued from above Its main use was for the Glossop-Manchester line (the Dinting triangle which we looked at previously), the Waterside branch (which left the main Manchester – Sheffield line at the old Dinting station) and as a stabling point for the Glossop shunter. In later years the electric loco’s for Mottram Yard also made use of the shed. Here we have two pics from the fifties: So much to see in this superb picture at a time of transition. A drystone wall, the shed in all its glory, wagons through the arch, the electric Bo-Bo class and a steam survivor. From the opposite end this time. Overhead catenary exists alongside the coal stage and water tank. Hard to imagine this scene ever existed as it is now. continues below

continued from above Keeping a link with Gorton we now move on to the main event. The shed in the woods. Going back a few weeks we had a look at the old Dinting station. Well this building is located within a five minute walk. Unless you are aware of its existence it is so easy to pass it by. Woodland has completely hidden it from view and is quite a challenge to locate. Though apocaIyptic, there’s something beautiful about abandoned and derelict places. The clocks have stopped ticking, and there’s not a soul in sight, but the shell of what used to be remains. It is an eerie snapshot of history frozen in time. A stark reminder of what went before, with a haunting beauty seeping through the dust. This engine shed is no exception. It has stunning architecture and shows it was built with pride. A well hidden jewel It was built between 1888-98 for the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (later the Great Central Railway). The shed code is 39A pre 1958 (Gorton allocation), and is a one track through layout. Two tracks passed on the south-east side. Brick built with stone coped gable ends. A coal stage and water tank were situated at the south end. The land it stands on is actually the ash tip from Gorton loco works. continues below

Hi there folks, Sorry to see we’ll have no more trips to Belle Vue. It was expected, but without the Covid situation we would at least have probably had a few more meetings. It’s another great loss. If i’m passing through an area where a track used to be i usually have a drive past its former site to rekindle the memories of the racing there etc. Well how about we have a look at what the tracks were built on, or what they replaced? In the first of a mini-series entitled ”What was there before?” we’ll start with Kirky Lane’s Belle Vue. Permission has been obtained for all photos used throughout which are not my own. The stadium itself was built in Gorton on an area of farmland known as Higher Catsknowl, and Lower Catsknowl. Gorton was known to have rich agricultural lands as far back as the reign of King Edward I in the late 1200’s. Farms and rural estates remained right up until the Industrial Revolution. By 1896 many of the farms had gone with only fields remaining in odd pockets throughout the area. A late 1800's view on the left Looking at the map the Boating Lake and Clock Tower are part of Belle Vue Pleasure Gardens. The Midland Hotel public house to the right was both a station hotel, and a place for the Pleasure Gardens visitors. It was demolished in 2002/3. Within five minutes of here was the magnificent Gorton Locomotive Works. Exporting worldwide they built more than a thousand steam locomotives. The attached picture from the 1920’s shows Kirkmanshulme Lane running alongside the right hand side. As can be seen fields have managed to hang on here. The site of the stadium (top right) does look as though building work is going on. This would fit in as it opened in 1926. The Boating Lake is clearly visible in this excellent photo. The Diamond Lodge now occupies part of that site. continues below

If only there was a part three, four, five etc, etc, etc. Please, please do another continuation interview with Kev. You just know he has loads more tales to tell.

A big thank you to all involved. It has been excellent entertainment and will be greatly missed. More than anything it brought everyone together for a few hours every Saturday and made us all feel part of the Brisca family even though we couldn't be together in person.

and another FH460 for you. A beauty from Harry Lawson's of Broughty Ferry. Lawson's specialise in the movement of hazardous products in tankers and containers.