Prototype A Day Out in Gorton

Well, 3 days actually but who's counting?

As usual copyright with me but if you wish to repost/publish shout up and I'll try and get a better scan.

The first batch is 18th April 1936

I've not looked at the maps to see where this is but the caption just says "one track crossing five".
Some top notch S7 trackwork there


"Unlagged boiler on an old loco frame" Is that a Robinson superheater there?


" Well wagon built by Leeds Forge Co" Actually lettered as "Welltrol K" No 545591


Robinson O4 6231 in a state of undress.
The photographer is getting a quizzical look from the "gaffer" on the right.


Our intrepid photographer has captured ex GCR 2-4-2T 5736 and it's train of 6 wheelesr from the top of the coaling tower.


Gorton coaling plant and sheds.


Beyer Peacocks works ( and a Director)


Straight down!

On to the 18th June 1938.

B17 wheelsets


4-4-0 wheelsets


B17 2810 "Honingham Hall"


B17 2643 "Champion Lodge"


B17 2869 "Barnsley"

B17 287x "Manchester City"

Ex GCR B7 5458 ex works.

On to page 2.

Still the 18th June 1938

Ex GCR D9 6016 also looking ex works

Ex GCR B5 6072 ex works


Ex GCR 5426 City of Chester


B8 5446 Earl Roberts Of Kandahar

Ex LDEC J60 6410

Moving on to the 22nd April 1939


Unidentified LDEC M1 0-6-4T

Unidentified Ex GCR L1 2-6-4T

Unidentified "Class O4 rebuit 1929 with O" boiler GN"



D6 5876 hides behind some Gorton "atmosphere"


D6 5880

Unidentified Q4


C4 5363 finishes off our day to Gorton.

Off to Liverpool next time.

Rob

Wow, superb images for their time - some are better than today's digital efforts!!!

Well done on scanning them, and thanks for sharing - superb.

Rich

The crossing in the first photo is here :-

View: Lancashire CIV.12 (Droylsden; Manchester) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952

Despite appearances it is the main eastbound exit for Ashbury sidings crossing the Gorton Shed approach.

Rob

Zooming out to full extent of the sheet, it is clear that map is going to need some serious investigating, Rob - starting with the next sheet north

To the immediate north of Ashbury Sidings is a works, mainly covered, but with a small open area revealing a right web of tracks.
A track runs due north from here right through the area of housing into a vast complex called North Street Works, Openshaw.
This is the English Steel Corporation, see here for what they were up to: English Steel Corporation:1935 Review
I hope for the residents sake that there was another way in and out of North Street Works!

Oh well, that's another evening booked on 'other duties' then

Here's the 1933 map due north - ref. CIV.8

View: Lancashire CIV.8 (Droylsden; Failsworth; Manchester) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952

Looks like the ESC traffic entered along the top of the Clayton Aniline Chemical Works (a shared access), off a mineral line running south from the LMS line some distance east of Miles Platting Station.

The earlier 1920 map ( View: Lancashire CIV.8 (Droylsden; Failsworth; Manchester) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952 ) shows the mineral line was put in to serve the Stuart Lane Power Station (shown on 1933 map but without a reference).

Just look at the interlaced trackwork of the three lines presumably feeding coal wagon tipplers in triangular formation - fulls in, empties out with the facility to reverse any end-door coal wagons which were facing the wrong way!


This line was later extended south to serve the Clayton Aniline Works shown at the top left of Rob's 1933 map reference - sheet CIV.12.

Sorry for the diversion, but I find the sheer extent to which these urban / industrialised areas were served by (and totally dependent upon - and existed because of) railway lines quite fascinating - something that I guess is all but lost to folk with no memory of, or interest in, our industrial past.

Oh for a time machine (and a decent packed lunch and First Aid kit of course ).

Tony

Osgood said:

Sorry for the diversion, but I find the sheer extent to which these urban / industrialised areas were served by (and totally dependent upon - and existed because of) railway lines quite fascinating - something that I guess is all but lost to folk with no memory of, or interest in, our industrial past.

Oh for a time machine (and a decent packed lunch and First Aid kit of course ).

Click to expand...

Agreed - always fascinating. I wanted to place the location and until I had a quick look myself I hadn't realised but the map of the Stuart Lane Power Station is the precise place where the Manchester Velodrome is now. We've spent many a happy time there with the kids never realising what was there previously.

As for the time machine this is the best I can do.
Watch Mining Review 2nd Year No. 4 - BFI Player
In the bottom left of the map is a coal mine (right in the town). The first minute of the film shows them building a tunnel between the coal mine and the power station for a conveyor belt to transfer the coal direct to the power station. Just a smaller taster of the film.

Hi Adrian, Thanks for posting that film link. Oh how we used to live eh? Don't think any youngsters would consider doing anything like that now!

Health and Safety...whats all that about, just jump in this skip and I'll drop you down that big hole there...

..oh, and I liked the railway bits as well....