STEEPLEJACK'S CORNER 2012

[Stanley]

The Hammerton Street chimney on what was Proctor's foundry. 1987.

[Steeplejerk]

The photo of slaters terrace is from oak mount, i took it when i worked on the chimney a few years ago.

[Stanley]

Do you know Tom, I had my doubts because I noticed the scaffold poles on the pic and there were none when Newtown was laddered. Sorry all, I assumed it was mine because of the folder it was in. Crawls under desk to shelter from the world......

[Stanley]

This was the pic that was throwing me. Newtown Mill from the stack in 1987.

[plaques]

The white building in the background is the old Empire cinema / theater on Cow Lane. There's some interest in trying restore it. It will cost millions, probably never happen.

[Invernahaille]

Acknowledgements to Windypics.
http://windypics.piwigo.com/index?/cate ... epair_2009

[Stanley]

Nice to see they are looking after it...... Thanks Robert.

[Stanley]

BEST repointing the whole of the stack at Ellenroad in 1991.

[Stanley]

At the same time all the bands were sent down, cleaned off and given two coats of Wailes Dove bitumen. A proper job!

[Stanley]

Bitter weather for anyone working outside. I never forget all the times I cursed the weather for various reasons! Jacks are particularly affected, you'd be surprised how different the weather is at 200ft above the ground where you have no protection from the buildings! So if any of you are out in it, good luck, at least one old fart is thinking about you....

[Stanley]

Peter and Tom getting some shelter on Ellenroad stack in 1986t. It was a cold windy day!

[Stanley]

Not all days were cold and miserable. I can think of very few better experiences than enjoying the view from a tall stack. Where could you get a better view of Newhey?

[Invernahaille]

Here is a plea from the Ellenroad Trust.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-fe ... ating-fire

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Robert, I've alerted John Ingoe who owns this.....



It's American, I think it's a Lefrance?

[Stanley]

Cancel that thought Robert. John sold the fire engine in December and is looking for something else of interest.....

[Stanley]

M62 Junction 21 interchange from the top of Ellenroad chimney. When the plan was to extend the Manchester tram network to Rochdale I suggested a new station at Newhey and a park and ride facility based on all the unused land within the interchange. There was a good exit to the main road and the suggestion was pursued by Rochdale Metropolitan Council but the Department of Transport refused to even consider it.... It seemed like a good idea at the time and came to me when I saw the interchange from this vantage point.

[Stanley]

The exit could have been through a cutting from the large wasted space on the left between the motorway and the southbound exit. A park and ride facility there would have been ideal for commuters into Manchester.

[Stanley]

When I was looking though the archive for an image of the intersection I tripped over this pic. If you are wondering about the format and the quality, I was in my Hassleblad phase and I have to admit that it shows. Wonderful cameras! Not a bad pic either, 1986, Butterworth Hall mill in the background and a good view of the motel on the other side of the main road. Click to enlarge.....

[Stanley]

One little known fact about Butterworth Hall (and it applied to Ellenroad as well) is that though the area is riddled with coal workings by Butterworth Hall Colliery and Jubilee Colliery, solid blocks of coal were left under both mills to ensure that there would be no subsidence. I don't know whether it still happens but I was told that the local water company pumped water out of Butterworth Hall shaft. It must have been a clean colliery!

[Stanley]

Butterworth Hall stack coming down.

[Tizer]

`New York crane collapses killing at least one person' BBC

[Stanley]

Those cranes always look insecure to me! Not unusual for them to fail. For some good pics of an older technology using derrick cranes seek out Lewis Hynes' pics of the building of the Empire State Buildings. Incidentally many of the steel fixers were Cherokee, they were famous for working at height.

[Stanley]

Steel fixers on the Empire State Building in New York in 1930/31. A fine disregard for health and safety which would not go down well today!

[Stanley]

When we have lousy wet and windy weather like the last few days I always remember the people who have to work outside in the worst of it. (I had to contend with the weather for so many years myself) The last couple of days will have been impossible for anyone working at height. Jacks, slaters and scaffolders. We should always remember the people who hold our world together.....

[Stanley]

It struck me this morning that one tall structure which is common in the US is almost unknown in the UK.