Oldham Werneth and Central Railway Tunnels

Visited By Ojay & Hidden Shadow.

(Shouts to Bnugle & Mendo for hitting this up In Jan this year, having missed out I finally managed to haul my arse down there before final work commences).

Originally opened in the 1860's for the Lancashire & Yorkshire railway, the 2 railway tunnels, Werneth & Central tunnel are situated between Werneth & Oldham Mumps station.

The loop line closed on the 3rd october 2009 for work to be carried out on the new Metrolink service.

The Werneth tunnel measures 471yards and the Central Tunnel measures 449yards.

On with the photos.....

Signage, with more of an explanation

We started at the now closed and derelict Werneth Station

In your train stations

Werneth Southern Portal

Werneth tunnel - Internal

Here the tunnel opened briefly to a cutting, where you can see the Southern Portal for the Central tunnel

And here, looking back at the Werneth North Portal

Looking back out of the cutting between the 2 portals

Inside the Central Tunnel

Note, the area above that has been recently repaired and re-inforced. Given the age, there was no other real signs of repair work, Awesome!

Props

Tickets please

End of the line; Before you reach Mumps station. We didn't go any further here due to workers on-site

Thanks for looking

Hartford Mill, Engine House, Boiler Room & Chimney

Visited By Ojay & Hidden Shadow.

Built 1907 by the Hartford Mill (Oldham) Co Ltd. The Architect was F W Dixon, there were 120,000 spindles and power was provided by a very impressive 1500 hp Urmson & Thompson engine which was powered by the mighty Lancashire Boilers.

Having visited this mill numerous times over the years, I have never managed seem to get close enough to the old Lancashire Boilers.

It's now become a standing joke with Bungle as each time someone visits this place we get the "FFS, You didn't get any pictures of the Boilers?".

And he has ribbed me for far too long for being to lazy to get back and get some shots.

So [/Bungle] this threads dedicated to you, but joking aside there are very few examples of Lancashire Boilers left now in the Northwest, regardless of condition.

I met up with Hidden Shadow as he had managed to forget he had a holiday booked off work and turned up in favour of exploring!

That sorted we headed off for a mooch about, and called in at Hartford Mill along the way.

Now, I'm beginning to think that HS is some kind of bad omen when it comes to exploring derelict sites, as each time he goes somewhere, the Pikey's are ever present.

FACT: We had a previous encounter at DH Mallalieu's earlier in the year, and more recently he came across an axe wielding pikey at Borough Mill..

Today was no exception, as we made our way to the engine house, there were 3 blokes climbing out of the Boiler House, they even had the nerve to ask us what we were doing FFS! One of them was carrying a clipboard and trying to act all official, but I think the Fosters T-shirt gave that one away!

"I fucking hate Pikey's"

They soon f@@ked off as we climbed into the Engine House, his parting comment was "It's dangerous in there" - "No Shit Dickhead".

We took a quick look around the Engine House first, only to discover the pikey's have now stole all the railings and gatry's from the roperace...
Next up was the Boiler Room, I spent a good 10 minutes taking pictures in here whilst HS basked in the sun.

After I had finished I went for a quick mooch about the back of Boiler No.2, I managed to squeeze through a small hole and now appeared to be in the Flue.

I was a bit of a stoop for 6ft but eventually I could stand up again. Ahead I could here a strange noise and the was an eerie breeze blowing through. As I turned to the left I saw a big shaft of light, Bloody hell this is incredible, I was now stood inside the chimney. I stood in amazement for a couple of minutes before going back to inform HS of my findings.

We both headed back and I took a couple of shots before leaving.

In your Mills.....

Pictures Of Engine House - Taken on previous visit

Lancashire Boilers, since been converted to store Oil, hence the Asbestos lagging covering them

Inside the Boiler Room

Flue

Inside the chimney

Thanks for looking

Providence United Reform Church, Manchester

Visited By Ojay.

 
Exterior: Flemish bond brick with ashlar dressings and slate roof. 4-sided gallery plan. Gable-pedimented elevation with projecting plinth, first floor sill band, rusticated quoins and paired entrances. The 6-panel doors have fanlights and an entablature on flat pilasters.

Segment-headed windows to either side and 4 round-arched first floor windows with pilasters, keystones and circular tracery. The pediment has elementary brick modillions, polychromatic brick patterning and a central oculus with mouchette tracery and arabesque surround. 6-bay side elevations with similar windows on 2 levels and an eaves cornice.

Interior: virtually complete with the panelled gallery parapet sweeping round at each end supported on cast-iron columns. The box pews follow a similar curve in the gallery. Organ chamber in arched recess occupying the North gallery behind a tall panelled pulpit approached by opposed steps with cast-iron railings. Many interesting features survive including the original hymn number board, the plaster ceiling and cornice, early C20 light fittings and leaded glass.

It's origins date back to 1822 and is one of the oldest churches in Middleton

The building seen standing today was completed and opened in June 1860 at a cost of £2,500. In 1868 the organ was installed and was later restored in 1922 at a cost of £1,750!!

The stained glass windows were added much later in 1891.

The Church finally closed it's doors in 1991 since falling numbers led to the congregation merging with Alkrington United Reformed church, and with no money for maintenance the building soon began to decay.

Now a Grade II listed building at has been stood empty for 18 years.

The Pikey's strike again, having stolen valuable tiles from the roof allowing water to get inside and chunks of masonry have fallen off the building.

A large section of the Gallery was also destroyed in a fire, many of the original stained glass windows have been smashed and have since been boarded over to prevent further vandalism to the building.

The roof has also given way, and collapsed, covering the pulpit with rotten timber and fire damaged debris. The organ is sadly no more, just a brick arch where it once resided.

The latest in a long line of proposals for the building - Six apartments, but it is not clear what would become of the intricate interior woodwork and ornate balcony, which are the reasons for it being listed.

To date, it remains derelict, and now home to around 20-30 pidgeons, hence the place is laid thick with poop, and many of the original timbers are rotten.

Be warned, the upper section is 'Death on a stick'. Having climbed up to the Gallery and walking across to the other side, it was a case of snap, and my foot had disappeared below.

I carefully took as many pictures as I dared before GTFO,

Aisle

 Original stained glass windows & Pews

The roof is badly damaged, with gaping holes in a number of places exposing the Church to the elements

Debris from collapsed roof covering a large section of the floor and the original Pulpit

Looking up; The remains of the Gallery

 Up here to the Gallery....

Gallery

View from the rear of the Gallery, looking towards the Pulpit and Organ

Original Gallery

And Pulpit

Karaoke

Rear of Chapel, below the Gallery

On the way out, I managed to find this chap who also had the same idea, but sadly never made it beyond the debris and dereliction....

Thanks for looking

Westwood Quarry

Visited By Ojay, Thompski, Woodburner & Raptor Jesus.

Continuing the ONE BIG WILTSHIRE WEEKEND, we headed over to Westwood to take a look at this semi-live site.

This had been a 'Big to-do' for sometime, so shouts to Thompski & Raptor Jesus for the tour whilst in Wiltshire.

The place is immense and I'm sure there was more to see, but as time was against us, we only had a relatively short mooch.

Brief History:

Westwood Quarry, situated just outside Bath. Originally 2 large stone quarries. Once the workings ceased, the Agaric Mushroom Company who used the quarry as an underground mushroom farm.

During the WWII half the quarry was used by Royal Enfield. It was then used as an underground factory producing Anti-air craft predictors. After the War, Royal Enfield continued to use the site as a workshop to repair their motorcycles up until 1970. The workshop was then taken over by two ex-Enfield employees who ran a servicing and repair workshop from the quarry until the 1990's.

In another section of the quarry, accessible from the main drift, the mine was also used as a secure vault to house the valuable contents of the British Museum and other such artefacts from Galleries & private collections during the Blitz.

More significantly the Crown Jewels were also stored here, on one occasion in 1943 Queen Mary paid a visit to the Quarry.

The secure storage area was fitted with a state of the art ventilation system, it was also equipped with smoke detectors and a sophisticated air conditioning system to ensure consistent humidity & temperature to safegaurd the valuable artefacts.

The main repository was secured with two large safe doors requisitioned from a London bank.

Today the secure area is maintained by Restore Data Services, and still used as secure storage.

Later in the 1970's the mine was aquired by Hansons, and mining finally ceased in 2008.

In your Mines......

Mail

Office

Down to the Main Drift.... Do Not enter (Err OK)

Main Drift

Down to the Secure Area

Secure Storage Area

Tracks

Digger

To the Mine

In your stone mines

Emergency Exit

Whats through here....?

Storage area

Electrics, looks like somebody left the light on

Remnants of ventilation system used for secure repository

Remnants of WWII Electrics

Whilst snapping away, I heard Woodburner mutter something about a tunnel. As I looked around there was an 8ft hole in the floor, before you could say winrar I was 'In your holeZ'

Climbing down was Lulz, I reckon that Health & Safety course WB attended would have served me well.

Once down, there appeared to be a long tunnel, about halfway up was a pile of tyres (A poor attempt to block the tunnel). I soon clambered over to see what was the other side..

Magic Mushrooms FTW

The tunnel took a sharp right turn, it was now 1ft deep in shite and was difficult to traverse, eventually I found Teh End....

THE END. Thanks For Looking :)