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Friday 24 February 2012

Rockwood pigments

Derp derp derp derp

I was driving through Matlock and spotted something interesting at the side of the road, It was a mine entrance just over the road but I only had the P7 with me and I wasn't going in unprepared

I walked back over the road and saw what looked like a big derp so decided to have a nosey

Rockwood Pigments Factory is located under High Tor cliffs in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire. The factory is now empty and faces an uncertain future. It is known as the High Tor Works.

Originally called Viaton, it was originally established for mining iron ore but after this was worked out in 1850 the waterwheel was used to grind white lead. At the end of the century the Via Gellia Colour Company took over, installing a turbine to drive four pairs of Peak stones which for the next twenty years ground iron oxide. Then bone char, the waste product from sugar refining, was ground until the late 1960s. Later the site was used for blending pre-ground chemically-produced colour products for use in paving slabs and other cement products. Finally the site became part of the Rockwood group.

On with the pics

Oh noes an epic spikey gate


The first yard




Stay safe people


Pikeys have removed most of the cables and fuses






The next shed


everything on this side was coated in red pigment


some machinery thing


Old fuse box that pikeys had ripped out


Storage shed with string, flags and chairs


Broken window


I honestly don't know how some people just do derps, it was pretty boring until I found the mine at the back of the yard, shame it's gated and locked up but I'll be back for that one

Thursday 16 February 2012

Holme Bank Mine

Holme Bank chert mine was worked from c.1800 up to 1960. There are extensive workings, notable for the large packwalls used to support the roof after the chert beds had been removed. The last company to operate the mine (Smiths Runners) also manufactured davie blocks for building, and continued to do so on site up to about 1995. Much of the surface plant is still on site.


















Thanks for looking :D

Thursday 9 February 2012

Down Below - Stoke on Trent




As I was in Stoke anyway I decided it would be rude not to pop down a drain :)

Down Below was I believe discovered by LittleMike but if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me.

The outfall is a 5 foot box affair which leads to two RCP which then join back up for a bit more box then it splits again into an 8 foot RCP and a much smaller RCP

I followed the larger pipe and the smell of fresh, after 15 - 20 minutes I arrived at the poop processor where I watched Stoke fresh flow by for a few minutes before heading out.

On with the pics