Ince and Elton Railway Station

 Ince and Elton Railway Station, nestled in the heart of Cheshire, is more than just a stop on the line; it's a living piece of railway history. Stepping onto the platform, you can't help but feel a connection to the past, a sense of a bygone era when the railway was the lifeblood of the nation's industry and travel.

The station, which serves the neighbouring villages of Ince and Elton, has a rich and interesting history. Originally opened on 1st July 1863 as "Ince" by the Birkenhead Joint Railway, it was later renamed "Ince & Elton" in April 1884 to reflect the community it serves. For many years, services were a joint operation between the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway, a partnership that continued until the 'Grouping' of 1923.

The station's location on the Hooton-Helsby line meant it was a key route for freight, particularly from the docks at Birkenhead and the later oil refineries at Ellesmere Port. This industrial heritage is still very much a part of the landscape you can see today.

Like many smaller stations, Ince and Elton faced the threat of closure under the infamous Beeching Axe proposals of the 1960s. Fortunately, the station was saved, though its passenger service has been significantly reduced over the years. Today, it operates a very limited "parliamentary service" to avoid full closure, with just a couple of trains a day in each direction. This sparse schedule gives the station a quiet, almost forgotten, charm, making it a unique spot for rail enthusiasts and photographers alike.

The images capture this tranquil atmosphere perfectly. You can see the platforms, which despite their age, are well-kept, thanks in part to the efforts of the "Adopt-a-Station" scheme. The lone shelter, the signage, and the railway tracks stretching into the distance all tell a story of a place that has endured.

In a world of high-speed rail and bustling hubs, Ince and Elton Railway Station stands as a testament to the local, community-focused railways of the past. It’s a quiet corner of the network, a place where you can pause, reflect, and appreciate the enduring legacy of the railways that helped build modern Britain.

The pictures below were taken on the 27th July 2024 with a Nikon d3300, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

A Walk Through Time: Elwy Bridge, The Enduring Heart of St Asaph

As the River Elwy meanders its way through the historic city of St Asaph, it is gracefully spanned by a beautiful and unpretentious monument of Welsh history: the Elwy Bridge. The photographs you see capture its timeless charm—the gentle flow of the river, the sturdy stone arches, and the tranquil reflections on the water. But beyond its picturesque appearance, this bridge holds a story of resilience, craftsmanship, and a community's enduring spirit.

A History Built on Stone and Overcome by Water

The present Elwy Bridge, a magnificent five-arched stone structure, was completed in 1770. Its construction was a direct response to the persistent problem of flooding that plagued the area and regularly destroyed earlier crossings. Records show a previous bridge—likely a timber structure located further downstream—was severely damaged by floods in 1767, prompting the need for a more robust and permanent solution.

The design of the new bridge is attributed to Joseph Turner of Hawarden, a name also associated with the historic Ruthin Gaol. Turner's design was both practical and elegant. He incorporated triangular buttresses on the upstream side, known as cutwaters, to break the force of the river's flow during high water, a feature that has served the bridge well for over 250 years. The choice of materials and the symmetrical, yet varied, spans of the arches give the bridge a unique architectural character that blends seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.

More Than a Crossing: Interesting Facts and Features

• A Scheduled Ancient Monument: Elwy Bridge isn't just a functional part of the city's infrastructure; it is a protected heritage site. Its status as a Scheduled Ancient Monument recognizes its national importance and its contribution to the understanding of post-medieval construction techniques.

• Decorative Details: Look closely at the bridge's masonry and you'll find subtle decorative touches. The Fleur-de-Lys motif on the tie bar plates adds a flourish to its otherwise utilitarian design, a small detail that speaks to the pride of its builders.

• A Symbol of Resilience: While the 1770 bridge was a major step in flood defence, the city of St Asaph continues to face the challenges of its location in the Vale of Clwyd. The River Elwy has a history of bursting its banks, with devastating floods recorded in the past. The tragic floods of November 2012 were a stark reminder of this threat. Since then, the city has implemented major flood defence schemes, including raising and strengthening embankments. The bridge, however, has stood firm, a testament to its original design and a landmark around which these modern defences have been built.

• The Bridge to Nowhere: Not far from the main bridge lies another fascinating historical curiosity—Pont Dafydd, a medieval bridge that once crossed a different course of the River Clwyd. With the river rerouted in 1969 for the construction of the A55 expressway, the bridge now stands alone in a field, a solitary road to nowhere that serves as a quiet footpath.

So, the next time you find yourself in the serene setting of St Asaph, take a moment to appreciate the Elwy Bridge. It is more than just a way to cross the river; it is a gateway to the past, a symbol of a community’s struggle with nature, and a beautiful piece of history that continues to stand strong.

I took the pictures below with a Nikon d3300 on the 27th July 2024, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The next 2 images are the result of some creative editing  and can be purchased in various formats from Photo4Me.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Sowerby Bridge: A Canal-side Journey Back in Time

On a grey and atmospheric day back on January 25th, 2014, I took a stroll with my Samsung Galaxy tablet along the Sowerby Bridge Canal Wharf. The weather, with its dramatic clouds and muted light, created the perfect backdrop for capturing the historic and slightly melancholic beauty of this industrial landscape in black and white.

The images I captured that day don't just show a collection of narrowboats and old buildings; they tell the story of a place where two significant waterways, the Rochdale Canal and the Calder and Hebble Navigation, converge. This junction is not just a geographical meeting point but a key part of Britain's industrial heritage.

A Hub of Industrial Life

Sowerby Bridge's canal basin was a hive of activity during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Calder and Hebble Navigation, completed in 1770, connected Halifax with Wakefield, providing a vital link to the Aire and Calder Navigation and, from there, to the North Sea. Just a few decades later, the Rochdale Canal opened in 1804, creating the first trans-Pennine waterway and a direct route between Manchester and Sowerby Bridge.

The two canals meet at Sowerby Bridge Canal Basin, and the basin became a crucial transhipment point. Goods arriving from Manchester could be transferred to boats heading for Wakefield and beyond, and vice-versa. The old warehouses that line the wharf, many of which are now offices, pubs, and restaurants, were once buzzing with the sound of workers loading and unloading coal, wool, and other goods.

Echoes of the Past

As I walked along the towpath, the past felt very much present. The stone-built warehouses, with their large arched entrances and multiple windows, stand as silent witnesses to the area's former glory. Their sturdy construction speaks of an era when British manufacturing was at its peak.

The narrowboats moored along the bank, while now used for leisure or as homes, are the modern-day descendants of the working boats that once plied these waters. Their reflections shimmer on the dark water, mirroring the stark lines of the buildings and the bare branches of the winter trees. The scene is both peaceful and full of history, a quiet testament to the ingenuity of the engineers who carved these waterways into the landscape.

A Living History

Today, the Sowerby Bridge Canal Basin is far from abandoned. It's a vibrant space where history and contemporary life coexist. The old warehouses have been repurposed, breathing new life into the area, and the towpaths are a popular spot for walks and cycling. The constant flow of narrowboats, from long-term moorings to holidaymakers, keeps the spirit of the canal alive.

Revisiting these photos from 2014 reminds me that places like Sowerby Bridge are more than just landmarks. They are living museums, each brick and ripple telling a story of a time when the canals were the lifeblood of the nation. It was a privilege to capture a small part of that story on a memorable winter's day.

Clicking any of the images below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

The Enduring Charm of Baitings Reservoir

On a sunny day in May 2014, with a Polaroid iS2132 in hand, I set out to capture the serene beauty of Baitings Reservoir. It's a place that feels both grand and grounded, a testament to human engineering set against the dramatic landscape of the West Yorkshire Pennines.

Located in the valley of the River Ryburn, this impressive body of water was completed in 1956 to supply water to Wakefield. It's the higher of two reservoirs here, following the construction of Ryburn Reservoir in 1933. The sheer scale of the project is breath taking. The curved dam head is a massive 470 meters long and over 50 meters high. It took eight years to build, at a cost of £1.4 million—an extraordinary sum for the time.

One of the most fascinating details about Baitings is its connection to the past. Before the reservoir was built, an old road that linked Yorkshire and Lancashire passed through the valley, crossing the Baitings Bridge. The name "Baitings" itself is rooted in Old Norse, a combination of "beit" (pasture) and "eng" (meadow), hinting at the area's history long before the water arrived. To make way for the reservoir, a concrete viaduct was built to replace the old bridge. However, the original structure isn't lost forever. During periods of extreme drought, when the water levels drop, the forgotten stones of Baitings Bridge are revealed once more, offering a glimpse into a history now submerged beneath the surface.

The reservoir itself is a remarkable sight, covering 24 hectares and holding over 3.19 million cubic meters of water when full. Looking out over the shimmering expanse, it's hard to imagine the complex network of infrastructure that supports it. A tunnel stretching 2,400 meters, known as the Manshead Tunnel, was opened in 1962 to connect Baitings with other reservoirs to the north, allowing for the transfer of water.

The photographs from that spring day capture the reservoir's multiple moods—from the powerful cascade of water over the spillway to the calm, reflective surface of the water framed by rolling green hills. They show a place that is more than just a water source; it's a piece of local history, a place of quiet contemplation, and a beautiful spot for a walk in the heart of the Pennines. It's a reminder of how human ingenuity and nature can coexist, creating something both functional and truly beautiful.

The pictures below were taken on the 17th May 2014, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.