10.46 Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street at Standedge Tunnel

This set of 3 pictures was taken on a recent visit to Marsden, Huddersfield. Whilst their I thought I would catch the train up from Slaithwaite to Marsden and walk back along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. As quite often happens with me I got distracted and headed for the Standedge Tunnel a short walk from Marsden Station. Whilst there I was trying to get a clear shot of the tunnel entrances, however I failed in this but whilst searching for a higher vantage point I took a moment to film and picture some of the trains on approach to the tunnels.

The train is the 10.46 Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street service and is seen crossing Bridge 61 over the Huddersfield Narrow Canal on approach to the tunnels entrance. The train was passing at 12.47, the UID number was N03709, and headcode 5341.

The following video was taken later in the day and features a number of trains exiting and entering the tunnel.
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Vintage Postcard - Manor Gardens, Burnham on Sea

A postcard taken from my large collection, this one features a scene taken in Manor Gardens, Burnham on Sea with the band stand central to the picture. The picture although written on has never been posted so I am unable to date, although I guess it's from around the post First World War period. The Gardens are still there today.

The back of the card has been written and contains the following text,

As best as i can make out the text reads as follows,

Dear Phyliss we are having a lovely time plenty of attractions and crowds of people we are getting along nicely we have lovely lodgings and quite near the sea front you'll wish you were here we are first going to the Manor Gardens love _____ and _____.

Sadly i can't make the names out.

Vintage Postcard - Marine Parade Gardens and Rozel Shelter, Weston-Super-Mare

This vintage postcard was posted on the 12th September 1917 and although the postal print is still prominent the actual written part is badly faded. It features an image of Marine Parade Gardens and Rozel Shelter in Weston-Super-Mare. I have no idea if the shelter stills stands but the marine gardens are still there.

The back of the card still has the King George V Half Penny stamp attached, and  the following text,

The best I can make out is the text reads as follows,

Mr F Denning,
30 Hanham Road, Kingswood, Bristol.

Dear Dady, just a few lines hoping you arrived home alright and what time did you get home last night.

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Vintage Postcards - Prince of Orange Monument, Brixham

Anther couple of vintage postcards taken from my collection, these are of the Prince of Orange Monument, that can be found on the seafront at Brixham, Devon.

The card was posted in August 1935 from Paighton and features the following text on the back

It reads as best I can make out as
 Miss Joan Harding, Ivy Lodge, West Malvern, Worcestershire.

Here is a picture for your scrap book on _____  _____, for your history _____ book. I saw the statue on holiday when I went to Brixham. I also watched the fishermen cleaning the nets on the quay. Brixham is such a quaint place. I am delighted to here your better.
Love from W.U _____

Any words I could not make out I have left blank.

The postcard shows a monument constructed in 1889 to commemorate the landing of William of Orange and his army in the town on the 5th November 1688. The prince was to become King William III of England on the 11th April 1689. 

Bridges on the Calder & Hebble Navigation

Bridges on the Calder & Hebble Navigation Canal is a set of images featuring each bridge on the canal from Sowerby Bridge Wharf, the canals junction with the Rochdale Canal until Salterhebble, where the canal has a junction with a short branch towards Halifax. The distance between the points is approx. 2 miles and whilst their are no canal locks along this stretch of the canal, the total amount of structures crossing the canal is 11. There are 2 pipe bridge, 1 footbridge, 2 railway bridges and 7 road / access bridges.

Bridge 1

Bridge 1 or Chain Bridge is also known locally as Gas Works Bridge carries Chapel Lane across the canal. It is sighted alongside the Navigation Inn and the former Sowerby Bridge gas works site. The 1st Sowerby Bridge Pipe Bridge crossers the canal alongside Chain Bridge.

The first pipe bridge can be seen behind the seat and before Chain Bridge

Sowerby Bridge Pipe Bridge
Sowerby Bridge Pipe Bridge whilst not really classed as a bridge carries pipes across the canal full of gas from the nearby gas works. It has a foot platform which is used to allow maintenance to the pipes.

Bridge 2
Walker Bridge or Mearclough Bridge number 1 carries Walker Lane Across the canal providing access for the nearby industrial units and beyond.

Bridge 3
The 2nd Mearclough Bridge, also known as Canal Road Bridge carries an ancient packhorse route across the canal that connected Warley and Norland. The road becomes Fall Lane just as the canal bridge and nearby river bridges meet.




Bridge 4
Edwards Road Bridge connected the 2 sides of canal mills that once overshadowed both sides of the canal banking until fire destroyed them in April 1980.




Bridge 5
Hollas Lane or Sterne Mills Bridge was recently widened to allow redevelopment of the surrounding area in a scheme known as Copley Valley.




Bridge 6
Copley Footbridge provides a pedestrian route on to the canal. Currently closed (July 2020) to undergo much needed maintenance.








Bridge 7
Copley Lancashire and Yorkshire Viaduct features 23 arches and crossers the Copley Valley, River Calder & Calder & Hebble Navigation. Built around 1851 to provide a direct rail connection between Halifax and Sowerby Bridge.




Bridge 8
Copley Lane Bridge provides access across the canal to Copley Village from the main A6026 Wakefield Road.




Bridge 9
Lister Bridge is a closed to traffic road bridge that allows pedestrian access to the canal. The bridge connected the main A6026 Wakefield Road with an access to the Copley water treatment works but this has long since been closed off and is now most overgrown.




Bridge 10
Salterhebble Railway Bridge is kind of still lucky to be in use, the line which crossing being rarely used during the 1970's, 80's and 90's until Brighouse Railway Station was reopened. As there were many plans to cut back rail services during this period it's a surprise this bridge survived. Not back in use with regular trains passing over it.

The bridge beyond is Wakefield Road under which the canal heads on a short spur to Salterhebble Moorings. This for a time was the junction for the Halifax Branch of the Calder & Hebble Navigation which ran up in to the town to canal wharf that was alongside the current day railway station. The canal past through 14 locks on the climb up and it was closed to traffic in 1942. Much of the route has been filled in now but it does feel a missed tourism opportunity for the town.



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Santa Lucia Railway Station, Venice, Italy

Taken in October 2018 whilst on a short trip to Venice, Italy is my set of pictures of the Venezia Santa Lucia Railway Station. The station occupies a spot in the Cannaregio district at the north west of the city. The first view of Venice as you leave the station is of the Grand Canal and the San Simeone Piccolo Church, one of the cities most famous landmarks.

Venezia Santa Lucia Railway Station began construction in 1860 on the site of the Church of Santa Lucia, the station taking it's name from the church. It was connected to the mainland via the Venice Railroad bridge which predates the station having been built in 1846, although this bridge is much changed in the 1930's the bridge had road ways added to allow road traffic to cross to the north eastern part of Venice. Around the same time developments of the station building started and when these were completed 1952 the station had taken on it's current modern styling. It undertook refurbishment again between 2009 - 2012 to allow more retail space and a better customer experience. The station was built so as not to dominate the historic surroundings. It is home to 23 platforms.

This is an update of a blog post I did on the 20th December 2018, most of the pictures were deleted from the post which can still be seen.

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St Peter's Church, Walsden

St Peter's Church. Walsden was built as a million pound church, opening on 7th August 1848. Million pound churches were the result of an act of parliament, the 1820 Church Building act which was to build churches in developing towns which had been neglected for places of worship. The act was financed by both government and public money, with the churches commissioned often built to very tight budgets.

The foundation stone was laid by John Crossley in July 1846, he had donated the land upon which the church was to be built. The Grade II listed spire was added in 1864 and is all that remains of this church after fire destroyed much of the building in May 1948 and windows. The clock continued working during the blaze, including marking the moment of midnight The church didn't have adequate insurance and it took the efforts of the local community and parishioners to raise much of the funds to rebuild the church which was re-consecrated on March 10th 1956.

I was in the area of the church on the Rochdale Canal on August 27th 2017, having spotted the spire as I was walking along, I went for an explore of the church grounds, the building being locked up. Their are a total of 6 pictures which can be seen here, on Flickr and on Clickasnap where all my images can also be downloaded.

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