Bricks of Cumbria

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Brick collection from quarries and mines in Cumbria from 1850 This collection of bricks varies from the hand made with finger marks, to engineered bricks of furnaces and shaped bricks of archways.  The collection was bought from Ian Tyler when he retired from his Keswick Mining Museum and has been increased over the years. Ian […]

Threlkeld Quarry steam train and excavators Photo Gallery

Sir Tom loco train and the excavators Threlkeld Quarry

Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum and Vintage Excavator Trust Before the days of hydraulic excavators (leaky incontinent things!) rope excavators were the ingenious and robust diggers, lifters and movers.  Perhaps  challenge the viewer to work out how a diesel engine, turning in one direction can have clutches, gears and levers that can throw buckets forward, […]

Vintage Excavators at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbria video

Excavators Threlkeld Quarry Blencathra behind

Vintage Excavators at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbria video Before the days of hydraulic excavators (leaky incontinent things!) rope excavators were the ingenious and robust diggers, lifters and movers. I challenge the viewer to work out how a diesel engine, turning in one direction can have clutches, gears and levers that can throw buckets forward, back, pivot […]

Mining and Minerals in Cumbria video

Miners Picking At Mine

Mining and Minerals in Cumbria video Cumbria’s geology and mineral wealth has attracted mining for centuries and the landscape of the Lake District gives clues to the hard work and ingenuity of the people who sought and fought for the mineral rewards. Ian Tyler collected a wealth of minerals, tools, photos and experiences about mining […]

Steam Digger Excavator working at Threlkeld Quarry video

Steam navvy renovated Ray Hooley

Steam Digger excavator Hooley working at Threlkeld Quarry Video of steam digger working at Threlkeld Quarry Ray Hooley organised volunteers to recover it from the flooded sand quarry where it had been left to rot.  Apprentices at Ruston works initially renovated it, then it was unused until transported to the Vintage Excavator Trust at Threlkeld […]

Brick collection from quarries and mines in Cumbria from 1850 video

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Brick collection from quarries and mines in Cumbria from 1850 The buildings for Cumbria’s industry were built with bricks without which Cumbria’s mineral wealth would not have been exploited. Ian Tyler explored the mines and quarries of the North of England and in his exploits he collected a wealth of minerals, tools, photos and bricks. […]

Steam Digger From The Deep video

Steam navvy from the deep boom emerging

Steam Digger working at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbria video Video of steam digger working at Threlkeld Quarry Ray Hooley organised volunteers to recover it from the flooded sand quarry where it had been left to rot.  Apprentices at Ruston works initially renovated it, then it was unused until transported to the Vintage Excavator Trust at Threlkeld […]

Steel Works rail rolling line in Workington video

Steel Works Aerial View

Steel Works rail rolling line in Workington video Workington produced steel for 125 years culminating in Corus creating annually enough rail to run from Workington to Istanbul along with 400,000 steel sleepers made in the plant.  Daily 1000 tons of steel blooms were delivered from the latest steel works in the North East to Workington […]

Sir Henry Bessemer a Tribute for Steel & Rail at Workington Cumbria Video

Bessemer Converter Science Museum

Workington Steel & Rail from Bessemer’s Convertor Sir Henry Bessemer A Tribute to the Inventor Sir Henry Bessemer was a prolific inventor born in 1813.  His genius created machines for production of glass, print, sugar and an eccentric anti rolling device for passenger ships.  In the Crimean war he invented the rifled bore for accurately […]

Steel Making by Bessemer Convertor at Workington Cumbria video

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Steel Making by Bessemer Convertor at Workington Cumbria Sir Henry Bessemer created a new process for making steel and his earliest Bessemser Converters were sited at Workington and Millom Cumbria UK. West Cumbria is blessed with coal, iron ore and limestone so iron making became well established at Workington and Millom with ships, locos and […]