The CC Trig Point bagger thread, now incorporating other interesting geographs

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Richard A Thackeray

Richard A Thackeray

Legendary Member
Location
Normanton, Wakefield. West Riding of Yorkshire
Friday 12th
2.
Unity House
(side door, on Bank Street)
WestGate

Built for the Wakefield Industrial Society, a local 'rival' to the Co-Operative Society
It was in a semi-derelict state for a lot of years, with some doors boarded over (like this one)

We were in the city-centre, for a family funeral service (at the Cathedral), the 'reception' was held in a club within the building
IMG_9793.jpeg


https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101272860-unity-house-wakefield-north-ward
Bank Steet is accessed to the right, where the white Audi is; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5829003
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5870838
 
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Richard A Thackeray

Richard A Thackeray

Legendary Member
Location
Normanton, Wakefield. West Riding of Yorkshire
@Badger_Boom

Richard A Thackeray said:
4th

I’ve probably featured these before, but not about to go looking
Sadly, they might be lost soon, as the farmland behind the wall has (locally, quite controversially) been sold for housing

Wakefield Corporation Water Works
Station Road (opposite Greenfield Road)
Altofts (as it’s that side of the railway bridge)



View attachment 726484

View attachment 726485

View attachment 726486

They’re at the bottom of the bridge, on right hand side
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2762288
Click to expand...

Richard A Thackeray said:
@Badger_Boom

There is another pair at the far end of this road too (after it turns into Lee Brigg, then High Green Road)
Plus apparently a few dotted along roads in Calderdale, from the source reservoirs


Booth Wood Reservoir is one of the suppliers
That’s the one just north of the M62, by Stott Hall Farm (where the carriageways part company, due to geological issues)
Click to expand...

I had this copied, on an earlier photograph, in a relevant photo-album on FaceBook

WAKEFIELD’s WATER SUPPLY IN THE 1880’s

In ‘the good ole days’, when Wakefield was an industrial boom town, when the Calder was badly polluted, and when local wells/reservoirs failed to meet the demands for clean water, Wakefield needed its own large reservoir.

Thus, there is a significant piece of 1880’s Wakefield history lying 20 miles West of the city, right next to the M62. When travelling along this motorway every driver and passenger will recognize two landmarks that stand out; The Farm and The Bridge.

Stott Hall Farm is well known, it lies between the separated lanes of the motorway, up towards Saddleworth Moor. As you drive past this farm (on the left hand side while travelling towards Wakefield) you see Rishworth - Booth Wood - Reservoir. But this one was built quite recently, between 1966 and 1971 to supply water to Wakefield. Roy Blacker posted this Farm and Reservoir on WHAS in July 2017.

But at the same point on the Motorway, on the other side of the carriageways (on the left hand side travelling towards Manchester), have you noticed a man made open water channel running right alongside the M62? See the aerial photo for reference. This channel (named the Moss Moor Catchway) takes the moorland surface water to another Reservoir, called Ringstone Reservoir.

To get your bearings to the whereabouts of this Reservoir, you will recognize the single span bridge high over the motorway (see the bridge photo). If you were on this bridge, and driving North towards Elland, you would approach Ringstone Reservoir which would appear on your left.

Ringstone would have been the first Reservoir on the high moors built to bring water exclusively to the Wakefield area. There are several good you-tube aerial videos of this Reservoir for anyone interested.

ADDITIONAL TRIVIA: There was an Iron Age (possibly Druid) Stone Ring discovered near the ‘Ringstone’ Reservoir, and a Roman Camp discovered near the bridge.

From Ringstone Reservoir, the water flows to Ardsley Reservoir, then onward (past ‘Who could have thought it’) via Wrenthorpe to Wakefield. And back in 1881 this is how it was described when ground was first broken on the building project:

(Reference in the article to Lindle-hill, is now known as Lindale Hill)
..........................................................................................................................

Extract from The Building News dated 28 Oct 1881 reads:

“The first sod of the proposed Ringstone reservoir, on the Rishworth Moors, for the supply of Wakefield, was cut on the 18th inst. The site of the reservoir is a tract of high-lying wild moorland, on the Savile estate, 20 miles west of Wakefield. The average annual rainfall is 45 inches, and the subsoil is gritstone and shale of the Millstone-grit formation. About 3,200 acres of gathering-ground will be available, and after providing two millions of gallons per day as compensation to millowners, about four millions of gallons per day will be yielded for Wakefield in the driest seasons. The principal works are:

1st. A compensation reservoir called Green Withens reservoir, to contain 240 millions of water, situate at the uppermost end of the gathering-ground, for the supply of millowners.

2nd. A storage reservoir, called Ringstone reservoir, to contain 200 millions of gallons, situated at the lowest end of the gathering-ground, to be used principally for the supply of water to Wakefield.

3rd. A storage reservoir, called Ardsley Reservoir, to contain 300 millions of gallons, situated about three miles north-west of Wakefield; this reservoir is entirely devoted to the supply of Wakefield, and will contain about five months supply at the present rate of consumption.

4th. A service reservoir on Lindle-hill, about two miles from the town-hall at Wakefield, intended to contain a few days supply.

5th. A catchwater conduit, called the Moss Moor Catchwater, from the uppermost part of the gathering-ground down to Ringstone Reservoir.

6th. A line of iron pipes to be laid from Ringstone Reservoir to Ardsley Reservoir, and thence into Wakefield. These will be 21in. diameter for the first three miles, and 18in. the remainder of the way.

There are other intended catchwaters and filter-beds, the latter between Ardsley and Lindle-hill, but these works will not be proceeded with at present.

The contract for pipes has been let to Messrs. Cochrane, Grove, and Co., Middlesbrough, at about £47,000; that for stop-cocks and fittings to Messrs. Guest and Chrimes, of Rotherham, at about £700; and the pipe-laying to Mr. Samuel Jowett, of Brighouse, at £10,000. About three miles of pipes have been delivered, and laid in the ground. The contract for the Ringstone Reservoir has been let to Messrs. Metcalfe and Sons, of Bradford, at £31,710.
The site is not in the valley itself, but in a saucer-shaped hollow, 400ft. above it, placed between three hills.

Two embankments will be needed to retain the water. The western or main one will be about 1,600ft. long, and 60ft. at deepest part. The base will extend to 400ft. in breadth, and the embankment will taper upwards to 20ft at the top. It will contain about 200,000 cubic yards of earth, and will have a water-tight puddle wall placed in its centre from top to bottom throughout its length. It will be pitched with stone on its water slope, and soiled and grass sown on its outer slope. The lesser embankment will be 1,200ft. long, and about 24ft. high at the deepest part. The base will be 120ft. broad, tapering to 40ft. at top, on which a roadway will be carried. The weir and byewash will be placed at southern end of main embankment; the former will be 30ft. long and of solid masonry, the byewash 15ft. wide and 550ft. in length, pitched with stone throughout. The valves will be constructed in valve-shafts 10ft. in diameter, built in brickwork and covered by domed entrances built in masonry. The engineer for the whole of the works is Mr. E. Filliter, M.I.C.E., of Leeds, his resident deputy being Mr. Ellis, of London.”

——————————————-
EDIT

Thomas Charles Ellis (1847-1886)

1887 Obituary

THOMAS CHARLES ELLIS was born at Cowley, Middlesex, on the 11th of March, 184i, being a younger son of Mr. Thomas Ellis, of Uxbridge.

He was educated at Eastbourne School, and in January, 1865, was articled for five years to Messrs. McClean and Stileman.

On the completion of his pupilage he was appointed by the same firm Resident Engineer during the construction of the Keighley Waterworks, from 1870 to 1877 ; and was afterwards employed by them in various capacities until 1881.

In the latter year he was engaged by Mr. Edward Filliter, M.Inst.C.E., as Resident Assistant Engineer upon the new waterworks for Wakefield, and superintended the construction of the large storage reservoir at Ringstone and Ardsley, the Moss Moor Catchwater (an open conduit on the moors 4.5 miles long), and the Spa Clough dam at the head thereof; also the laying of 2.5 miles of gravitation main from Ringstone to Wakefield.

In March, 1886, Mr. Ellis was from ill-health compelled to relinquish his duties at Ringstone, hoping, after a period of rest, to resume his appointment, but suffering a relapse he died on the 1st of October, 1886.

Mr. Ellis was a most obliging, industrious, and trustworthy man, taking great interest in every class of work intrusted to his care, and earning the respect and goodwill not only of his employers but of all those with whom he was associated.

He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution on the 6th of May, 1873.
1
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thomas_Charles_Ellis
 
Richard A Thackeray

Richard A Thackeray

Legendary Member
Location
Normanton, Wakefield. West Riding of Yorkshire
Last edited:
Richard A Thackeray

Richard A Thackeray

Legendary Member
Location
Normanton, Wakefield. West Riding of Yorkshire
Friday 19th
3.

NewMillerDam
Wakefield

The road is the A61, to us, it's the Barnsley Road (as that's its next 'big' destination)

The old Mill can be seen (ex Wheelhouse Restaurant), plus The Dam Inn, War Memorial & Gate Lodge


IMG_9850.jpeg


https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101135602-wheelhouse-restaurant-crigglestone
Seen to the left; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/317203
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1075988

https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101242072-the-dam-inn-wakefield-south-ward
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2174276
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/483750

Gate-Lodge; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1779443

War Memorial; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1017018
 
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Richard A Thackeray

Richard A Thackeray

Legendary Member
Location
Normanton, Wakefield. West Riding of Yorkshire
Monday 22nd

Free Library & (old) Market Hall
Carlton Street
Castleford (aka Cas-Vegas)

IMG_9878.jpeg


IMG_9879.jpeg


https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4965727

https://vcgca.org/our-people/profile/511/Thomas-BRYAN
 
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