Our unsung gravel pits

[radfordred 6,284]

We walked around Colwick Country Park on Sunday afternoon trying to catch a glimpse of the starling murmurations, stayed until quite dark, never seen any? Told by a bloke at work we should have gone to Netherfield Lagoons?

[plantfit 7,646]

On 12/9/2020 at 6:22 PM, Cliff Ton said:

The best example around here must be Attenborough Nature Reserve which I think is still a working gravel site, but also home to thousands of birds.

Started sand and gravel extractions in 1926 as Trent Gravels and finished production between 2012 and 2014 under the Cemex banner with "Butterly aggregates and RMC aggregates in between, they finished extracting raw materials from the site at Long Eaton which is Derbyshire but the material was processed in Nottinghamshire, all raw materials was bought to the processing plant via barge and each dumb barge carried the equivalent of five lorry loads so a environmentally friendly (compared to lorries) way of transporting materials

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,646]

 

On board a tugboat pushing a loaded dumb barge through the Attenborough nature reserve from Long Eaton extraction point toward the processing plant Attenborough, (my picture)

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,646]

This photo is of a Bantam tug in the wharf at Attenborough plant site,  some old rope had got wound around the propeller and  the Notts police diving team came to cut the rope free, they used the day as a training exercise for the team, with them is the quarry manager, for those interested the Bantam tug was fitted with a Perkins 4.236M diesel engine with a heat exchanger drawing in freshwater from the ponds, it's operating rpm was just 2100-2300rpm and the tugs covered the 5+ km from Attenborough to Long Eaton in around 30-40 minutes

 

 

Rog

 

[plantfit 7,646]

Remains of a Roman timber lined well dug up from a sand and gravel quarry, the reason for the timber lining was to prevent the sand from being washed into the well through movement of water, nicely fitting planks of timber inter locking with holes "drilled" to accept some sort of dowel to hold it all together, hope this is of some interest

 

 

 

 

Rog

[Cliff Ton 10,490]

I'm not sure if it qualifies as a gravel pit, but when I was younger - in the 1960s - there was a disused brick works off Landmere Lane, midway between Wilford and Ruddington.

 

To anyone on Clifton it was known as Clay Mines and was a few minutes walk away; a great adventure playground with the added attraction of frogs and tadpoles in the many small ponds scattered around.

 

The site was subsequently cleared and turned into a business park. In the last few years of my working life I worked for a company based there; life going full circle.

 

This is the entrance to the area today.    http://shorturl.at/o1479

[plantfit 7,646]

Wilford brick yard CT, I worked with the old foreman from there

 

Rog

 

 

[PeverilPeril 3,292]

2 hours ago, plantfit said:

Remains of a Roman timber lined well dug up from a sand and gravel quarry, the reason for the timber lining was to prevent the sand from being washed into the well through movement of water, nicely fitting planks of timber inter locking with holes "drilled" to accept some sort of dowel to hold it all together, hope this is of some interest

 

 

 

 

Rog

So that's where Ikea got the idea from! 

Some of your pics are fascinating Rog. Keep em coming.

[Beekay 5,199]

I love em too Pevril. All fascinating and educational.   B.

[plantfit 7,646]

Thankyou very much Terry, really appreciate your comment, Those photo's of the well timbers I took in a quarry I worked at in Lincolnshire

 

Rog

[Beekay 5,199]

Was there an assembly plan with the timbers Rog. "Slot fig A into fig B" etc.

[plantfit 7,646]

5 minutes ago, Beekay said:

Was there an assembly plan with the timbers Rog. "Slot fig A into fig B" etc.

Washed away I think mate, how about this thing we dug up

 

 

Runway arrestor gear, one of four that was on the site complete with cables, drum brakes and adjuster screws for different weights of aircraft of ww2

 

Rog

[Beekay 5,199]

Wouldn't stop PhilMayfield on his Quad bike now, by the looks of it. I thought it it looked a bit like winding gear for cable haulage at first, until I read the bottom bit of your post. Well done mate !

[plantfit 7,646]

One we donated to Thorpe camp visitor center, the people there did a brilliant job restoring it and painting it

 

 

 

Rog

[philmayfield 6,206]

44 minutes ago, Beekay said:

Wouldn't stop PhilMayfield on his Quad bike now, by the looks of it. I thought it it looked a bit like winding gear for cable haulage at first, until I read the bottom bit of your post. Well done mate !

My quad bike doesn't have a hook on the bottom so nothing can stop me. I must get it out and give it run to keep it ticking over. I don't feel so bad about riding a quad at 80 since of friend of mine at 89 has just bought an MX5!

[Beekay 5,199]

Good on yer Phil. And long may you continue to do so. Do you take your quad onto the road, or is it just for use on private land? I keep telling 'er indoors that I'm going to get a motorbike or scooter but tells me to stop being silly and grow up. But who wants to grow up.?

[philmayfield 6,206]

It's not taxed nor designed for road use as it doesn't have a rear differential. It's a Honda 125cc which I bought over 30 years ago. Being a Honda it always starts first time. It's done sterling work in trailer pulling around the estate and as a fun toy for me and the kids. Our nearly three year old grandson has sat on it but I've not been permitted to give him a ride yet!

[plantfit 7,646]

Here's an interesting find that was dug out of the ground, it is a Picket Hamilton fort from a WW2 airfield that I was working at, the idea was these were set in the ground near the runways and was occupied by two men with guns and ammunition, if/when the enemy landed on the airfield the two occupants would jack the center section up using a garage jack, poke their guns out of the slits in the sides and fire at the enemy, when the ammunition had ran out the two men would lower the jack and top section level with the ground again, the only problem was there was an access hatch in the top that would have disastrous results if the enemy found it, any way here's the pictures

 

 

 

 

And finally the fort cleaned and reinstated in the ground at Thorpe camp visitor center

 

 

Hope some of you find this interesting

 

Rog

[Beekay 5,199]

Rog, are you sure that's not a early forties postbox? I would have thought that it would have been a ready made coffin for the two unfortunates who were caught in there. They could have withdrawn the lid and some rotten sod could nip over and weld it shut.

[plantfit 7,646]

Don't think they were ever used in anger as no German landed at RAF Woodhall Spa airfield, the final airfield during the war for 617 squadron "Dambusters" the Germans did however drop several bombs on the airfield

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,646]

I'm sure most if not all of you have gone past this site on your many visits to Skegness, The sand and gravel quarry (dig) is in the center of the photo, running from middle left to top right is the railway line to Woodhall Spa, it is intersected by the A153 running left to right, at the bottom of the photo are the dispersal areas of RAF Coningsby

 

 

Rog

 

I have a few more pictures of the area if anyone is interested

[philmayfield 6,206]

 Often use that road but generally not as far as Skegness. Usually branch off towards Horncastle to view antiques and return home via Woodhall Spa, Metheringham and Navenby. Probably pass near to you on the way to Stapleford woods and Newark. I could turn off just after Conningsby but there is the finest fish and chip shop in Lincs just up the road at Mareham le Fen which only opens three days a week and only at lunchtime on a Friday. We go as far as Revesby and then down the Boston road to Junktion Antiques at New Bolingbroke and then back to Horncastle. Probably every two months.

[plantfit 7,646]

I know the places you speak of very well Phil, yes you drive within fifty meters of my place when you go from Navenby to Stapleford woods

 

Rog

[philmayfield 6,206]

You probably would be interested in Junktion Antiques Rog. More metal objects rather than furniture. Check their website for opening hours and remember to call at the Harbour Lights chip shop on a Friday lunchtime.

Just checked. Junktion only open Wed/Thur/Sat now.

[plantfit 7,646]

Will do Phil, some nice book shops in Horncastle and a lovely little restaurant/posh cafe just at the back of the market place, I've been to the chip shop you mention as a friend lives at Mareham, I've stopped going along that road between Woodhall and Martin now, the road is terrible and only a 40mph limit now, I go through Billinghay and Walcot instead, the Plough at Walcot is always worth a visit for lunch, good home cooked food

 

Rog