Sunday, 30 January 2022
Old Images of Scarborough
Monday, 24 January 2022
The Rialto Bridge at Night.
The Rialto Bridge is the oldest crossing of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. One of 4 crossing points the bridge connects the districts of San Marco and San Polo. The current bridge made of stone began construction in 1588 and was completed in 1591, it is the last of several to have occupied this area of Venice and was built by Antonio da Ponte following a competition to design a new bridge.
The bridge is a major tourist attraction reachers a length of 31.8 metres (104.3ft), a height of 7.32 metres (24ft) and a width of 22.9 metres (75.1ft). There are 2 arcades of shops across the bridge separated by a central pathway of steps with another 2 paths to the rear of each row of shops. To support the bridge arch over 6000 timber piles were driven in to the soft embankments under each abutment.
The first bridge to cross the Grand Canal here was was the Ponte della Moneta, built as a pontoon bridge with ships fastened together and designed by Nicola Barattieri in 1181. This bridge was replaced in 1255 by a wooden construction because the nearby Realto market had grown considerably, this bridge had a movable platform in the middle to allow ships to pass. This bridge was the first to include shops who's taxes and rents helped with paying for the maintenance, it was during this time the bridge name was changed to Realto after the nearby market.
In 1310 the bridge was badly damaged by fire during the attempt to overthrow the Doge by Bajamonte Tiepolo and in 1444 it collapsed during the wedding celebration of the Marquis Ferrara. This led to the bridge being rebuilt as a drawbridge but once again in 1524 the bridge collapsed. In 1551 the authorities invited the most famous architects of the era to offer their ideas for a bridge, and in 1588 work started on the current bridge which was approved due to the design being of a single span arch. Many people doubted the bridge would last but so far it has stood for over 400 years and counting.
These pictures were taken on the 1st November 2018 using a Nikon d330 SLR camera, they can also be on Clickasnap by clicking any image, link will open in another window.
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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.
Sunday, 16 January 2022
Tile Hill Railway Station
Tile Hill Railway Station is unusual for in that it only features 1 pictures which was snapped quickly when arriving at the station to catch my train to Berkeswell, my train was just arriving. I am unlikely to return living some 100 miles away so will probably never add to it.
Tile Hill serves the suburbs of Coventry, in the West Midlands and is on the main line railway between London Euston and Birmingham New Street Stations. The station opened as Allesley Lane in 1850, before changing names to Allesley Gate in 1857 and finally assuming the name Tile Hill on April 1 1864. Built with staggered platforms either side of the Cromwell Lane level crossing the station remained unchanged until the 1960's when the electrification of the main line resulted in the station being completely rebuilt in its current form. The level crossing was replaced by a bridge in 2004 and the platform connecting bridge was constructed at the same time.
The station has a ticket office which is open at various times 7 days a week, there are 2 trains per hour in the directions of Birmingham and London. The station has always been a busy station averaging approx 700,000 passengers per year until a combination of developments of the car parking and the current Covid 19 virus situation saw number drop to just 107,000 during the most recent period 2020-21, an average reduction of approx 11,000 passengers per week.
The picture was taken using a Nikon d3300 SLR on January 18 2017.
Clicking the image will open a link in another window to the higher resolution, un-watermarked version of the picture on Clickasnap.
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The picture remains the copyright of Colin Green.
Saturday, 15 January 2022
A Short Stretch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Bridge 199 to the Bottom of the Bingley Five Rise Locks
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a 127 mile long canal that crossers the Pennines linking Leeds with Liverpool. Along it's route it passes many famous northern towns including Bramley, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton, Nelson, Burnley, Blackburn, Leigh, Wigan and Aintree amongst many others.
The section I pictured was a short stretch from Bridge 199 to the bottom of the famous Five Rise Locks at Bingley, this being the first phase of the canal to be completed in 1773 from near to the top of the locks to Skipton, the locks opening in 1774 when the canal had been extended to Shipley.
All the pictures were taken on the July 9 2016 using a Nikon d3300 SLR camera. The first set shown were taken on the canal between Bridge 199 and the Five Rise Locks Cafe, more on the Five Rise Locks further down the page.
Bridge 199 carries Micklethwaite Lane across the canal. |
The Five Rise Locks Cafe, the locks are behind the position I am stood. |
The Five Rise Locks are a staircase Lock that rises at a gradient of 59.2ft in a distance of just 320ft, these are the steepest flight of locks in the United Kingdom. The locks have a full-time lock keeper due to the complicated nature of navigating the five locks up or down, they require a lot of maintenance and often close during the quieter winter months to enable this.
The locks are Grade I listed having been granted this status on the August 9 1966, they were opened on March 21 1774 and it is said a crowd of over 30000 people turned up to celebrate the major feat of engineering, the first boat to navigate the locks took 28 minutes.
The top lock looking down across all 5 to the bottom. There is a bridge across each lock and the depth of each is approx 50 - 60ft. |
Each lock has a overflow like the one seen here to the bottom left of the picture. This helps control the water levels when boats enter. |
I took this to give some idea of how deep each lock is. |
The bottom of the locks looking towards the top, the channel to the right helps to remove the excess water from each lock via the overflow. |
Taken looking away from the bottom lock along the Leeds - Liverpool Canal in the direction of Leeds. The Bingley Three Rise Locks are just a short distance beyond the far end of the picture. |
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Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the higher resolution, un-watermarked version on Clickasnap.
All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.
Sunday, 9 January 2022
Lumbutts Mill Water Tower and Dams, New Years Eve 2016
Lumbutts is a small community in the hills to the southeast of Todmorden, West Yorkshire, the area grew around the mill which was used as a corn mill until leased by Brothers Samuel and Robert Shaw with there business partners Abraham Crossley and Thomas Hughes who converted the mill for use in cotton spinning. In the early 19th century the water tower was built to house firstly 2 waterwheels and eventually a third which when completed gave the mill over 50 horsepower created by the waters 90ft fall through the 3 wheels. The tower had supply from 4 dams which were Mill D~am, Lee Dam, Heeley Dam and finally Gaddings Dam which sits 365 meters above see level on the moor above Lumbutts.
The area was the scene of the Mankinholes riots in 1838 when the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 led to a board of guardians making their first demand for £50 from the townsfolk which was refused. On November 14th, 16th and 21st 1838 riots broke out, and on November 24th a company of Dragoon Soldiers were despatched from Manchester to arrest all the men from Lumbutts Mill that had taken part in the riots.
The mill continued to provide employment until 1926, when the final 62 employees were either transferred or retired and Lumbutts Mill closed. The mill was demolished and only the Grade II listed water tower still remains. The site of the mill is now occupied by an activity centre.
Heeley Dam |
Lee Dam |
The Grade II Listed water tower built to house the waterwheels that powered the mill. The chimney features a spiral staircase inside. Listed status was granted on the 22 February 1984. |
This bridge crossed one of the water inlets in to the dams, I can't remember which dame it was . |
Mill Dam and in the distance Stoodley Pike and Monument, The monument was built in 1856 to commemorate the end of the Crimean War. |
Jeremy Hill and Lee Dam. |
Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the higher resolution, un-watermarked version on Clickasnap.
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All the pictures are the copyright of Colin Green.
Priest Lane and Ripponden Church Spire.
Ripponden cobbles is a short road known as Priest Lane that runs down from the A58 Halifax Road, passing the Old Bridge Inn, crossing the River Ryburn before ending near to St Bartholomew's Church, Ripponden. The picture below was taken just beyond the Old Bridge Inn looking up towards the A58.
St Bartholomew's Church occupies a site alongside the River Ryburn in what is considered the historic township of Barkisland, it is very much considered Ripponden now with Barkisland sitting atop the nearby hill overlooking Ripponden. The first place of worship to occupy the site was a small chapel which was consecrated in 1465. A much larger church was built as a replacement in 1610 and again this was replaced when a new church was opened in 1731. The 1610 church having been badly damaged by the flood of 1722 when the River Ryburn rose by over 20 foot, the flooding caused a few graves to be washed away and the deaths of 15 people who all lived nearby.
The third church to occupy the site lasted until 1867 when the roof was in such a bad state of repair the building was closed and demolished to be replaced by the current St Bartholomew's which opened in June 1870. George Shaw of Saddleworth was the architect and builder. The church underwent repairs to the belfry in 1876, when the nearby Ripponden Mill burnt down and sparks from the fire reached the belfry. There has only been minor alterations since with windows replaced and a new organ installed. There is a local legend that says the people of Barkisland refused to contribute to the cleaning of the church clock and that is why the clock facing Barkisland is left uncleaned.
The church pictured from across the River Ryburn near to the Old Bridge Inn. The river rose over 20 feet in 1722. |
The church pictured from the B6113 Elland Road (Ripponden Bank).The dirty Barkisland facing clock face can be seen on the right of the spire. |
The church pictured from the abandoned Rishworth Branch Line |
Friday, 7 January 2022
Brighouse Library & The Smith Art Gallery.
Sunday, 2 January 2022
Vinos El Campesino, Lanzarote
Vinos el Campesino is a vin yard on the island of Lanzarote, I visited in 2013 whilst on a tour of the island and at that point was just starting to take an interest in photography as a hobby. The vines are grown in the surrounding plains in shallow pits dug in the ash, and protected by the constant breeze by low horseshoe style walling. The view from the front of the restaurant up to the mountains (I think they are mountains rather than big hills) is wonderful and the rows of vines in there little walled compartments was quite regimented. The Mountains (hills) are actually volcano craters with the Montana Blanca the more widely known of them.
On my visit there was a wine tasting and buffet meal which was reasonable for the price, which I am unable to remember but it was 9 years ago.
There are a total of 5 pictures which I took around the vin yard, they can be seen below or full size, resolution and un-watermarked on Clickasnap. They were taken on Tuesday 30th July 2013 using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.
The mountain, hill or volcano crater is the Montana Blanca |
As you can see the vines are well organised in there horse show shaped pits, this is to protect from the constant breeze. |
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Clicking any image should open a link in another window to a higher resolution and un-watermarked version on Clickasnap.
All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.
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