INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY 165 SU MMER NEWS 2013 THE BULLETIN OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY Markham Grange . St Aidans o Butterley Tunnel Cranes o Council of Europe o Willans Archives The Preservation of 5t Aidans Dragline Urocr^rrotO and its Friends ln | 988 the NCB )pencast Coal Site at 5t Aidans, Leeds became flooded but fortunately the two large 4TS walking draglines were on higher ground so that they were not affected. lt was realised that it would take about ten years to get the site going again and that one of the draglines would then be about 50 INDUSTRIAL years old and too outdated to neet the new standards. ARCHAEOLOGY At the same tine there was a threat of closure of the nearby Allerton Bywater NCB Colliery, Area NEUrS 165 Workshops and )ffices and consequently mass redundancies. Summer 2018 lJ Brown Honorary President lhe writer was Minerals Officer for Leeds Nothing happened for nearly ten years. Then Prof Marilyn Palmer City 63 Sycamore Drivg Groby, Leicester LE6 OEW Council at that time and responsible for planning in 1997 the writer, now partly retired, received a Chairman matters relating to mining in the Council area. phone call from his successor in the City Council Mark Sissons Almost at the same time he was approached by asking if he could help get the preservation idea 33 Burgatq Pickering, North Yorkhire Y018 7AU two parties: back on track. lt appeared that Richard Budge, Vice-Chairman (elect) particular Keith Falconer First - Excavator enthusiasts, in the new operator of the recently drained Secretary Peter Grimshaw who pointed out the history and opencast site had considered the situation and David de Haan uniqueness of the Bucyrus Erie I 1 50B dragline at was willing to donate the BEl 1508 dragline to a AIA liaison Oflicq lronbridge Gorge Museum, St Aidans and its likely fate. trust under certain conditions. The main one was Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DX planning first be moved about 50 Treasurel Second - The team in Leeds City that the machine should John Joner Council responsible for "regeneration" of metres to a position outside his coaling boundary Hines Farm, Earl Stonham, Suffolk lPl4 5HQ declining parts of the city who realised that a vast howeve[ the cost was likely to be over f 100,000. lA Review Edito6 area of land would soon become available, ideal To get this amount of money together the Helen Gomenall & Dr Mike Nevell 14 Church Hill, luddenden, Halifax HX2 6PZ for the promotion of a 'Millennium Village' with Council would have to apply to the Lottery Fund and lA N€ws Editor many houses, community buildings, industrial they would have to show that the preservation Chris Barney developments and open parkland. The writer had would be supported by industry and by local people. the Bam, Back Lane, Bkditgbufu O/r3 8EN been approached before to come up with an idea Could the writer organise a group of "Friends"? Affiliated Societies Officer 'honey-pot' Lynne Walker for a to attract tourists to such an As the writer was a member of the Council of Conference Secretary area (Wakefield and the early development of the the Peak District Mines Historical Society, he John Mccuinness National Mining Museum) and could he do approached all the other members to subscribe 29 Altwood Road, Maidenhead 516 4PB something similar for Allerton Bywater? and he contacted all others he thought might be Endangered Sites Off icer "Museum good results. the support Amber Parick Ihe suggestion was made for a of interested, with With of Flat 2, 14 Lypiatt Tenacg Cheltenham GL50 2SX Lifting Machines" based on saving the interesting Richard Budge's local staff, a Fiftieth Birthday librarian and Archivist Allerton Bywater headframes and walking the St celebration for the dragline was organised on site John Powell Aidans dragline down the site's short length of (although the precise date of the machine's lronbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale. Telford TF8 7DX railway a position near Some of the construction was not known). So in 1997 a Publicity Officer to them. Roy Murphy Leeds made Smith and other excavators now in 'birthday party' was held, subscriptions were 3 Wellington Road, omb€rrlef\,vons WRg oDZ the City Museum could be incorporated. collected, a newsletter was produced and a bid Recording Awards Off icer Shane Kelleher Sales Officer Roger Ford Barn Cottage, Bridge Street Bridgnor$, Shropshire wvl5 5AF Council Members David Alderton (Heritage Alliance) Bill Badafield (overseas trips) Dr Robert Can (BA Awards) Dr Paul Collins (Conservation Award & Partnership$ Tony Crosby i .' l' Steve D€whirst (ConselationAward) Bruce Hedge (Membenhip,&wlopment) Michael Messenger (fvebaite mtnager) Stephen Mlles (Conference borlkirrgs) Paul Saulter (overseas trips) Ma* Wason (IlCClH G3 National Rep) D lan West (Heatth & Satuty) Honorary Vice-Presidents ProfAngus Buchanan Sir Neil Cossons Prof John Hume Stuart B. Smith [iaison Officer David de Haan and Anne Su*rerland (assistant), AIA Liaison Office, Ihe honbri@e lnsitutq_ honbridge corge Museum, Coalbrookdale Telford IF8 7D-X; loh 0l 7tl0 656280. E-mail: aia-enquiries@colraiiilham;x.uk Website: www.industfu l:aiCbaeolory,org COVER PICTURE Markham Grange Steam Museum. lhe museum has a variety of 1 4 steam engines and steam pumps that can be run on steaming days. See page 5 Photo: Clive Lusbv 2 INDUSTRIAL ARCHAE)LjGY NEW' 165 made for lottery funding. A trust had also been Provide assistance in maintainino Trust provided security fencing for a compound. In formed to manage the after use of the site. the dragline; July 2000 Richard Budge officially gave the The preserve aim was to at least one large Supervise tours of the dragline on machine to the Trust at a small ceremony. During machine on site but by this time unfortunately the occasional Open Days; this period the Friends had been providing advice Allerton Bywater colliery offices and connecting and support to the Trust and to Leeds City Assist in the provision of railway were no longer available and the'Vlllage' Council, helping prepare the site for visitors and information boards and other was being developed on a smaller scale. There from the summer of 1999 opening the machine means of interpretation; were, however, still other possible preservation for visitor tours. These tours continue to ooerate projects on St Aidan's including the 2000 ton Provide any other services within on four afternoons a year. Ransome Rapier walking dragline and perhaps the skill and caoabilities of the Between 1999 and 2003 StAidans became a one of the three RB 195 rope shovel excavators individual members. working opencast site again and there were which were the largest shovels ever made in By April 1998 the National Science Museum many opportunities to see the last operation of Britain. The Friends group had been formed which had offered f15,000 from its PRISM fund, the the Ransome Rapier dragline, the barge loading over the next few years became about 80 strong, Lottery bid was approved and tenders were at the Staithes, the final excavation of material by a membership number that has been maintained. sought. Early in 1999 the BEl150B dragline the biggest rope shovels in Britain and at the final The original aims of the Friends were to: walked the 48.8 metres to her present position. stage the use of large 'veteran' scrapers to Assist in the preparation of leaflets, Sufficient money remained for the repainting of regrade the site. guidebooks and publicity material; the machine to her oriqinal NCB colours and the Britain's quarrying industry has changed - all is now the ubiquitous hydraulic shovel and truck - almost gone are the former items of unique plant on very large sites. Through the last 1 5 years the Friends have been very active in meeting the aims set out earlier. They have provided many hours and much effort quite voluntarily in giving advice, producing documentation, escorting visitors but, above all, maintaining the machine and compound often against overwhelming odds caused by vandals and metal thieves. Local residents too have been helpful in keeping an eye on the site as most members live at a considerable distance. Two special features of special note: the trust has provided the Friends with the large brick 'transformer house' on site which they have converted into a visitor centre and small museum. Secondly Leeds City Council has transfened, from its Industrial Museum, tvvo veteran 1920s/30s city-made Smith's excavators for restoration and repair, although these are not on site but in a member's workshoo. Perhaps the greatest successes so far have been the Open Days when usually a dozen friends greet about 100 visitors from many parts of Britain and even other parts of the world. St Aidans BuErus Erie | | 508 dragline 'Oddball' Photo : M attedga rs photostrea m Recently the Northern lreland branch of the Institute of Quarrying flew in to visit the site. Other visitors have included groups from Germany and Australia. Visitors have come by coach, veteran cars, vintage tractors and commercial vehicles and even light aircraft! Another great attraction and educational feature is that a member of the Friends brings along hls large scale model of the dragline to demonstrate how it worked. We are fortunate at present to have plenty of hardstanding and open space but this may change soon as the adjoining land, a one square mile area of country park, is all set to be taken over by the RSPB from the Trust to become one of the North's most important nature reserves. our dragline will become an even greater attraction and a reminder of the site's former industrial activities. The Friends are expected to continue in their present role, responsible to the Trust who will continue to own both the country park and the dragline's site.