Forge Mill – Chinley, UK - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Peak Forest Canal and Tramway
The 18th Century had seen the development of the canal network in the UK to carry heavy goods, and led to towns such as Manchester become the first large industrial towns.

There was a demand for limestone and grit stone from the nearby quarries to be transported to Manchester and beyond and so the Peak Forest Canal was built with a connection to the Ashton Canal at Ashton-Under-Lyne.

The canal had a series of 16 locks to lift the canal a height of 209 feet from Ashton-Under-Lyne to this point, but the final rise to the quarries was too high for a canal. So a horse drawn tramway was built to form a connection between the canal junction and the quarries themselves.

The canal and tramway operated between 1796 until the 1920s. The canal and this basin was closed down and allowed to become derelict. However in the 1960s and 1970s leisure boating became popular and many canals were renovated and re-opened for leisure purposes.

A stretch of the tramway has also been converted into a walking trail, known as the Peak Forest Tramway Trail. The sign has a map of the trail and also shows where the rest of the tramway used to run.

The text of the sign

Forge Mill
You are on the Tramway Trail - the original route
of the Peak Forest Tramway. The trail passes next
to Forge Mill with its large mill pond.

Like Whitehall Works, down the		bleached cloth down to the
track towards Bugsworth Basin,		canal for transportation by
this mill has been used for		narrow boat to a mill in
more than one industry over		Marple.
the years, including:
		As you pass by the mill pond
an iron bar slitting mill		you can see the ruins of a
a paper mill		house set in to the side of
a bleaching works		the path to the tramway. See
a bed linen factory		if you can spot the remains
		of a fireplace
Sidings were provided for
deliveries of coal and raw		As the trail bends towards
materials similar to those at		Charley Lane, there is a well
Whitehall Works. Forge Mill also		preserved section of sleeper
used the tramway to carry its		stones.

The stone blocks were quarried		Benjamin Outram, the engineer
at Crist Quarry, near Bugsworth		of the tramway.
Basin. Originally, the basic
L-shaped rails were laid directly		But rail breakages were a
onto the blocks as specified by		problem and so by 1837 the
		tramway trails were re-laid on
		iron saddles
Today, the Tramway Trail		Look out for the stone
is a haven for wildlife.		sleeper blocks along the
		length of the Tramway Trail.
Spot damselflies		Some of them bear the marks
hunting over the		of the iron saddles and holes
still water of		from the different fixings
Forge Mill pond in		used over the years.
summer.

"
Hello! In case you
haven't met me
down the track at
Bugsworth Basin,
I'm Harry the 'nipper'!

A nipper is a young assistant
who helps the gang working
the line.

My boss. Tom, the wagoner
is responsible for getting the
wagons down safely with
their load. It's a real skill!

Tom starts of by getting the
wagons in motion. Using his
experience, he quickly 'sprags'
as many wheels as he needs
to control the train's speed.
Then he jumps on board by
standing on the lynch pins
and holds onto the side for
dear life. Doesn't scare me
though! I hope to do this job
when I'm older.

By the way a sprag is like a
short chain with a hook each
end. One end hooks onto the
wagon, the other end
engages with the wheel
spokes and stops the wheel
from turning. This is called
'spragging'. Makes quite a
noise I can tell you! The
photograph shows it being
done. The drum on the
leading wagon contained
water, which dripped onto the
wheel for lubrication
purposes.

Yes - the rails take a real
hammering and we often
have to stop for repairs to
the track.
"

Type of Historic Marker: Information board about the nearby historic tramway. Give your Rating: Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Not listed Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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