Talk:Bower Yard Lime Kilns Siding

There is an article in SVRSevern Valley Railway News 84 (Summer 1987) by Keith Beddoes which mentions the siding. I’ve added information from there. Various thoughts:

Comparing the OSOrdnance Survey Map extract with the map in the Lime Trail leaflet, the area of the siding appears to be right at the far end of the yard, ie somewhere above the word Bower on the OSOrdnance Survey Map. That would tie in with the main lime quarries being on Benthall Edge; the map appears to show tracks from the quarries leading down to that area, which was presumably how rock was brought down pre-1870s (I don't know the date of the inclined plane that Beddoes refers to). Possibly the lime was taken away by river at that stage, given the brickworks owners were also barge operators.

I assume the Brick works is the large building at the near end of the yard, above the G of Iron-Bridge, with the tramway leading to it (the tramway is just visible in the photo on P33 of SVRSevern Valley Railway news 84). In terms of the photo in the Vanns book, the lime kiln siding would therefore be in the far distance, while the sidings this side of the Iron Bridge are presumably just part of the station yard.

The Beddoes article mentions that lime working restarted in the mid-20s after mineral leases were obtained from Lord Forester. He concludes This took place until shortly before the war, when it appears the leases expired and were not renewed, the whole operation ceasing by about 1939. However the later date in the Lime Trail leaflet may well be correct based on subsequent research, so I’m happy not to update the article.--Robin (talk) 16:01, 17 December 2015 (UTC)