NWMAT open day at Bersham Colliery 25.9.2011

( The next comments are my thoughts of the on going debate in the news. I also held these prior to joining NWMAT.)

I like many was saddened and disgusted to find out that the landmark that had stood representing the memories of hard work and lives lost to so many miners was going to be vanishing from our sight.

It is so much more than what is also known as the "slag heap" or waste tip.

I remember when we lived in the village - the sight and smell of the red glows of sulphur burning. On a hot summer's day it would become overbearing for me and suffocating. Over the years there were many stories in the paper of how dry cracks were appearing, small slides of it moving. People were drawn to the attention that it was becoming so unsafe that dogs were being lost - victims of these cracks . The new part of the bypass A483 was being built and they were getting scared that there may even be a landslide on to the bypass below causing an accident.

When information is all put together the picture becomes larger and  an understanding is formed. Personally I'd like to see it stay but would compromise in the interest of safety if it was lowered just like Hafod bank to a safe level. Still keeping the memory of all miners alive with a monument of some kind.
To just take it down and have nothing, is I feel, nothing more than  an insult to so many men who we relied upon in risking their lives for all  industry that relied so much on coal.

It was hard to believe that 12 months had passed by since I was at this event. I had seen it advertised in the Wrexham Leader and was eager to go due to it being what I thought the last time that I would be able to walk up the coal bank.

Rhostyllen and Bersham are sentimental places to me that bring back many happy memmories throughout my childhood. My Taid ( Grandfather ) had worked at Bersham mine many years ago, when I stayed with my Grand parents on summer holidays from school at 10pm every night I'd hear the hooter sounding. In the still of the night it seemed to echo across the village.

As time passed we eventually returned to live at Rhostyllen, I would quite often walk up the dry mound to reach what I'd see as my haven. I loved being up there, looking down on the world below. It seemed like it was my time and space and down below everything moved like busy little ants all dictated to by the clocks hands of time. The view was and still is breathtaking - as time went on of course it was clear to see that the landscape was slowly changing. Houses were being built and even the town had its new landmarks.

The first person that I had met back then was Margaret the Secretary. We chatted for ages about different industries in the area. I joined the Trust there and then and have enjoyed so many things being part of this group. I have learnt so much from other members about the industry, machinery, their memories and stories. I have experienced trips down mines and felt closer by this experience to help me piece together what I have been told. Kindness, warmth and closness of the group has also helped to restore my faith in humans.


The open day event included display tables from different mines and artefacts, a tombola stall, film shows,  guided walks up to the top of the colliery bank by ex-miners, refreshments and a chance to talk with the trust.

BBC Wales News team was there to document the event by interviewing Trust members Alan, John and Dennis.

                             A short film of the day to music ( by Kathy.)

                                          Margaret the secretary standing up.
             Mag is one half of the tombola stall, Jen is the other, sadly not in the photo.



                                         
                                                  The Gresford table display.

                                       

  

                 

                                                 The Point of Ayr table.

      John, in the orange, worked in the Point of Ayr colliery which is by Prestatyn.

          Jen talks about the Trust and John gives us an insight of mining ( Film by Katy ).

                  Photography display by me Dawn Field of Bersham Colliery.

                                     

                                   Another one of my displays of different collieries.

                                                            Artefacts table

                                                 The proto type Rescue set.

                                                  Different styles of Mining lamps.



                                    This plaque is of the North Wales Mining Office.

Katy, Frank and sorry don't know the other chap who is in the middle.

 Raymond and Frank with John in the orange NWMAT.

 

A small group being taken up the bank by ex miner Keith aka ( Keith Tattoo ) in orange.

Keith in orange talking with one of the many small groups that made the trip to the top of the bank.

At the end of the day

A collection of £41.38 was made towards the Gleision Disaster

The tombola raised £78.50 for the NWMAT trust

Sales from the dvd films raised £90.00 for the trust

and finally

There were kind donations given £15.58 also towards the trust.

 

 To find out more about NWMAT please click on the link.

http://www.northwalesminers.com/

Llandudno 14.9.2011

A challenge had presented itself so I grabbed it with both hands. It was to drive a relative to Llandudno to meet friends. Many of you may not see driving this distance a problem, but to me it was like asking me to climb Mount Killimanjaro. I saw this as an opportunity to be a good day out to take photos, so I asked Sue my friend to join me. Besides nobody may have ever seen me again if I'd got lost, what a great pair we made.  ( sorry Sue ) . Strangely and highly amusing Sue can get lost at Uni, I swear if chipping humans was possible then I told her that I wouldn't hesitate to get her done.

Surprisingly enough we got there without a hitch until I was told to take the wrong turning to the town by my relative. We stopped off at Asda for a well needed caffeine fix. Dropped my relative off who was then offered a lift home by one of her friends. So the day was ours and luckily I had a co-driver Sue to make sure that we got back to Wrexham.

It was hard to believe that last time the both of us had been here, was 12 months ago for freshers week. Team building, making sandcastles for " TIME AND TIDE WAITS FOR NO MAN ".
The weather was typical British, clouds with the sun playing peep po at us.With an extremely slow walking, photograpic pace we headed up towards the Pier, encountering many different sights along the way.

                 These two ladies were great characters, full of fun and clearly loved life.

View with a glimpse of the sun on The great Orm.

Gull on the look out for food.

                                          

                                  A view of fire escape stairs I thought looked cool.

An afternoon view of The Promenade.

A baby seagull craving attention.

 I was a little nervous of it pecking my eyes out just like an Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds.

Looking back to where we have come from.

Just before we headed back for home the sun came out to compliment the blue skies.

This also gave me a chance to capture some street photography.

Late evening.

Couples

And sadly

An amputee seagull.

Obviously we found our way back fine and I can now confidently drive there again.

                               

Iron Bridge 18.8.2011

I had been invited to join my family on a trip to Ironbridge Gorge Museum. I had heard a lot about what they had seen on a previous visit and was eager to see it all for myself. When we finally arrived, to me it was the strangest experience as we seemed to depart 2011 and open the doors to 1900s. I firstly had a cup of coffee with the family and off I went exploring with map in hand, joining the family back every so often.

My eyes had so much to take in I didn't really know where to start, I felt like someone doing the old green cross code advert looking left then right not wanting to miss experiencing anything. As I had been told that we had a time limit here, there was an option to change your money into currency of pennies and halfpennies but we decided not to as they also took our 21st century money.

 At first I was thinking it was like where the past and present collided, kind of like two worlds warped together. Then I thought how cool it must be like this on a film set, due to the fact that people were dressed up and going about what seemed like their every day life. What a job to wake up to every morning! The bobby was going about his duty calling in everywhere saying hello and asking locals everything in order Mr or Mrs whoever. Later the bobby also doubled as a chap in the pub getting everyone involved in a sing song while he played the piano.

                                                                  The local residents

The bobby on the beat " Everything in order"and the artist who can be found in the park.

                                                                   


                                                      One of the many Streets.

Shop windows.

Postman's bike.

This was upstairs in the post office - I really enjoyed it here and there was lots to see, such as Victorian and George post boxes, cycles and motor bikes and lots of information of how it all started.

Signs and a cart.

Holly.

This is Holly -  I think that was her name? Having a rest before she goes out to show visitors around on a cart.

Machinery.

There were so many industries, coal, blacksmith, cobblers - the list goes on, all with their tools on display and mock up work areas.

Scrap and cobblers.

Paid transport around the village .

Flowers and bees.

The bees were plentiful and I was lucky enough to get a few photos with them on the flowers.

Eventually we headed down to the bottom area by the fair, down here there was also a place to have refreshments, so I had my usual craving of baked potato with tuna and salad. Which was exellent by the way - I enjoyed every morsel.

 We walked back up the hill and bumped into some of the others that had come on our trip, they were all heading to the knees up in the pub as the last stop before going back on the bus. This gave me a little more time to see more places, the hour soon went before we all reassembled and got back on the mini bus before stopping off at a garden centre on the way home.

 I had enjoyed this trip for the experiences of having a short glimpse into the past on so many different levels, such as costumes, mock up of inside shops and industries and seeing artifacts from that period. I can honestly say that my senses were well and truly stimulated, but it was still nice to be able to get back to the 21st centry.

Click on link below to see more on offer.

http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/our_attractions/blists_hill_victorian_town/what_you_will_see/

Loggerheads 4.7.2011

My feet were on walking mode and my mind on exploring - there was no stopping them both. I had passed Loggerheads whilst going to Moel Famau and wanted to find out more information about the place. So I researched information on the internet and this is where I next headed. I had asked a photography friend ( Geraldine ) if she wanted to accompany me, which to my delight she did - it was a nice change to have company. Once we had arrived the first thing that caught my eye was a vintage car.

We firstly  paid the parking fee then went to the small Clwydian Range Centre which is also a shop to get information on what walks they had. Armed with a small map of the area we started off. It was a sad but amazing site to actually see. Where there once was a river freely flowing it was now totally dried up. 

There is a write up on the leaflet which says " Like many rivers over Limestone, the Alyn sometimes dries up when the river water is low. The river disappears underground, through swallow holes, down to underground caves and rivers deep below in the Limestone."                                                             

                                                The dried up River Alyn.


We walked along the half mile River trail which took us past the pit and by the above photo we emerged with another trail which was Leete Path. Once on this path we then followed that all the way to Devil's Gorge.

                                                       Devil's Gorge.

                                  The activities of rock climbing is also practiced here.

     This is the view from underneath the bridge we were standing on in Devil's Gorge.

                                                                   

I couldn't resist the temptation of going into the Gorge and into the large hole in the wall to see what was in there. Imagination was running wild with the thoughts of Pirates and secret caves ooh arrr! Reality check yes I know we were a long way from the sea but still, the child within must come out to play as often as they can hey!  Carefully we made our way down to the bottom.

                                                                                              

                     Inside of the cave - can you spot Geraldine in the photo on the right?

 This was really cool to explore in, we eventually got onto a lower path which took us past interesting areas.

 


This tree's roots I found stunning to photograph, it also reminded me of a part in the film The Neverending Story or was it Labyrinth? Anyhow it was the part where all the trees came to life walked and talked.        
Both of us decided that maybe we should walk up the dry river back, this seemed like something out of Indiana Jones as there were parts that were overgrown with trees, small parts where there was water in the river using your wits to get you across dry and a small private area to sneak past without being seen.  Eventually having walked on and off the river we were heading  back to the cafe area rather than do an alternative one and half mile walk back along another track.

You may think that I may tend to talk alot about food but the truth is, when I get pains griping at me from hunger my energy levels get zapped and I can start to feel sick. After a refuel and fluids, my energy levels were back up, we decided to go back down the Leete track and join on to the one and a half mile that was also part of this that we missed.

The steep steps as pointed out on the map was the way up to the top, and boy steep they were.
They seemed to wind their way around and up through the trees, eventually I was on the flat path now.
To greet me was a lovely scene of what I'd call typical country.

                                                       A country view

 


Finally after following the path we came to the view point. We stopped and rested here for a while absorbing the view. There were other people also there having the same idea - one couple had taken advantage of the weather and were enjoying a picnic and sunbathing.

                                                        
                                                 The view from the top.



With fluids replenished we ambled on, to find at nearly the end of the walk we were once again greeted by more steep steps to walk down.

We crossed over the small bridge with astonishingly plenty of water freely flowing in the River Dee.
We had arrived back to where we started at the beginning of our journey ( The Range Centre )
The place was getting ready to close, so in the shade of the large tree with seats around it we again stopped for a last drink before heading back home. Of course a last photo opportunity was grabbed with something I hadn't seen on the way in, which was the bicycle parking area. I was taken back by its coolness and amazement in design.

 The bicycle stands.

                                                      Inside the park area.

This had been a great day out exploring somewhere that I hadn't been before. It would be good to go back again but in a different season to see the change.