An Industrial and Pottery Walk round Buckley - Number 5"

Knowl Hill, Buckley

1967

see entry 1.239

AN INDUSTRIAL AND POTTERY WALK ROUND BUCKLEY - NUMBER 5

After the "Buckley Railway" was incorporated in the Mold and Connah's Quay Railway in 1863, the standard railway line from Wrexham to Connah's Quay intersected many tramlines descending to the sea.

At these places an exchange siding or ramp was made. Hancock's sidings were not used until early last century, and are now met as we continue northwards towards the Glynne Arms, Drury.

Above the entrance of the tunnel was a semaphore, worked by an employee. This controlled trams passing the narrow single-bore track. At the entrance to the exchange sidings is a small loop line in which empty Buckley-bound trams waited for descending loaded trams to clear the tunnel. Here L-plate tram rails were embedded in brick sets as they curved to meet the standard guage ramp head on. The whole area of work was floored with brick.

Specially adapted railway waggons carried loaded trams down to the docks for transport.

Areas of the sidings are now covered with growing heather. It is said a ban on straw packing ( incase of transmitting animal diseases) of bricks to Ireland resulted in the substitution with heather. Stray plants became established and still flourish here.

Goods carried included refactory goods, stone ware, kiln and lead refinery ware, and linings for acid producing towers and cement kiln linings.

Author: Bentley, James

An Industrial and Pottery Walk round Buckley - Number 5"

Knowl Hill, Buckley

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