Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

I shall do a short spell in the shed first thing but domestic matters will b e making calls on my time. Then after second sleep I am booked in at the surgery for a foot inspection.... Deep Joy!

[Stanley]

I have only been in the shed for half an hour this morning because other matters are pressing in on me. However I have done useful things. I realised that I didn't want to start doing finish turning on the shaft that was in the lathe. I wanted to finish reducing the web thickness and then put the rough turned shaft on one side while I brought the other two to the same stage. I can then change to a smaller chuck and take my time over finishing. So I did just that, finished turning the web on the shaft that was in the lathe and then took it out. Then cleaned up the swarf on the lathe and on the floor and mounted the next shaft in the chuck so I am ready for a start tomorrow morning. Now for breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

Its another beautiful morning but cold. The forecast is sunnier than yesterday when it remained cold and cloudy all day. It didn’t matter we were inside all day, leaving for Christies before 3.00 pm and not arriving home till after 8.00pm . The appointment was at 6.00 pm but a crash on the motorway had gridlocked Rochdale all day, being the diversion route off the M62. It was a nightmare getting anywhere, including getting to Haslingden for French. I couldn’t even get to Owd Betts so had to go via Bacup which is a long way round at the best of times.

No plans for today except sewing and pilates and yoga in the studio this evening. We may go for a walk this morning. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

I am so glad I haven't got to deal with traffic like that Sue. You have my deepest sympathy!
I am going to retreat under the duvet.... N0 traffic problems there!

[Stanley]

I'm back in the house having a sit down and a light lunch after going to the doctors for foot neuropathy and shopping for veggies and milk in Town Square and at the Co-op.

[Stanley]

It's that time of the week again..... I shall put my chicken in the oven to roast before I go in the shed to do useful things to my crankshafts....
I'll deal with the chicken after my second sleep and then a walk will be on the cards as we are promised sun and a semi-tropical 12C!

Later at 05:45. It's all go here.... I have put my meals in pots for the next two days, the chicken and its accompanying spices and veggies is in the oven. Question now is whether I dash into the shed or take a breather first. I think the latter!

[Stanley]

I resisted the urge to have just a short spell in the shed and did an hour of hard turning. Here we have the result, another rough turned crankshaft. I am ready to clean up tomorrow and do the same operation on the third and final blank. I'm glad I did the right thing, it really feels like progress..... Now for breakfast!

[Sue]

I am so glad I haven't got to deal with traffic like that Sue. You have my deepest sympathy!
I am going to retreat under the duvet.... N0 traffic problems there!

Morning
We have issues like this whenever there is a major motorway issue nearby, which is often as just after Rochdale the motorway starts to climb. Bad weather is well known for causing a problem. However Monday was exceptional as the motorway at Heywood was closed after a serious accident and the official diversion was through Rochdale.

Yesterday was a nice day and today looks even better. After a walk to the post office we deviated and did a 4 mile plus circular up on to the moors where the paths are now lovely and dry. Today we will do similar as we shall walk down to screw fix to collect a small order then walk back up through the Dell past Turner Brothers old place, which despite considerable land toxicity surveys is still lying derelict and dangerous.

Its forecast to be 13 degrees and sunny. I have washing to do so it should dry outside, then packing to do ready for our trip to France. The estate Agent tells us she had a viewing of our house with no negative feedback but as yet no decisions have been made one way or another.

Enjoy the day and have a good one .

[Gloria]

Sue, you jogged my interest in Turner Brothers old place, so I had a furtle and found this https://digspag.org.uk/a-visit-to-heale ... uary-2023/ what an interesting place to walk through.

[Stanley]

At one time John Ingoe and Rochdale Welding had their base premises on the Turner site. That started before the site was abandoned and when I visited John I had to go through Turner's security at the entrance. I can't remember the site being anything other than a toxic mess after they left and of course, so did John.
Nearer to home I have dealt with my chicken and washed my pans up. I have some stuffing cooking in the oven made with the gravy off the chicken. It will be superb in about an hour!

[Sue]

Sue, you jogged my interest in Turner Brothers old place, so I had a furtle and found this https://digspag.org.uk/a-visit-to-heale ... uary-2023/ what an interesting place to walk through.

Yes that covers a couple of our walks and there are many many more. The paths all criss cross going up on to the moors . Some of the paths end in neat or not so neat fights of stone steps now leading to seemingly no where. We were only saying this morning that there should be more information boards up explaining all of this industrial heritage but Rochdale is not good at that sort of thing

[Sue]

Up to date info….or apparently so. I am. Looking for the survey document

https://www.rochdale.gov.uk/environment ... ted-land/3

[Sue]

And another https://www.acorn-as.com/asbestos-firm- ... developed/

Needless to say nothing was or is happening

[Gloria]

Sue, it must be a big concern to the area that a river flows through the valley.
Sounds a wonderful hive of walks.

[Big Kev]

[Today we will do similar as we shall walk down to screw fix to collect a small order then walk back up through the Dell past Turner Brothers old place, which despite considerable land toxicity surveys is still lying derelict and dangerous.

Turner's had a factory just down the road from where I used to live in Erith, Kent. It's a housing development now, there was still asbestos coming out of the ground when they were digging foundations.

[Tripps]

The next book for reading is "Smile for the camera" by Simon Danczuk . Subtitle is "The double life of Cyril Smith".

There are about twenty pages on Turner and Newall. Cyril certainly got away with a lot.

[Whyperion]

And another https://www.acorn-as.com/asbestos-firm- ... developed/

Needless to say nothing was or is happening

One problem being after closure the site was used to dump asbestos material from elsewhere

There are now government grants for contaminated land clean ups (though all you are doing here is move a problem to a landfill hole somewhere else)

I couldnt see even in Rochdale though how any development could cover the cost of reclaimation and new build

Rochdale Council I think were minded to cover the site with solar panels and bank the revenue for sale to grid.

[Stanley]

I see the BBC did a programme on 'Killer Dust' last night.
If you want the full story look for a book called Magic Mineral to Killer Dust: Turner Newall and the Asbestos Hazard published by Oxford.
I found the cheapest copy on Bookfinder was £33 for a softback. I bought a hard back copy when it was published in 2001, I am now a wealthy man.
Today I shall be in the shed first thing doing useful things and then veggie cooking later on what promises to be the warmest day of the year according to the Met Office!

[Stanley]

I started the morning's work by cleaning the swarf and chips off Mrs Harrison, Then I reversed my carbide indexable chip to get a new cutting edge and started my last session of heavy turning. I got this last leg down to roughly 1/2" and stopped. Then I cleaned Mrs Harrison again and disposed of the chips. I am ready now to start more leisurely finish turning, I have all three shafts at the same stage. Now for the next treat, breakfast!
I do enjoy my breakfast, more so when I know I have earned it!

[Sue]

And another https://www.acorn-as.com/asbestos-firm- ... developed/

Needless to say nothing was or is happening

One problem being after closure the site was used to dump asbestos material from elsewhere

There are now government grants for contaminated land clean ups (though all you are doing here is move a problem to a landfill hole somewhere else)

I couldnt see even in Rochdale though how any development could cover the cost of reclaimation and new build

Rochdale Council I think were minded to cover the site with solar panels and bank the revenue for sale to grid.

Morning

The council keeps stating that the land is not their’s and thus not their responsibility to solve the problem . The company who bought it have promised to clean it up and then sell it on the commercial market and they are a recognised specialist on this. They have done a very detailed survey lasting several months and the report was online but I cannot find it. It was under a different name, Spotland something but Bob and I really can’t remember its name. I did find an interesting government article dated June 2024 about housing development but as it was rather long, 126 pages comes to mind, I did not read it. I don’t think solar panels is the option. We are talking Rochdale here and a very shady area too. We have solar panels and our recent readings were questioned as they were so low! A local idea frequently put forward is a country park but it never gets anywhere. There are areas like the old sports and social club ground, with bowling green which could be tidied up and reused as a similar facility for the locals. Meanwhile everything rots and falls down. The old research labs and block has been reused as offices eg care company and is slowly being renovated. The old Sports hall is now a rather expensive area of housing on the road down to the Dell. It is the main factory and some of the woods around that is the real problem

Its another sunny day today till late afternoon when some rain is expected. The plants in the garden have really benefitted from the sun of the last week, as have the people ! We did our walk down to screw fix and on the way back stopped for a coffee. A local developer is doing up the old mill at Spotland Bridge and it is now full of small businesses including a cafe, a small brewery and bar, gin makers, NHS. Various Offices, dance studio, my pilates studio and many others. It was a nice half way stop on our walk before we did a different route than usual, following the river back to Shawclough.

Today we are off to Portsmouth, with our ferry tomorrow night. The forecast is good for the crossing . Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. Good to hear the forecast is good for the crossing. I hope you have a good journey overall...
I am, of course, demonstrating my confidence for the day by going back to bed for an hour or so.
The thing that grabbed me this morning was how soon it became properly light! What a difference. Always cheers me up at this time of the year.

[Stanley]

Back up after a good sleep. I have started veggie cooking already. It's a beautiful warm morning with full sun. Certainly feels like Spring!

[Big Kev]

Turning cold again soon though due to high pressure over Iceland.

[Sue]

Turning cold again soon though due to high pressure over Iceland.

And in France . 6 to 7 degrees expected next week but dry

[Wendyf]

Happy Birthday Gloria!