# Lime Kilns, Millers Dale, Derbys, April 2015



## HughieD (Apr 25, 2015)

A nice leisurely explore on a lovely sunny April day, East Buxton Lime Kilns can be found in two locations either side of Millers Dale Station, between Buxton and Tideswell, Derbyshire.

The larger kilns, west of Millers Dale station, were built in 1867 (and operational in 1880) to meet the increasing demand by the chemical and steel industries for quick lime. The lime was quarried behind the kilns then transported the short distance to the kilns via hopper trucks (or tubs) on a narrow gauge track. They were hauled up the incline then tipped into the kilns. The quick lime was then collected and taken by barrow to trucks (approximately 30 tons a day) on the Rowsley and Buxton Branch Railway that ran close by. A massive concrete buttresses was added in the 1920's. Lime production was halted towards the end of Second World War in 1944. 

The second bank of kilns close by to the station itself opened in 1878 and were served by the Midland Railway main line from Matlock to Chinley. Production at this works was ended in 1930 when the quarry above became unstable and the rock face started to slip forward due to overlying a clay bed.

The smaller site just east of Millers Dale station:


img8703 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Inside one of its four kilns:


img8708 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A couple of shots of the bridge at Millers Dale station:


img8699 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8702 by HughieDW, on Flickr

An abandoned water tank by the side of the railway:


img8716 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8712 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Front shot of the kilns west of Millers Dale station:


img8719 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Inside the concrete buttresses:


img8720 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And inside the kiln itself:


img8723 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The rails at the top of the kiln:


img8730 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And an old hopper still in situ:


img8731 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The quarry:


img8728 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And a series of crumbling site buildings:


img8726 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8735 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8736 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8740 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8724 by HughieDW, on Flickr


----------



## Gritstone (Apr 25, 2015)

Amazing when you think this idyllic rural setting was once a noisy, dirty, fume filled industrial complex. Nice post!


----------



## tumble112 (Apr 25, 2015)

Lovely to see this again, I remember having a good look round here on a weekend at Buxton about 15 years ago. Those railway bridges never fail to impress. Thanks for posting.


----------



## The Wombat (Apr 25, 2015)

Nice work there
As Tumble said, those bridges are impressive


----------



## flyboys90 (Apr 26, 2015)

Very nice indeed and a beautiful setting.


----------



## HughieD (Apr 26, 2015)

A few more pix for luck...


img8765 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8763 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8761 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8768 by HughieDW, on Flickr


----------



## UrbanX (Apr 28, 2015)

Brilliant stuff. We spent a day throwing ourselves off the Millers Dale Bridge just opposite this a couple of years back  
Wish I'd spent more time looking at this!


----------



## HughieD (Apr 28, 2015)

UrbanX said:


> Brilliant stuff. We spent a day throwing ourselves off the Millers Dale Bridge just opposite this a couple of years back
> Wish I'd spent more time looking at this!



Cheers UrbanX. Ah...yes, they were doing abseiling on both days I went here. If you take the path to the right of the bridge down to river the walk along there is stunning along with views of people dangling off the bridge. One of Derbyshire's best kept secrets...


----------

