Water tank tower, Morley, derbyshire.

Kaputnik · May 4, 2008

This very nice watertower with an iron tank on the top, is close to a circular walk footpath that crosses the Morley-hayes golf course on the road between Heanor and Derby. quite far from any built up areas, so it isn't full of litter and graffitti,

some of the bolt together iron plates which make up the tank have fairly big splits in them, and there is some sort of pulley wheel at the top of the front face of the building, you can just see it in the next pic...

Iwent inside, but there are swallows nesting on one of the beams, so i went back out again without taking any pictures, to leave them in peace, great place they've picked to live in!

haven't been able to find out anything about the tower, or find any pictures of similar ones, could it be victorian do you think, or is it later?

thanks

Neosea · May 4, 2008

Are there any disused railway tracks close by? Might be worth a look on flashearth

The_Revolution · May 4, 2008

Neosea might be right there. It looks like it could possibly be an old railway tower. The Friargate line passed through Breadsall on its way to the Morley tunnel which used to be east of the golf course.

Kaputnik · May 4, 2008

thanks for the replies, not sure how to link to a flashearth location, 1st time i used it, but the tower is at this point, acc to flashearth...
latitude 52 58 11.7 N
longtitude 1 24 28.6 W
can't see any signs of a disused rail line close by, but a friend of mine's dad may know something about it, if not the farmer whose land it's on might know

Neosea · May 4, 2008

This looks like the old railway track, and a nice tunnel it seems. It is quite a way from the water tower though. It was a nice idea while it lasted :lol:

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.955597&lon=-1.410953&z=15.2&r=0&src=msl

For a flashearth link, just above the coordinates is the text 'link to this location' followed by a chain link symbol. Click it then copy paste the url

Kaputnik · May 4, 2008

this should be the link to the tower's location, unless i messed it up...

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.969912&lon=-1.407903&z=18.3&r=0&src=msl

Dirus_Strictus · May 5, 2008

I suggest this could have been erected by the original water company, who installed piped supplies to the nearby habitations. A search of the local water supply records should confirm or refute this. A further pointer, would be if the tower is sited on the highest ground in the immediate area.

The pulley wheel was for the brass chain that connected the float to the indicator weight on the contents gauge. Clearly the scale board and indicator etc, are long gone.

Foxylady · May 5, 2008

That's a really nice find, Kaputnik. There's something solid yet quaint about it. Nice one.

I didn't know how to link to flashearth either, so thanks for that, Neosea. :mrgreen:

Kaputnik · May 5, 2008

many thanks for that, DS,
it is on the highest ground around that area, and thinking about it, i've seen the external depth marker boards you mention on a big tower at wymeswold, but never thought that this one would also have had one, but it makes sense.
the wymeswold tower was also made from very similar bolt together iron plates,, sure i have a picture of that one somewhere. good idea to look up the water supply records, thanks again!
Foxy, yes, solid and quaint sums it up very well

nickyw_uk · May 2, 2009

I just nipped out there to have a look at the water tower and it's still there. I didn't realise it was so far from the road though! It was getting dark so I didn't walk out to it and photograph it, but I wouldn't mind going back on a warm sunny day.

AndyBuz · Sep 25, 2023

This water tower supplied water to smithy farm and the nearby Manor House before mains water was installed. A windmill pump. (wind pump?) was used to fill it. The farmer told me this

Water tank tower, Morley, derbyshire.

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