Loftus mines ironstone was transported originally transported from the Loftus (Skinningrove) mine up to Skinningrove Works via the zig-zag railway system along the valley side. From 1895 this transportation occurred via a connection into the abandoned workings of the North Loftus mine to avoid paying haulage charges to the N.E.R. By 1932 the North Loftus shaft steam winding equipment was thoroughly antiquated so the aerial ropeway was built to avoid using the shaft which was later filled in. An aerial ropeway (known locally as ”the buckets”) was constructed to take the stone from the valley floor up to Skinningrove Ironworks on the cliff top. This is the middle stanchion, the roofed structure over the zig-zag railway was to catch any falling stone jerked out of the buckets as a result of passing over the stanchion pulleys. This system was in use until local stone was superseded by cheaper foreign ores. (The topmost stanchion was still in place at the top gates of Skinningrove Iron and Steel Works when I worked there, adapted as a floodlight tower!).
Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection and others, thanks to Simon Chapman for the details of these changes in transportation.
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