Highpeak wrote:During my recent visit to the Peak District I walked the line from Millers Dale to Bakewell and measured up the dock at Monsal Head.
Starting at the Millers Dale end, the height (and these figures are approximations because it is not very easy to determine where exactly the ground level is) is 4'. This height is maintained for 12' and then an upward slope starts to raise the height to about 6'. The length of the slope is about 18'.
The raised part of the dock is about 27 yards long and then drops down to the lower height, the length of that slope is about 16 yards, very gradual. Presumably this was so that loaded carts could be pulled up to the higher level.
The final lower part of the dock is about 15 yards long.
If you look closely at the stone work I think you can see how the height was raised, there seems to be a definite straight line at around the three to four foot height with a more random arrangement of stones above it:
IMGP1069.JPG
I hope this helps. The height measurements are, as I said, only approximate because of the tangle of undergrowth.
Thanks Neville,
That is very thoughtful and kind of you.
Reading back through Bill Hudson's research on the station, he advises that in 1914 the spar mine asked the Midland to put in a dedicated private siding. However when informed of the cost (£320 in 10 annual instalments at 4% interest) the proposal was dropped. Although there is no further record of any work to the wharf (the landslip and resultant consolidation is recorded as being to the upside of the line), from the photo evidence and your observations, one hypothesis might be that the wharf was raised to 6 feet following the abandonment of the planned private siding to accommodate the increased spar production.
Regards
Tim