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Beal View, OLDHAM, OL2 8JA

Shaw's legacy as a cotton town has not quite vanished. This is what was once the Dee Mill.

Many pubs around here have closed, but some real gems remain, such as the 'Morning Star' on Grains Road, still serving an excellent pint of 'John Willie', (brewed locally at Middleton Junction by J W Lees).

On the right is the only surviving bit of Dee Mill containing a thoroughly wrecked engine. All now gone and a huge warehouse is more or less where the photographer is standing.

This cotton spinning mill was one of many in Shaw and was opened in 1907 with power provided by this horizontal twin tandem compound steam engine by Scott & Hodgson of Guide Bridge. The cylinders were 18" & 42" x 5' (x2) and turned a 26' diameter flywheel driving by cotton ropes. The engine ran at 60 revolutions per minute and generated 1500 horsepower. It stopped running commercially in 1967 but was then preserved with the assistance of the Northern Mill Engine Society and was run on occasions until 1982 when the mill closed and was sold. Although the engine was made a Scheduled Ancient Monument it became very badly vandalised and was finally scrapped in 1994. This was a lovely engine and typical of so many in Lancashire. There are now only three large spinning mill engines surviving in situ.

This cotton spinning mill was one of many in Shaw and was opened in 1907 with power provided by this horizontal twin tandem compound steam engine by Scott & Hodgson of Guide Bridge. The cylinders were 18" & 42" x 5' (x2) and turned a 26' diameter flywheel driving by cotton ropes. The engine ran at 60 revolutions per minute and generated 1500 horsepower. It stopped running commercially in 1967 but was then preserved with the assistance of the Northern Mill Engine Society and was run on occasions until 1982 when the mill closed and was sold. Although the engine was made a Scheduled Ancient Monument it became very badly vandalised and was finally scrapped in 1994. This view shows the inverted vertical duplex barring engine that engaged with the gear ring on the rim of the flywheel. The wood boarding that covered the flywheel spokes is also seen. The flywheel consisted of two identical wheels running edge to edge each with its own set of spokes. This was typical of the larger wheels and the largest had three wheels set edge to edge as at Mons Mill, Todmorden. This was a lovely engine and typical of so many in Lancashire. There are now only three large spinning mill engines surviving in situ.

This cotton spinning mill was one of many in Shaw and was opened in 1907 with power provided by this horizontal twin tandem compound steam engine by Scott & Hodgson of Guide Bridge. The cylinders were 18" & 42" x 5' (x2) and turned a 26' diameter flywheel driving by cotton ropes. The engine ran at 60 revolutions per minute and generated 1500 horsepower. It stopped running commercially in 1967 but was then preserved with the assistance of the Northern Mill Engine Society and was run on occasions until 1982 when the mill closed and was sold. Although the engine was made a Scheduled Ancient Monument it became very badly vandalised and was finally scrapped in 1994. This was a lovely engine and typical of so many in Lancashire. There are now only three large spinning mill engines surviving in situ.

This cotton spinning mill was one of many in Shaw and was opened in 1907 with power provided by this horizontal twin tandem compound steam engine by Scott & Hodgson of Guide Bridge. The cylinders were 18" & 42" x 5' (x2) and turned a 26' diameter flywheel driving by cotton ropes. The engine ran at 60 revolutions per minute and generated 1500 horsepower. It stopped running commercially in 1967 but was then preserved with the assistance of the Northern Mill Engine Society and was run on occasions until 1982 when the mill closed and was sold. Although the engine was made a Scheduled Ancient Monument it became very badly vandalised and was finally scrapped in 1994. This was a lovely engine and typical of so many in Lancashire. There are now only three large spinning mill engines surviving in situ.

This cotton spinning mill was one of many in Shaw and was opened in 1907 with power provided by this horizontal twin tandem compound steam engine by Scott & Hodgson of Guide Bridge. The cylinders were 18" & 42" x 5' (x2) and turned a 26' diameter flywheel driving by cotton ropes. The engine ran at 60 revolutions per minute and generated 1500 horsepower. It stopped running commercially in 1967 but was then preserved with the assistance of the Northern Mill Engine Society and was run on occasions until 1982 when the mill closed and was sold. Although the engine was made a Scheduled Ancient Monument it became very badly vandalised and was finally scrapped in 1994. This was a lovely engine and typical of so many in Lancashire. There are now only three large spinning mill engines surviving in situ.

This was when it was still owned by Courtaulds and the Northern Mill Engine Society were steaming the engine 4x/year. A stunning site and a tragedy that it was lost. Other pictures shows its degradation.