Photography by Mark Carnaby

The impressive entrance to Blists Hill museum opened in 1973 contains a horizontal single cylinder steam engine
Going back in time and entering the late 19th town of Blists Hill
The Jack Crabtree early 20th century bicycle shop
Inside the Jack Crabtree early 20th century bicycle shop
A F Blackmore Son an early 20th century grocer
All precautions where taken at the town during the 2020 Covid pandemic
The remains of Blists Hill brick tile works circa 1851 1870
Information plaque on Richard Trevithicks 1802 Coalbrookdale Locomotive
The only one of its kind and built in 1989 from the original 1802 plans the worlds first locomotive
Richard Trevithicks 1802 Coalbrookdale Locomotive
Working mine shaft engine house in commercial operation from early 18th century until 1947
Inside the mine shaft engine house and the steam winding engine built in the early 18th century and still working today
Complex winding machinery in the Machine Shop
S W Woolley Carpenter Wheelwright Undertaker
G R Morton Ironworks a restored iron foundry circa 1832 in Blists Hill
Inside the G R Morton Ironworks blast furnaces
Information plaque on the G R Morton Ironworks which was one of the last in the world
The mighty hammer of the G R Morton Ironworks essential for shaping hot metal
The Blists Hill Blast Furnaces are one of the original features on the site and are designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Information plaque on the Blists Hill Blast Furnaces
Building that is part of the Blists Hill Blast Furnaces and the town notice board
David Sampson Blowing Engines beam engines that blew air into the blast furnaces circa 1851
David and Sampson are beam engines built by Murdock Aitken and Company of Glasgow they were in regular use until 1900
The only surviving trow the historic SPRY built by William Hurd Chepstow in 1894
Information plaque on the historic SPRY
The Duke of Sutherlands Cottage and Doctors Surgery
The steam powered stone crusher in Masons Yard
The Columbian press invented by George Clymer circa 1813 as seen in J Edmunds Printers
The picturesque streets of a quaint Victorian town
Exiting the Victorian town via Jesses Fold street

Telford & Ironbridge Fully Loaded Cycle 2020 Trip: Two of Three

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Telford & The Ironbridge 3 Day Cycle Touring Trip: Part Two

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Originally I had planned a cycling & camping trip to Northern France in the spring of 2020, with overnight ferry crossings booked & paid for, but that was before the Covid crisis arrived in April and everything went up in the air. After a lot of swapping dates and changing ferry companies it started to look like the France trip wasn’t going to happen so I started planning a trip to see a magnificent structure that is celebrated as a symbol of the Great Industrial Revolution circa. 1760 to 1820, The Iron Bridge in Coalbrookdale, Telford, England.

Also nearby the bridge is the Blists Hill Victorian Town which being in the heart of the industrial region of Coalbrookdale & Telford is chocked full of history from the time of steam & coal!

My trip coincided with one of the worst storms in Telford’s history! and as you will see in the photos my tent just about survived a scary couple of nights under the rain & thunder!

As always, enjoy the photos!!