Horizontal tension rods removed

Here is the tank, looking north. The horizontal tension rods have all been removed and the size of the tank becomes more obvious. The position of the rods is indicated by the flanges along the inside tops of the tank sides. Each of those base plates is 4 feet square, so the tank base is 20 feet x 52 feet.

A couple of the new posts can be seen on the left.

The tank had completely dried out during the April drought but recent rain has half filled the base plates with water.

Becoming a landmark

Now that the majority (58/72) of the tank panels have been painted, the water tower is becoming quite a landmark. This is the view from Well House, about a mile away. To the right is the Settle station master's house. The flagpole looking thing is an Orange mobile phone mast. To the left are the west and north faces of the water tower.   A tree hides the last of the unpainted panels.

Blacksmith David Clements has now made ten of the 28 posts which will hold the railings round the top of the tank. These may be fitted this week which should enable us to better assess how they and the roof room will relate to one another. We also hope to get glazing and second phase earthworks under way.

The design of the roof room has still to be agreed with the planners. We are hoping they will agree to a design based on the Mies van der Rohe pavillion in Barcelona, which depends on an overhanging flat roof for its minimal impact appearance.   The roof overhang works partly because the building below it is in the roof's shadow.   In our case the overhang would not cast a shadow on the tower or the tank - just on the roof room that we are trying to hide by thoughtful design.

Metal windows in preparation

This is the west side of the tower, showing the three windows de-glazed, de-scaled and now primed.

This close-up of window number one shows the delicacy of the ironwork - and that of the window on the other side of the tower.

Inside the tower as window work proceeds. The window at the north end is being stripped of old putty and paint. Sunlight floods in from the west.

De-glazing the windows

Former work colleague Peter Bennett, looking like something out of Star Wars is preparing the first of the seven cast iron window frames with the help of Trelawny's splendid needle gun. Peter has travelled from his home in Devon to help with this tedious, dusty but important job.







The centre window on the west side of the tower, de-glazed and awaiting needle-gunning. The slender profile of the window frames can be seen.














Here is the west side of the tower. All windows now without glass and the one on the right almost ready for a coat of primer paint.

Note the levelled ground which will enable us to wheel the scaffolding tower from window to window.

Dig this

The full depth of the east or rear wall of the tower is now exposed to the air with the removal of accumulated topsoil and general debris. Also exposed, bottom left, is a large earthenwear drain - possibly the drain that served the tank's overflow pipe.

On the west side of the tower the foundations of a small building were exposed - possibly a coal merchant's hut or office. Whatever it was, there are no signs of it having been physically connected to the tower itself.

At the south west corner there is another massive drain (behind the iron plate) around which was a very fine cobbled area.

Digger men Ben (left) and Chris. They and their machines removed 200 tonnes of soil and loose material in order to get down to solid ground around the edges of the tower. Up to nine courses of stone had become buried over the years. It has also become evident that the floor inside the tower is about 750mm higher than the original floor. This probably happened in 1939 when stables with a need for drainage, (see an earlier posting) were built inside the tower. The Midland Railway plans dated 1874 show the lower floor.

Some top and bottom images

Here are the east and south ends of the tank, painted and restored to former glory.

This is the base of the east side being dug out to enable us to use a wheeled scaffolding tower to access, prepare and re-glaze the windows. Note the tide-mark where soil had accumulated over the lovely stonework.

The north east corner of the tower, now breathing again.

The south west corner of the tank. Re-painting has turned the final corner - and very fine it looks too.

Buffers mystery solved

Like a scene straight out of Last of the Summer Wine. Big toys, sunshine and Yorkshire-men with flat caps. The photographer and actors prefer to remain anonymous.