Froghall chimney

**Miss Survey** · 5th February 2011, 14:09

A 100m (328ft) industrial chimney could fall on to a heritage railway in Staffordshire, its owners say.
Staffordshire Moorlands Council added the chimney at Thomas Bolton's Copper Works to a conservation area last week, meaning it cannot be demolished.
But a demolition company has now told the council that it had already weakened the brick stack at the base

From BBC News - Froghall chimney 'could fall' on Churnet railway

Suprise, suprise - how many demolition companies "assist" in the distruction of our history?

**oildrum** · 5th February 2011, 14:39

how convenient is that, specially as the council had stopped the demolition & given the chimney "protection". Now if I were a cynical person.....

**polski** · 5th February 2011, 16:56

now that would make a mess wouldnt it !

**StoneRoad** · 5th February 2011, 22:13

I think I am right in saying that the demolition co have been given until Monday to sort out a means of shoring up said chimney.

I agree far too many of these have been dropped, I know that they take a lot of maintenance - there must be a few steeplejacks in need of work.....

**oildrum** · 6th February 2011, 16:28

Originally Posted by StoneRoad

I think I am right in saying that the demolition co have been given until Monday to sort out a means of shoring up said chimney.

I agree far too many of these have been dropped, I know that they take a lot of maintenance - there must be a few steeplejacks in need of work.....

it'll be interesting to see the outcome of this one.

As you say StoneRoad chimneys are difficult things. Once they are out of service thats when problems develop, hence the reason so many remaining ones are "held together" by iron banding. I know the one at Chatterley Whitfield was "lowered" by about 10m (loosing the ornate part at the top in the porocess!), capped with concrete & numerous bands installed. Last time I had a close look a number of new cracks had appeared in the brickwork though

**oildrum** · 14th February 2011, 12:31

The local paper reorts that "safety" work on the chimney has now been completed.

SAFETY work on a landmark industrial chimney has been completed.

**StoneRoad** · 14th February 2011, 19:19

There are a number of methods of preserving these big chimneys, besides getting a steeplejack to re-point it, and install the retaining bands.

one method basically plasters a layer of concrete onto the inside, to hold it together - works best on clean brickwork/mortar that hasn't been chemically altered by the flue gases.......same method was used to extend the life of cooling towers, IIRC.

**oildrum** · 10th March 2011, 17:52

Just checked the Planning Application list of Staffs Moorlands District Council & an application has been submitted to demolish this chimney

Full details at PublicAccess v7.4 @ Staffordshire Moorlands District Council: Application Details (11/00107/CONSER)

**Miss Survey** · 10th March 2011, 19:02

Originally Posted by oildrum

Just checked the Planning Application list of Staffs Moorlands District Council & an application has been submitted to demolish this chimney

Full details at PublicAccess v7.4 @ Staffordshire Moorlands District Council: Application Details (11/00107/CONSER)

**oildrum** · 10th March 2011, 19:08

much as I hate to say it, but SMDC were extremely slow off the mark with this one & its too late to try to save the chimney when all around it has been allowed to be demolished

Although it might be a local landmark, realistically what can be done with a solitary chimney that'll have no "connection" with anything thats to be built around it