42 replies to this topic

[gilly]

does any1 know when the kimmicks went? these were 2 massive slagheap type structures either side of jackson st .I think they were made of chalk and ash etc and the name was a play on chemics we used to play on them in the 60s little caves and tunnels sheer drops (sheer folly looking back).there must have been millions of tons of whatever making them up .I remember driving down jackson st mid 80s and they'd gone .where? by who? also remember 2 big water tanks now only 1 when did the other go

Edited by gilly, 12 August 2008 - 09:45 AM.

[windled]

gilly, on Aug 12 2008, 10:43 AM, said:

does any1 know when the kimmicks went? these were 2 massive slagheap type structures either side of jackson st .

According to Mike Fletchers book, Black Gold and Hot Sand, the "Kimmicks" were removed in the late 60's, (but I am sure we played on them in the early 70's), anyway they were removed by Pickavance Haulage, most of the waste was made up of Lime, and this was sold to the Fertiliser Industries, and a lot of what remained was used as Hardcore on many of the region's new roads.

[gilly]

[quote name='windled' date='Aug 13 2008, 06:49 PM' post='275434']
According to Mike Fletchers book, Black Gold and Hot Sand,


thanks, im sure they were there later than the late 60s too, interested tho in your reference book where can i get a copy.just been looking at some of your earlier posts and saw ref to the broken prop. That was at top end of traverse st away from jackson st, lorne was at bottom of smithy brew. Iwas born at no 4 traverse st it was opposite co op and higher parr st

[Griffin]

The spoil heaps in Jackson Street disappeared some time during the 1970s. I definitely remember them being there at the beginning of the decade. They were replaced by a number of small industrial estates. I was puzzled by the reference to two large water tanks. Did you mean the two gasholders which used to be visible from Jackson Street? One is still there, but the other one disappeared at about the time the old gasworks was dismantled. I understood that all the equipment from the gasworks was sold on to Brazil, so maybe the holder went as part of the package.

[donkey o'tay]

Most of the Kimmiks spoil heaps went under the new motorways. Some ended up under that one that runs from Preston to Colne (can't remember its number). There are laso some still left around the town though. For example the romantically named 'Mucky Mountains' in the Sankey valley.

The book that is refered to was sold off for a fiver a copy by Wardleworths because there were several howling mistakes. They might have the odd copy left.

[familyman]

When I used to live in Blackbrook there were also "Kimmicks " off Merton Bank Road ,between the canal and the railway that ran behind Merton bank School playing fields.

Also when I worked at Watson Street we had to test the effluent that seeped from the spoil heaps near the old timber yard. The area is now covered by new houses (If only they knew what their houses were built on) Although to be fair the land was excavated to quite a depth to remove all the spoil

Edited by familyman, 14 August 2008 - 03:44 PM.

[Alan]

The Kimmicks I remember as a child were at the end of Borough Road near what was then known as Greenbank (of as thick as a Greenbank butty fame)

Edited by Alan, 14 August 2008 - 07:09 PM.

[gilly]

griffin, on Aug 13 2008, 11:23 PM, said:

I was puzzled by the reference to two large water tanks. Did you mean the two gasholders which used to be visible from Jackson Street?

Yes, sorry thats what i meant .I was right tho? there were 2? i'm still surprised how quickly things can change ,my brother lives in spain after living in manchester for years . Last year i took him past where we used to live and if i'd let him out the car he 'd have been lost

[hardlaner]

I played on the kimmicks as a young lad living in McCulloch Street in the 50's and 60's, and I still remember the steep drop from the mound facing Monmouth Grove, it was terrifying.

As I recall they were cleared by Pickavance Haulage in the 70's

[gilly]

[quote name='hardlaner' date='Aug 22 2008, 09:39 PM' post='275934']
I played on the kimmicks as a young lad living in McCulloch Street in the 50's and 60's, and I still remember the steep drop from the mound facing Monmouth Grove, it was terrifyin

exactly my point they were very high and dangerous but we didn't care then ,must have took some shifting

[mollydolly]

I lived in Gaskell St and played on the kimmicks all the time, when l wasn't on the industrial estate at the back of our house, or Rigby's scrapyard

[citijen]

Sorry for length of time between this and the above post but having lived in Manchester and now Spain I am only just catching up on all the threads.
I remember the kimmicks down Jackson St and also watching men playing pitch and toss at the Parr Stocks end and getting paid a few pence for keeping my eyes out for the police, also the kimmicks at the back of Borough rd I seem to recall again in 1956(what a good year that was Saints winning at Wembley and my beloved team doing the same but with the proper ball) about the time of the Suez Crisis playing in an air raid shelter there and being told that it was in case Nasser sent his planes over lol.My memory does not however stretch to a couple of years ago when if I had been let out of a car I would have got lost as stated by my younger etc brother earlier in this thread .
J ust another thought what has happened if anything to the same sort of hills just past Ashtons Green Drive on the left of Fleet Lane used to play on them too after school at Cuthies?

[Griffin]

I assume they were the spoil heaps from Ashton's Green colliery. That area is now a green open space, planted with some youngish trees. The land is quite undulating, though.

[citijen]

Griffin, on May 13 2009, 08:39 PM, said:

I assume they were the spoil heaps from Ashton's Green colliery. That area is now a green open space, planted with some youngish trees. The land is quite undulating, though.

thanks not been up there since leaving school not even in passing seem to remember it was a bit cindery in places.

[dotcomdan]

Griffin, on 13 August 2008 - 10:23 PM, said:

The spoil heaps in Jackson Street disappeared some time during the 1970s. I definitely remember them being there at the beginning of the decade. They were replaced by a number of small industrial estates. I was puzzled by the reference to two large water tanks. Did you mean the two gasholders which used to be visible from Jackson Street? One is still there, but the other one disappeared at about the time the old gasworks was dismantled. I understood that all the equipment from the gasworks was sold on to Brazil, so maybe the holder went as part of the package.

I remember the gasometer in Warrington New Road? being demolished and that apparently went to Japan for scrap as it was cheaper than sending it to Sheffield (1970's) The other thing was Jackson Street, do you remember the brick works near to where Collins Cash and Carry was? I went in there once and there were loads of young people stacking bricks made from a green looking clay into a massive kiln. Someone on here must have worked there, it was probably Roughdales but I can't remember. Jackson Street doesn't look the same the last time I visited.