Hi List -
'Sunderland Echo' for Thursday 2nd November carried a report following a
meeting between Fraser Kemp, MP for Houghton-le-Spring and Government
Minister Beverley Hughes, from which the following is taken :
Mr Kemp has been told that it is likely that funding for the proposed
clean-up of the Lambton Cokeworks site could be made available in the next
few months.
It is hoped the project will also help to restore the historic wooden
railway which was discovered on the site when contractors started
preliminary investigations on the land two years ago.
The area to be reclaimed covers 65 hectares, including major pockets of
pollution from the days when the coke ovens worked at full blast giving off
dangerous tars and other residues. It is estimated that there is about
500,000 tons of waste at the site and complex groundwater monitoring systems
will have to be installed. When reclamation is complete the site will be
made available for new housing, light industrial units, parkland, and the
new central route road.
Industrial archaeologists and railway enthusiasts also hope the wagonway
will be preserved in an industrial heritage centre. The re-discovered
railway was preserved thanks to impacted coal dust and clay which protected
the wooden rails. It is believed the line was used to transport coal from
pits at Lambton via horse-drawn waggons to the River Wear at Fatfield for
shipment.
If anyone wishes to have a copy of the full article then please contact me
'off-list' and I will send the text as an attachment to an email.
Alan.
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