St Clements Church.

On each corner of the Tower there is a  Pinnacle,and metal stay to the middle, which helps to hold up a substantial 30ft  flag pole  When flag is flying it has to be "The Flag of St George". The Union Jack is not allowed to fly on Churches.( I wonder why ?)

St Clements Church.

From the Belfry a wooden stair case ( Almost a Ladder ) goes on to the roof through a Trap Door. Great Views from here. This is Urmston in the fore ground. In the background the "Chill Factor" ski slope can be seen. To enlarge the Photo ( Click on the Tool Bar bottom right hand, where the % mark is it will enlarge up to 400%. Don't forget to drop it down to 100%  or the pages will be off the screen.

St Clements Church.

Their are Three Faces to the Church Clock one was not needed at the back of the Church. The hands are driven by a series of rods, gears from the Turret Clock from the floor below. It's very clever to keep all clock faces reading the same time. The Bells are above the Clock Faces hence the ropes to the striking mechanism in the Photograph.

St Clements Church.

This is the only Proper Bell in the Belfry. It is struck by the clock mechanism on the 1/4 hour, 1/2 hour and the 3/4 hour. Then the clock strikes the hour on the hour. The rust is where the Hammer strikes.

St Clements Church.

On the next floor up from the Clock  via a very steep wooden stair case we come to the Belfry. The the Rope which the Bell Ringer pulls end up here. When the the Ringer pulls the Yellow pulley rope the rope activates a Hammer which hits the Gong. (Ten ropes Ten gongs) The Belfry has Slats all round the tower to let the Sound Out.

St Clements Church.

On the next floor up we can see the Clock  Mechanism which is now powered by three electric motors. The black rod going down is the pendulum which swings to keep the correct time. The original drive mechanism was by weights. These had to be wound up everyday by hand. The turret clock was made in 1906. 

St Clements Church.

This is a Grid which the Bell Ringer can see down in to the Tower Porch before the Bride or the Congregation start to enter the Church. He can then start to play the Bells at the appropiate time.

St Clements Church.

This is where the One Bell Ringer Stands and does his Stuff. At Weddings and Church Services. These yellow sleeved wires are pulled towards the Bell Ringer then let go. They go up to the Belfry and a hammer hits a bell like (a fire bell ) type of bell only bigger. Each bell is tuned to a certain note. So a tune can be played on them. As you can see two are broken.

St Clements Church.

This is the second floor of the Church Tower ( Lots of Junk ). In the corner you can see the original clock weights, now just abandoned. The clock has been Electrified by the same firm who installed the clock in 1906. It is still maintained by the same firm. (W Potts & Sons Leeds)

St Clements Church.

This is the door to the Tower with the very small Spiral Stairs leading up the Tower. It's just the width of a man and very steep. The rope that you see is just dangles from top to bottom, acts like a Safety Banister.

St Clements Church.

These Placards give some clue to the age of the church. They can be Enlarged by clicking on the % marks bottom right just above the tool bar. The first Vicar of the church was a minister for a total of 52 years. The brass placard was to commemorate  the giving of donations by a local business man and family towards the church tower and clock.

St Clements Church.

This church was built in the Early Victorian Times and extended on three different dates.The church Tower was the last extension. Now the Tower needs extensive renovation. So I thought I go up and see for myself. It is about 8 miles from Manchester City Centre.

Space

Yuri was Killed in a MiG-15 Flying Accident. His minders tried to stop him flying again. The young pilot took off in Bad Weather with his trainer Vladimar Seregin.The crashed jet was found North of Moscow in  Woods. He was identified by a mole on his neck. He made a big impact on the World, and East/West Relations.   A Great Man the First Space Man.

Space.

This is Yuri's Space Helmet and his Air Force Cap together with his pay book, and a wrist watch with a face guard mounted on a Gold Bracelet. I remember standing near Trafford Bar with thousands of Mancunians  cheering him as he was being driven past us with a Huge Smile on his Face.

Space

Yuri was very popular with the General Public in all the Country's he visited. Here is holding up a small child. It's not clear if this is one of his own children, (He had two) but the Baby seems Happy Enough.

Space

This is a Photo of "Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin" in his Orange Space Suit photographed in his capsule ready to go into space, on the back of a 300 ton rocket that was designed to take nuclear weapons to the enemy. Yuri was only 5' 2" high. The capsule had only a limited space for a small man. As the Rocket took off Yuri shouted " Lets Go" three times. His heart was beating 3 times every second at the start of lift off.

Space

I don't know any Russian, but I think this striking poster means that everything is possible to the working man, even the Stars. Yuri Gagarin  worked in a Iron Foundry before he joined the Air force and then became a Cosmonaut. (If anybody can read Russian please put me right? )

Space

This is Model of the Capsule that Yuri used to go into Space. It had a Flotation System round the middle in case it came down in water. Yuri was strapped in to a chair and the Manhole was put on and Bolted  from the outside.

Space

This is a Photograph of Yuri's return capsule complete with parachute in which he returned safely to earth. The capsule was ejected from the rocket at 40,000 ft and drifted down to earth where Yuri was let out from the outside. They made three different scinarios before-hand, just in case things went wrong. They didn't so the Triumphant One was played to the World.

Space

This is the "Giant Firework" that took Yuri in to Space (the first Man ever ) It achieved a velocity of 17,500 miles per hour to escape the gravity of the earth. It took 108 minutes to circumnavigate the earth were it crashed near Baikonur Cosmodrome where it had taken off at 6.07am on April 12th 1961.

Space.

This Photograph of Yuri holding the Dove of Peace was a publicity picture. At the time Russia and the West were in the middle of the Cold War. He bridged the differences between the two sides. He was a breath of Fresh Air. He had green uniform and looked stunning. The Government were not happy. He had been invited to Manchester by the "Iron Foundry Man's Trade Union" at MetroVickers Trafford Park. He used to work in the Iron Foundry in the Soviet Union. He was a Big Hit with the Working Man.

Space.

This is the Manchester News Paper The "Evening Chronicle", (Now Defunct ) That reported Yuri Gagarin was back from space and alive. It must be remembered that a Dog called Lika was sent up in to Space earlier and never returned. So it was a Brave Man who went up next, and he was equipped with cyanide pills, just in case things went wrong.

Space.

This is the First Man Made Object to Orbit the Earth and go into Space. The Russian's called it Sputnik. All it did was Bleep every few seconds so all the World was Able to pick up the Signals. Jodrell Bank picked them up easily. 

Harley Davidson

With this Large Exhibition of Harley's. It Attracted Harley Owner's Clubs from all over Britain who came in Convoy. As you can see in the Photo, no one Harley looked like another. Over 500 Harley Owners turned up to see  the Exhibition. The noise was deafening when they all arrived together. LOL.