Something to cycle off to this weekend

Sheffield Heritage Open Days 2007

Sheffield Heritage Open Days is a celebration of Sheffield's architecture and
culture. You can get free access to interesting properties that are either not
usually open, or would normally charge an entrance fee. Organised by volunteers
for local people, Sheffield Heritage Open Days is a unique opportunity to
explore and enjoy these sometimes hidden, often curious and always interesting
places you can find in Sheffield:

Beauchief Abbey
Botanical Gardens
Broomhill Methodist Church
Callow Tower Blocks
Heritage Tour of Sheffield Railway Station
Holy Cross Church
Manor Lodge Sheffield
Norfolk Heritage Trail
Park Hill Estate
Rivelin Bank Booster Pumping Station
Sheffield Cathedral
Sheffield General Cemetery
Shepherd Wheel
St Mary's Church
St Peter’s Church
The Abbeydale Picture House
The Arts Tower
The Town Hall
Trinity United Reformed Church
Upper Chapel- Unitarian
Wortley Hall Gardens

Beauchief Abbey, Beauchief Abbey Lane, Off Abbey Lane, Beauchief, Sheffield.
Grade II* remains of a 12th century Praemonstratensian abbey, founded in memory
of Thomas Becket, with 17th century chapel which has original box pews. Open:
Sat 8th Sept, 1000-1700 / Sun 9th Sept, 1300-1700.

Botanical Gardens, Thompson Road, Sheffield, S10. Historical tour of the
Botanical Gardens with the Friends of Botanical Gardens. Riddle trail available
for children. Cafe and shop. Limited disabled parking. Open: Thurs 6th - Fri 7th
Sept 0800-1945 / Sat 8th - Sun 9th Sept 1000-1945 / Tour: Sun 9th Sept 1530
(Thompson Road entrance)

Broomhill Methodist Church, Fulwood Road, Sheffield, S10 3BD. A Flexible purpose
built mutli use church and community resource with social housing on site.
Architecturally exciting - built in 1998. Tours and talks avaliable. Play
eqipment available but parental supervision needed. Open: Thur 6th Sept,
0900-1700 / Fri 7th Sept, 0900-1700 / Sat 8th Sept, 0900-1700. (Pre-booking
required, 0114 266 2491)

Callow Tower Blocks, Callow Place, Sheffield, S14. Five 1960 concrete
constructed 15 storey tower blocks with interesting features including -
biomass boiler, water pump room, laundry room and community room. Meet residents
and share memories. Open: Thurs 6th Sept 1000-1200 (tours 1030 & 1130) / Sat 8th
Sept 1030-1230 (tours 1100 & 1200)

Heritage Tour of Sheffield Railway Station, Sheffield Station, Sheaf Square,
Sheffield, S1 2BD. 60th anniverary of historic Master Cutler train service plus
heritage tour of station led by local expert Howard Turner. Also see today's
Master Cutler arrive on the hotplate - an annual tradition for last 60yrs. Open:
Thur 6th Sept, 1245 Tour starts 1300. Lasts 1 hour approx. (Pre-booking
required, 01332 262010 or email press.office@midlandmainline.com)

Holy Cross Church, Spotswood Mount, Sheffield, S14 1LG. Church building open for
people to look around. Guides available to answer questions. Booklet available.
Open: Sat 8th Sept, 1000-1600.

Manor Lodge Sheffield, 115 Manor Lane, Sheffield, S2 1UH. Harvest Celebration! A
family fun day with demonstations of traditional farm and country skills, stalls
and games at Manor Oaks and at Manor Lodge guided tours of the Tudor Sheffield

Sheffield Heritage Open Days 2007 Info.txt
Manor Lodge site and Turret House. Childrens activities will be available
throughout the day. Open: Sun 9th Sept, 1200-1600

Norfolk Heritage Trail, Manor Lodge, 115 Manor Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire,
S2 1UH. Guided walks of the Norfolk Heritage trial. Taking in the Tudor Turret
House, cemetery, Norfolk Heritage Park, Cholera monument, alms houses, Old Sweet
factory, Old Queens Head, Sheffield Castle and the Cathedral. The trail is 2.75
miles long and is mainly down hill. Meet at Sheffield Manor Lodge. No 95, 42 or
120 bus from city centre. Get off at St Aidans. Walk up Manor Lane for 250m. As
the trail finishes in town it is better to come by public transport. Tour times:
Thur 6th Sept, 1000-1415 / Fri 7th Sept, 1000-1415 / Sat 8th Sept, 1000-1415

Park Hill Estate, Park Hill Community Centre, off Duke St. Sheffield. The Park
Hill estate is the largest Grade II* listed building in the country and
comprises 1000 units of council housing. It is currently being cleared to allow
a major refurbishment of the flats, which will change the tenure mix and
redevelop the whole site. Open: Thur 6th Sept, 1500-1900 Presentations 1530 &
1700 Tour 1615 & 1745.

Rivelin Bank Booster Pumping Station, Rivelin Bank, Sheffield. Top of Rivelin
Bank, off A6101 Rivelin Valley Rd/Holme Lane. Signed on day. Restricted parking.
Unique diesel pumping station running at full load, built 1942 with original
equipment supplying water to city during wartime. Still in full working order
and laid dormant 35 years. Able to pumb approx 100,000 galls per hour. Open: Sun
9th Sept, 1100-1700

Sheffield Cathedral, Church Street, Sheffield, S1 1HA. Sheffield Cathedral is
one of the oldest buildings in daily use in Sheffield. It is 'a beguiling place'
(Pevsner): the east end tower and spire date from the 15th century. After WWI
plans to enlarge the Cathedral and move the high altar to the north account for
the chapels on that side. A later extension to the west end (1966) is crowned by
a striking lantern tower. In 2007 a new Cathedral Resources Centre was opened by
HRH the Princess Royal. Opening times: Thur 6th Sept, 0830-dusk Tours 1400-1530
/ Fri 7th Sept, 0830-dusk Tours 1030-1200 & 1400-1530 / Sat 8th Sept, 0830-dusk
Tours 1300-1430 / Sun 9th Sept, 0830-dusk

Sheffield General Cemetery, The Gatehouse, Cemetery Avenue, Sheffield S11 8NT.
Opening by Lord Mayor 12.00 oclock. Promenade theatre at 1pm & 3pm. Chilling
Tales in the Vault all afternoon. Book stall, information & light refreshments.
Open: Sun 9th Sept, 1200-1600.

Shepherd Wheel, Whiteley Woods, Sheffield, (follow public path). A disused
water-powered grinding wheel, set in parkland on a picuresque stretch of the
River Porter. Open: Sun 9th Sept, 1030-1530

St Mary's Church, Priory Rd., Ecclesfield, Sheffield, S35 9WE. Large Grade I
listed church mainly Perpendicular with embattled tour and chapels and traces of
Anglo-Saxon work. Interesting features include fine medieval stalls, rood
screen, misericords, roof bosses and 19th century glass. Monuments of many
notable services. Open: Sat 8th Sept, 1000-1600

St Peter’s Church, Reney Avenue, Greenhill, Sheffield, S8 7FN. A modern
distinctive ‘church in the round’ built c1965. The central Westmoreland slate
green spine is a landmark for South West Sheffield. A remarkable example too of
modern stained glass. Open: Sat 8th Sept, 1000-1800 / Sun 9th Sept, 0745-1230
(Services 0800 & 1230)

The Abbeydale Picture House, 387 Abbeydale Road, Abbeydale, Sheffield, S7 1FS.
See the stunning 1920s building with many original features. Hear of our plans
for renovation and rebirth as a local flagship performing arts venue. Guided
tours, live music, local history/cinema talks refreshments and local book sales.
Displays of groups involved. For children: art activities, sing alongs at set
times and face painting. Open: Sat 8th - Sun 9th Sept, 1030-1630

The Arts Tower, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN.
Treasure hunt, videos, tours. Open: Thurs 6th Sept 1700-1930

The Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield, S1 2HH. Access will be made available
to the civic rooms, council chamber and meeting rooms normally unavailable to
the public, except those on official business. Sheffield Town Hall is a Grade I
listed Victorian civic building. Tours available hourly. Refreshments and local
history information. Open: Sun 9th Sept, 1000-1600

Trinity United Reformed Church, 737a Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, S11 8TG. Opened
in February 1971 it presents an uncompromising facade in the Neo-Brutalist
style. The architect, J.M.M. Jenkinson RIBA was a member of the church. The
church is attached to a hall that was built sixty years before. A building of
contrasts, inviting exploration. Open: Sat 8th - Sun 9th Sept, 1000-1500 (Turn
up or pre-book - Phil Morgan, 2685690 or email phil_morgan@tiscali.co.uk)
Upper Chapel- Unitarian, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JD. Grade II listed,
18th century chapel with magnificent Henry Holliday stained glass windows and
ornate ceiling, peaceful sanctuary gardens including three George Fullard
sculptures. Open: Thur 6th - Sat 8th Sept, 1030-1600.

Wortley Hall Gardens, Wortley Village, Sheffield, S35 7DB. 26 acres of
Italianate gardens set within a landscaped parkland. 11 acres of formal gardens
surrounded by 15 acres of informal pleasure grounds. Features within the gardens
include sunken garden, lake with ice house, organic kitchen garden and ancient
oak tree some 500 years old. Open: Thur 6th - Sun 9th Sept, 1000-1600.

Charity heroine's cancer battle ends

Jane Tomlinson, the charity fundraiser whose feats of endurance, which included cycling across Europe and the US, raising £1.75m for charity, has died. Full story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2162084,00.html

Sheffield Cycle Campaign Gets Results

That container before:

and after Sheffield Cycle Campaign stepped in:

Sheffield Cycle Campaign gets Results!
Join Sheffield Cycle Campaign now!]

No Hassle Transit? Try Hasselt :: Views :: thetyee.ca

No Hassle Transit? Try Hasselt :: Views :: thetyee.ca

One for the trainers - isnt it sweet

Posted by Andy

Had a lovely day at the CTC show in York on Saturday. The weather was just about perfect - light breeze and wandering white clouds in a blue sky. When I saw this tiny bike without pedals on the Islabike stand I couldn't help imagining the very young person using it. The lack of pedals and crankset is because its for learning to balance while scooting along - the natural way to learn it seems.

Shame the scale is not visible in the picture but its really the size for a typical 2 or 3 year-old. Not to promote a company here but Islabikes also had a wide range of sizes in children's bike's, all of them in this dark aluminium frame style. About time. When my children were of learning to ride and riding age (they gave up in teenage) there was little in the way of decent bikes on the market for children - most of what was available being heavy, badly equipped and of poor quality. This is nice to see.

Support Sunday opening for the Robin Hood Line

Nottinghamshire County Council is encouraging local people to support a
campaign asking the Government to fund a Sunday service on the "Robin
Hood Line" that links Worksop and Mansfield Woodhouse to Nottingham.

The contract for the Robin Hood Line expires in November 2007 and
Stagecoach will take over a new contract for the region's train service.
The County Council has already negotiated a new later evening weekday
service to be included in the new contract and is now lobbying the
Department for Transport to fund a Sunday service.

The new franchise holder will take over the service from November but
will not provide a Sunday service unless it receives the necessary
funding, which should be well under £1 million. The County Council is
proposing a Sunday service which will run from approximately 10.00am
to 7.30pm and has published eight reasons why the Government should
support it:

a. Mansfield is the largest town and Ashfield is the largest district
in the UK not to have a Sunday rail service
b. Over a million people use the existing service every year - there
is no reason why a Sunday service should not be as successful and popular
c. Everyone wants it including our MPs and Councillors
d. Mansfield is getting a great new bus station linking directly to
the train station. The town centre is undergoing massive regeneration
that will attract more visitors and jobs. A Sunday service will support
this regeneration programme
e. It would be great for local businesses by bringing in customers
f. Not having a Sunday service stops people getting to or taking up
work unless they have a car or are able to use a bus
g. It gives better access to the countryside - people will be able to
easily visit places like Newstead Abbey
h. It will give direct links to bus services in Mansfield, Worksop
and Nottingham.
i. It will provide much-needed transport for cyclists, with connections back to Sheffield
at both Worksop and Nottingham, with the line running parallel with the National Cycle Network and offering extensive access to on and off-road cycle routes.
j. It would provide a further incentive to run connecting Sunday morning trains to Worksop & Lincoln.

If you are inclined to support this bid, the web page
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/traffic_and_travel/trains/robinhoodline/rhlsundayservice.htm indicates several ways in which you can express your opinion.

Brooklyn Bridge gets approval

The Brooklyn Bridge replica project, a vital link in the emerging North Don trail, was approved by councillors today. See http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2062780&SectionID=58

Campaign for dark skies

It would appear to be common sense that street lighting makes roads safer, but does it really? Read the evidence for and against at The Campaign For Dark Skies site.