Repair work starts on city's iconic chimney

6 hours ago

John Bowness,in Carlisleand

Federica Bedendo,North East and Cumbria

BBC/John Bowness Rafferty Specialist Access Services' contracts director Carl Woodroffe standing at the bottom of Dixons Chimney in Carlisle. He is wearing a hard hat and yellow hi-vis vest, over a blue jacket and black jeans. He is looking down at the camera. Dixons Chimney is a red-brick structure with a hexagon shape. There are metal belts around the structure. — Dixons Chimney has stood tall above the skyline in Carlisle for almost 200 years

Work has started to repair a city's landmark, which has been a feature of the skyline for almost 200 years.

Scaffolding has been put up around Dixons Chimney in Carlisle ready for repairs to cracks on the structure, the replacement of 150 cornerstone bricks and repointing work.

According to Historic England, Dixons Chimney at Shaddon Mill was built in 1836 and named after the industrialist Peter Dixon, who operated the adjoining cotton plant.

Specialist contractors appointed by Cumberland Council are expected to be at the site of the 270ft (82m) tall tower for about six months.

Rafferty Specialist Access Services' contracts director Carl Woodroffe said work on the Grade II* listed chimney would be carried out with meticulous logs of all the changes and repairs, due to its historic importance.

"The work has got to be bang on, it's got to be done correctly," he said.

BBC/John Bowness Cornerstone bricks on one side of Dixons Chimney in Carlisle. Dixons Chimney is a red-brick structure and the cornerstone sections have larger bricks than the main structure. — About 150 cornerstone bricks will be replaced

Staff will be using equipment including ropes, similar to those used in mountain climbing.

He said doing the work in the summer could be a pleasant experience.

"It's beautiful, it's peaceful, you don't hear much traffic, you look down on the surrounding area - some of the things you see are fantastic."

Dixons chimney was previously restored by Carlisle City Council in 1999.

In 2019, a man died after he had climbed to the top of the chimney using temporary ladders.

An inquest heard Robert Philip Longcake had spent 14 hours suspended from the structure, with emergency services unable to rescue him, despite a complex operation.

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