Can the Royal Enfield Classic 350 find some of South Yorkshire's Industrial Heritage?

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is on the road again, exploring the back roads, looking at some of South Yorkshire's industrial heritage. On this ride the theme is Iron, from smelting Iron ore, to forging and nail making.
We start at Rockley Furnace, an eighteenth-century blast furnace where iron bearing rock was transformed in to iron ingots. In the early nineteenth century the engine house was added which held a Newcomen steam engine. Now a listed building, it’s situated in woodland and is open to the public all the time.
Then it’s on to Wortley Top Forge, where wrought iron was made and worked for almost 275 years from 1640 until 1912. Now a heritage centre, there are 3 waterwheels that power the 2 Belly Helve hammers used in the production of Iron axles. The forge opens to the public again in March and they offer guided tours of the forge and show the workings and engines in action.
Lastly, it’s to Hoylandswaine and what looks like a nondescript stone outbuilding. This is in fact the last nail makers workshop in the country. Nail making was something of a side-line job, with many workshops in the village. This workshop had 3 hearths, one of which is left with bellows that are thought to be over 150 years old. The workshop is open on special days a few times a year, it’s definitely on my list of places to go this year.
More information on the three sites can be found on the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society website at: syihs.co.uk/pr...
Pull on your overalls, get a pint of tea (or coffee) and let’s get to work!
Ride safe, Dave
My Bikes:
Royal Enfield Classic 350
Royal Enfield 350 machismo with sidecar
BMW R1150RT
Honda ST1100 Pan
Suzuki GN125
Yamaha 535 Virago
#RoyalEnfieldClassic350reborn #northyorkshiremoors #motorbikerides #thatblokeonamotorbike #RoyalEnfield #royalenfieldclassic350 #southyorkshire #hootonpagnell #medieval #medievalvillages #penniines #penninehills #yorkshire #southyorkshireindustrialhistorysociety #wortleyforge #rockleyfurnace #hoylandswainenailworkshop #iron #wroughtiron #indistrialheritage #naimaking

[@Jim-nm1en]

That house you mentioned with the 3 garages would do me fine. Convert the garages into an excellent man cave with a hydraulic bike lift , loads of room for your toolboxes , a fridge for your beer and central heating. Heaven. I could die happy in a place like that although I would obviously prefer to live for a lot of years to enjoy it.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi that would be my idea of heaven as well. Ride safe, Dave

[@ccooper8785]

Wonderful ! Nothing better than watching videos of other people riding through the winter while I sit, eating biscuits (hobnobs) and drinking coffee... You ask what type of things we want to see; I will happily watch any videos you care to post. I love seeing the Classic 350 running through part of the UK that I have never visited. 👍👍👍

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi, the thing I like about riding in this weather is getting the kettle on for a cuppa when I get back lol. I will keep on filming the rides. Ride safe, Dave

[@michaelburgess2993]

It’s always nice watching you going out for relaxing ride, along with interesting information on the way.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Cheers Michael, it's always good to know the videos are being liked. More are on the way. Ride safe, Dave

[@thimbur3543]

Some interesting industrial history round there for sure.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi, there is such a lot of old industry in this area, and the roads connecting them are brilliant as well. More are planned for future videos. Ride safe, Dave

[@chrislaunders8283]

I can't believe how the little Enfield tackled the hill up by Northern College !! Anyway talking of heritage, that long straight road along the ridge top from Green Moor was a huge ammunition storage area in the 2nd world war, not under cover but scattered at intervals along the road sides all through that area, look up RAF Wortley, there are even pictures of bomb stacks near that house you were admiring. There's a book all about it, a friend lent it me once. RAF Wortley reserve ammunition depot by Duncan Simpson

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Chris, thanks for the info, I didnt know anything about it being an RAF base at all. I will look it up. The bike would have gone a lot quicker up the hill, I was very gentle on the throttle to keep in the speed limit and keep the wind noise down on the video. I impresses me every time I ride it. Ride safe, Dave

[@robertcostello9473]

How fantastic is the new 350 . Great confidence inspiring handling. These videos are great when I can't get out on mine.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Robert, they are fantastic bikes, mine keeps surprising me every time I ride it. Ride safe, Dave

[@michaelpullen8527]

Thanks for another bimble around your neck of the woods. I feel as if I am sitting on the back looking over your shoulder with you filling me with interesting stuff . Living down on the Essex/ Suffolk border and it’s over busy roads it makes me so envious of you being able to cruise around such beautiful scenery and ideal lanes for the bike. Thank you very much for posting such great rides. Be safe.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Michael, I do feel really privileged to have such fantastic riding on my doorstep. Within an hour I can be in the dales of North Yorkshire, the East Yorkshire Wolds or down in Derbyshire Peak District. I will keep the rides coming, ride safe mate, Dave

[@stephennewell6628]

Hi Dave, great to watch a calm ride around beautiful and interesting countryside. I live in the Lakes so am lucky to have similar roads on my doorstep, I also have a pole lathe so I think you are my kind of biker!

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Stephen, it's such a good bike to ride. When I was in the Lake District with it last year it never faulted once, even climbing the Harknott pass. Classic 350 and a pole lathe, it can't get much better. maybe one day I will ride the bike somwhere and take my spoon carving kit with me! Ride safe, Dave

[@philipfieldhouse9229]

Another beautiful ride out. You've given me great ideas for a southern (for me anyway) tour next autumn. Hopefully I'll have my own RE by then. 62 and yet to take my A2. Reading your descriptions of the trips adds yet another dimension. Thank you.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Philip, glad you enjoy them and find inspiration Let me know how your test goes, If you do plan a ride down here let me know and we can try and sort a meet up and ride Stay safe, Dave

[@philipfieldhouse9229]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike Will do, that'll be great thanks!

[@dr.chrismort8448]

A nice video Dave. I love a bit of industrial heritage when accompanied by the sound of a cracking single cylinder engine👍. Keep them coming

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Chris, glad you enjoyed it. I love industrial heritage, really I just like history in general. there will be more coming thats for sure. Ride safe, Dave

[@davericketts9101]

Thanks again Dave, very enjoyable. I felt for you, riding across that exposed area, where the house was for sale. It looked pretty bleak and I am looking forward to seeing the same ride in May or June. The sound of a `coffee and bacon butty` was music to the ears. Ride safe.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Dave, I have to confess here...... it turned in to 3 coffee's and a bacon then a sausage butty! it was hard, but someone had to do it. Roll on the better weather, although it was still a good ride Ride safe, Dave

[@davericketts9101]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike Haha, good man. Why stop at one? All rides are good rides, that end up with the rubber on the road.

[@dinomalta712]

Nice ride again Dave, seems we have similar weather ,ours a few C's warmer, had to resort to Goretex ,this last few rides. Cheers DINO.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Dino, I managed to use the bike for work all this week, and kept dry doing it. a bit chilly but not bad. Stay safe mate, Dave

[@artistonamotorbike]

I done my bike trainng round there it was brilliant, Great roads

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi, they are great roads, I used them for training when I had my bike school. Who did you do your training with? Ride safe, Dave

[@artistonamotorbike]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike oh I was s&k they were lovely and it was lots of fun. They are South Elmsall and I done my mod1 at Rotherham.

[@Amos1965]

Hi Dave, crackin ride was that 👌, and yeah I loves anything to do with anything old industrial. I was fortunate enough to have known Fred Dibnah, not very well, but enough to be invited to his home and his workshops for a private tour, me the wife and our two daughters back in 1996. Anyway Dave, not said this yet this year, but wishing you all the very best and many many enjoyable safe rides in this here 2023, 👍🏻

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi, ho Fred is one of my all time heroes. I've been watching the reruns on TV all week. I've been past his house a few times. It must have been magical him showing your around. I have to admit when I was telling about the industrial heritage I could hear the words with Fred's voice in my head. Suppose there is only one thing I can say really.... Di' ya like that! Ride safe mate, Dave

[@Amos1965]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike , I’ll tell you how I got to know him. I used to work for Norweb Electricity on the overhead line section and when we had old wooden poles to change for new, I’d take the old ones to Fred. I used to park the wagon adjacent to his boundary fence and offload them from the wagon and into his land. He used them for all sorts of jobs, and the ones that were really bad ( rotten ) he’d use for burning, probably when he wanted steam up. He asked me one day had I any family and if I did he’d take the time and and give us a private tour of his house and yard, he even made us tea and the girls pop or juice. Yeah it think we were there about 4 hours in total. When me and the wife are in the vicinity, we always call into the cemetery where Fred is buried and visit his grave. My wife took a picture of both me and Fred together in his dining room before we left, I had it enlarged and framed and it It now hangs on the wall in my tv room. I’ll make it my profile pic on here 👍🏻

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

@@Amos1965 wow what a fantastic experience, I never got to meet him, but he is one of my all time hearos. Stay safe mate, Dave

[@Amos1965]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike , I’ve uploaded the photo as my profile pic, but google is telling me it might take a couple of days to show, don’t know why 🤔.

[@allanlarsen4391]

Great ride I myself was planning a ride yesterday (Friday) but we have had record flooding in Auckland

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Allan, hope you haven't been affected by the floods and that they go down quickly. ride safe, Dave

[@tiborhorvath7359]

Thanks

[@copper6600]

Just love riding with you through Yorkshire countryside it reminds me of my youth.Thanks a lot Dave.👍 Ride safe.Pete

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Pete, hop on anytime, there are more rides coming. Ride safe mate, Dave

[@artiexr222]

Great overview of Barnsley heritage there Dave enjoyed it,over in Huddersfield we have the Flockton Colliery ruins tucked away you may know about great to see a bit of history of the Barnsley area.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi, thanks for the comment. I hadn't heard of the Flockton Colliery. I had a look and found some info about the history but very little about where they were. I think some more digging is needed ( no pun intended) Ride safe, Dave

[@artiexr222]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike To be honest Dave I thought it was long gone but it popped up on a site I am on called Derelict Places. Ride safe Martin

[@kelvinharrison6702]

Great vid and very good info on ya travels.just as heads up put the roads up what your on so we can have rides on and keep up the chat onway brilliant.think thats why people lose interest in vids and switch off.look forward to the nxt one 🤜🤛🏍

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Kelvin, I will try to give road info for the ones I can. A lot of the time I know the route, but have no idea what the road number of names are. Ride safe, Dave

[@NicksBikes]

Beautiful scenery as always. It's odd, seeing such industrial heritage tucked away seemingly in the middle of nowhere

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi, when you look at the countryside a lot of it has been manmade with industry over the years. Ride safe, Dave

[@phillipmoore8114]

Grate all we have hear is the see

[@petejones1957]

Another totally relaxing and informative ride, Super! Local countryside to me so lovely to see places like Wortley Top Forge , kids used to love going there when they were little, visited a couple of months back, the volunteers there are really knowledgable and helpful, as you said, Well worth a visit! Looking forward to the next one , thankyou

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Pete, i love it there as well, never tire of looking round and hearing the volunteers. I found out another thing about it during the week. I dont know if you remember the steam train that run in front of the Spa on Bridlington sea front in the early 1960's? It was a 7 1/2 inch gauge. when it closed in 1967 the loco went missing and was missing for years. It went n to private ownership and now it's run on the railway at Wortley Forge. I have to go back this summer and see it. Ride safe, Dave

[@garrysmith9246]

Another really enjoyable video Dave, shows what interesting stuff is on your doorstep. You've probably been but the mining museum in Wakefield is a great day out, well worth a visit. Thanks again Garry

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Garry, I have been there a few years ago, great trip underground and the highlight of the day was a brilliant full English all-day breakfast. Now I'm feeling hungry lol. Ride safe, Dave

[@henrysmith5604]

Great video and great bike I have the 350 classic chrome in red plus I have the 350 meteor

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Henry, thanks for your comment, they really are great bikes, my problem if I have the classic and meteor would be which one do I take out? Ride safe, Dave

[@henrysmith5604]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike I like to alternate them keeps the miles down I suppose plus I have the 535 Continental GT

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

@@henrysmith5604 if I had those 3 I would get rid of the telly and sit and look at them

[@henrysmith5604]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike yes I need to get them in the living room 😊

[@ktmtravels3727]

Enjoyed that! Biking's a tonic, I'm with you on that one. I find working on mine has the same effect, servicing, maintenance etc. Maybe I'm just daft🤔

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Yep, spending some time with your bike doing the basic stuff is relaxing as well. Even washing it you get to know it and find those little bits that need doing. Ride safe, Dave

[@Anirudhsinhjijadeja]

Good ride sir

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Thanks ✌️ ride safe, Dave

[@ianpenrose6149]

Great videos. Thank you. I think you may have mentioned the soft panniers you are using?

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Ian, thanks for the comment, the panniers are Lomo large bags. I can get my laptop bag in them when I use the bike for commuting. I have a video review of them almost finished. Ride safe, Dave

[@Lanes-Explorer5733]

Lovely ride again, Dave - enjoyed the rain as we kept dry 😂. The back roads really are mucky this winter. Always enjoy getting out no matter how much it rains - ice is definitely not for me though Fabulous light towards the end of the ride. And thanks for all the historical information. . Peter

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Evening Peter, the roads really are mucky a the moment I've been using the bike all week to get to work and it's been an uphill job keeping it clean. Back out again on Sunday. Ride safe mate, Dave

[@Lanes-Explorer5733]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike You too Dave. Hope it's not too long before we get dry roads and a bit of warmer weather.. Peter

[@MauriceTarantulas]

My ancestor worked up in South Yorks in the blast furnaces etc. One was the floor manager. (Started in Wales went to Yorkshire). Was a Welshman! P.s Cant rem the name, will look it up. Should visit one day! (Chesterfield also n Telford).

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

It is worth a visit The forge at wortley opens again at weekends from march , ride safe, Dave

[@Seekay92]

Hello from 🇦🇪 UAE..

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Welcome! Ride safe, Dave

[@petejones1957]

Hey Dave, you mentioned early in the video your Riding school, just wondering do you do any refresher courses? returned to biking last March when I got the Classic 350, after a 20 year gap, and vas very rusty. Can't ride for a few months now as have just had a hip replacement, but thought, in early summer a few refresher lessons wouldn't do me any harm at all. Thanks...best wwishes...Pete

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Pete, new regulations mean that now I have given my training certificate back I can't give lessons now. But, I have got some riding tips videos planned that will cover things like observation, speed, town and country riding, overtaking and filtering and how to read bends. Where about's are you? If we can ever get to meet up and have a ride, I could show you how I ride. Rest up and get the hip sorted, then you can get back out and enjoy riding. Ride safe, Dave

[@petejones1957]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike Thanks so much Dave, that would be brilliant, I'm located on the western side of Sheffield 7 miles from Hathersage. I'll be off the motorcycle for at least 3 months, but come the early summer would really appreciate that. I gave up motorcycling in 2001 when I sold my Triumph 900 Thunderbird, and never thought I'd ride again ( being quite happy on my pedal bikes) but when the Classic 350 came out, all that went out the window, the bike I couldn't afford, and my parents wouldn't let me have when I was 17 back in 1965. As you've said in the past, "a Time Machine" Stay safe, best wishes...Pete

[@BobMan1952]

What is an engine shed and furnace? Not a term we have here in the USA Thanks

[@robertcostello9473]

Just regarding your bike! Once you ran it in have you noticed the engine loosen up slightly? Run's slightly quicker not feeling quite as tight.

[@thatblokeonamotorbike]

Hi Robert, yes I did find it loosened up as I put more miles on it. Now it's got about 6700miles on it feels really good. One thing I do is change the oils every 1500 to 2000 miles. Some would say it's not needed, it's something I have done on all my bikes and they just keep going and going. Ride safe, Dave

[@robertcostello9473]

@@thatblokeonamotorbike yes I do the same I ordered 10 oil filters and fully synthetic oil . Also I put the 2 stage DNA air filter on. Hard to believe but it does help with the torque a little bit climbing hill's also makes it sound even better if that's possible 👌👍

[@reclassic350au42]

Thurgoland: The name is of Old Norse origin and may mean 'Cultivated land of a man called Thorgeirr'. Wikipedia

[@michaelfirth1075]

I enjoy your videos, thanks keep them coming.😊