Pibble Mine

It's Tuesday the 20th of October,and my neighbour tells me that the forecast isn't good.Rain and wind moving in this afternoon.
I'm hoping to get a little exploration in before it arrives.
My first pictures of the day are these two quickly snatched views of this hi tech aircraft (I hope the MOD don't make me delete the pictures)
Having parked up above Craig Bridge on the Gatehouse Station road (We were here on Saturdays Ramblers walk),i'm heading up towards Pibble Hill.The sheep look healthy enough.
Here's my target to the left of the Belted Galloways-the ruins of the Pibble Lead Mine.
Here the ruins are of the Engine House...
...thanks to aditnow.co.uk for the following information.

The Cornish Engine House,was built for a Cornish steam-pumping engine. The engine is reputed to have been made in 1852 by the St Austell foundry in Cornwall. The engine house originally measured 15 m high, 9 m in length and 6 m wide with walls c0.8m thick. It is constructed of Creetown granite quoins (corner stones). The `bob' wall has collapsed into the pumping shaft. The main features of the Cornish Engine House that still survive are: Three sides of the Cornish engine house; lower sections of the boiler house walls; footings for the flue leading from the boiler house; chimney stack base adjoining the flue; balance bob box housing fabric; pumping shaft where water was extracted.

I'll tread carefully as i look around,but take this 'Arty' style picture first.

Looking down into the flooded shaft housing,i fancy getting some diving gear and delving into the depths.I can still have fantasies can't I ?
But i need to get a move on before the weather changes,there's drizzle in the wind.
I believe this reservoir was built to drive the water wheel...

...the fish on the pole indicates what it's used for these days.The cabin shows signs of recent use.From the reservoir the water is directed down to what must have been the watermill.The fenced off section at the bottom of this collage looks awfully deep.It's either a collapsed working or an adit.Apparently there are quite a few adits around,but i haven't the time to look for them today.
I take it the narrow bricked section here would have housed the water wheel.
This building is in more of a state of collapse than the engine house.The burn vanishes on the top level and reappears beyond,fifteen to twenty feet lower.No doubt it'll fall in sometime.I made sure i didn't disturb even the smallest stone.
The clouds are gathering as i make my way back down to the car.
I'll have to come back,there's still a lot of exploring to do here.
Heading back to Newton Stewart the tidal Cree makes a pretty picture.