Reproduced below are pages from a Stewarts & Lloyds brochure on Bilston Works from about 1966 which were a prized possession of those who had one – and I only remember seeing one or two copies around at the time.
A good picture of Eisabeth along with detail on the cost to upgrade the works at £16 million.
Dramatic image showing “flushing” of the slag notch. Above the runner is the stopper rod – this was called a “Bott”. Looking at those clouds of fumes brings back the memory of the very strong sulphurous smell which always caught the back of my throat if I was anywhere nearby.
A new looking Elisabeth with downcomer, dustcatcher and gas washers along with a view of the control room (note the plaque at top left : ‘Hot Blast Stoves’).
Good overhead view of the “High Line” showing bottom part of the skip hoist in the right background. In the far background the extension to the General Office and the covered waiting area for the workers on pay-day next to the ground floor Wages Office is clearly visible.
Covered steelmaking; main picture on left shows hot metal being charged into an open hearth furnace.
On the right is one of the Mixers used to store hot metal from the blast furnace. A copy of this image from the original slide can be seen under “Images of Melting Shop”.
The Ruhrstal-Heraeus degassing facility, part of the work’s upgrade in 1966.
A dramatic picture of either G,H or F furnace being tapped with the usual accompaniment of bright orange flames and sparks. Slag will overflow from the lip into a pit underneath and the ladle will then be hoisted to the other side of the melting shop for teeming into ingots.
At last some pictures of the rolling mill. Picture 1, the Cogging or Primary mill, was the first reduction from ingot and the location of the narrow lattice metal overbridge walkway mentioned on the ‘Welcome’ page where red hot ingots trundled and banged their way underneath from the soaking pits.