The SSI Redcar Blast was ceremonially relit over the weekend by Wills Waterfield, the son of union boss Geoff Waterfield, who led the campaign to bring steelmaking back to Teesside but sadly died last year.
Things are progressing and actual steelmaking production should restart very soon, Torpedos are ready and waiting.
Another in the series of 8 fountains which were donated to the people of Darlington by Joseph Pease in 1866.
This time on Grange Road.
A series of 8 fountains were donated to the people of Darlington by Joseph Pease in 1866.
This one still remains on Coniscliffe Road
This fountain in a sorry state can be found on the outside wall of the Tees Cottage Pumping Station.
The plaque reads :-
1850 – 1950
A Gift to Wayfarers
Commemorating the Centenary of the Darlington Women’s Temperance Society
It has deteriorated a lot since this 1981 photo was taken.
The pumping station used sand filters until 1926, machines like this were used to remove and replace the filter sand.
This particular example was actually from Lartington.
The filter beds can still be seen between the two sets of buildings.
The boiler plant associated with the beam engine is housed in an adjacent building.
Boiler No. 101 built by the Teasdale Brothers in 1902
Boiler No. 102 same date and manufacturer which was in use on the day
The spectacular 140 horse power beam engine consists of a Woolf compound engine, by Glenfield and Kennedy built by Teasdale Brothers.
The beam itself is over 30 feet long and weighs 25 tons.
The engine is within a building erected in 1849 for an earlier beam engine.
The engine operated from 1904 to 1926, although remained on standby until the 1950s
It can still be seen in operation on open days.
This 1914 two-cylinder gas engine was built by Richard Hornsby & Sons
The pumps which extracted water from the Tees for Darlington were built by Hawthorn Davey & Co. of Leeds.
The building which houses the engine was built in 1853 and housed an earlier steam pumping engine before the current one.
Gas was originally produced on site, but this part of the plant was damaged in 1955 by an explosion, the results of which can still be seen.
The site in general was operational from 1849 with the final electric pumps still in use until 1980, the site is now run by volunteers who have regular open days.
I think this is actually two signs overlayed, I can make out “W Dermont, Decorator, Signwriter” on the right hand sign which is presumably later.
Unfortunately i’ve not been able to find anything about this person that might indicate the age of the signs.
I’ve so far drawn a complete blank on when this dairy on Clifton Street opened and closed
It still has a substantial boiler chimney which is unusual for town center building.
