Steel Making by Bessemer Convertor at Workington Cumbria Industrial Heritage 2013-08-20 | Sir Henry Bessemer created a new process for making steel and his earliest Bessemser Converters were sited at Workington and Millom Cumbria UK.West Cumbria is blessed with coal, iron ore and limestone so iron making became well established at Workington and Millom with ships, locos and machines made from cast iron. But brittle iron needed to be turned into high quality steel. Fortunately Henry Bessemer’s invented a convertor the first of which were sited at Millom and Workington and tough flexible steel was then rolled at Workington’s steel works to make rails. Even when the Bessemer convertor closed and steel production ended there were steel ingots brought from more efficient works to be rolled into steel rails and exported around the world. The loading, firing and transport of molten steel in the Bessemer Convertor is shown with workers before health and safety improved dangerous working practices.Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Brick collection of Cumbria described by Peter Nicholson Industrial Heritage 2021-01-12 | Bricks from handmade to engineered bricks bought from Ian Tyler when his Keswick Mining Museum closed. Ian explains how he collected them at http://thiswascumbria.uk/brick-collection-from-quarries-and-mines-in-cumbria-from-1850-video I continue to collect bricks which, as Ian says, "built Britain." Peter Nicholson
Mining and Minerals in Cumbria Industrial Heritage 2019-10-23 | Cumbria's geology and mineral wealth has attracted mining for centuries and the landscape of the Lake District gives clues to the hard work and inginuity of the people who sought and fought for the mineral rewards. Ian Tyler collected a wealth of minerals, tools, photos and experiences about mining in Cumbria and the north of England. He has written many books and until 2012 he created and ran a museum in Keswick that displayed many of those artefacts. Unfortunately the museum has now closed but on the last day, Peter Nicholson videoed Ian who explained about some of the exhibits and Peter quickly videoed the wall displays and tools before they were sold or removed. There is another video in which Ian explains the bricks that he collected from the mines and quarries of Cumbria and the north of England. These bricks are now in Peter Nicholson's collection. The video of Bricks of Cumbria is at youtu.be/b5TKpU2a_-0 The video of Bricks of Cumbria is at youtu.be/b5TKpU2a_-0 Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Steam Digger excavator Hooley working at Threlkeld Quarry Industrial Heritage 2019-10-14 | Working steam digger at Threlkeld Quarry. Ray Hooley organised volunteers to recover it from the flooded sand quarry where it had been left to rot. Apprentices at Ruston Proctor Lincoln works initially renovated it, then it was unused until transported to the Vintage Excavator Trust at Threlkeld Quarry where it was again extensively renovated. It operates on special steam weekends which are advertised on their website below. The recovery of this digger is recorded in a wonderful film by Anglia TV (with kind permission). It had literally dug itself into a hole - a deep gravel quarry that eventually flooded and was used as a boating and swimming pond at Arlesley. When the water level was high the crane was hidden, submerged, but when the water level dropped in a drought then the jib appeared, rising out of the water like the arm of a monster, so the locals said. However Ray Hooley recognised the jib boom as belonging to a rare steam excavator and he was an enthusiast and expert in the excavators that were made at the Ruston Proctor works in Lincoln. Realising that there was a unique but challenging recovery potential for the “monster in the deep” to be recovered from the pond at Arlesley, Ray charmed an army of volunteers to float, drag and crane it to its first renovation. Anglia TV made a video that records the recovery of this fine machine in their “bygones” series called “The Digger From The Deep”After its restoration it was stored at Lincoln Museum outside where weather and lack of use degraded it. So Threlkeld based Vintage Excavator Trust restored it to the original working state with Heritage Lottery funding. It can be seen on working weekends at Threlkeld Quarry, Cumbria with other rope excavators doing the job that they were made for, operated by skilled renovator and operator volunteers.A great debt of thanks must go from future generations to the people who recovered and renovated and still operate this unique example of one of the most important types of machines that built the industrial world at that time.Excuse any omissions but thanks to: Ray Hooley for being so audaciously optimistic to dream up this recovery; the amateur divers who were looking for a project and found a mega undertaking; the people who loaned the industrial flotation bags; the use of the first hydraulic crane in the UK that was on its way from France to the new owner and stopped off to help; the use of the one or two huge tracked bulldozers that helped tow it out with the help of the crane lifting it; the apprentices of Ruston works at Lincoln and their supervisors for initial renovation; the temporary home at Lincoln Museum; the volunteers and organisers of the Vintage Excavator Trust at Threlkeld who renovated it and maintain it and operate it; Ian Hartland for hosting the working machine at Threlkeld Quarry, near Keswick, Cumbria.Click links:Anglia TV program about the recovery of The Digger from The Deep!Video with kind permission of Anglia TV for education use only. Obtained and licenced to Peter Nicholson.http://thiswascumbria.uk/steam-digger-from-the-deep-videoIndustrial heritage of Cumbria with excavators, mines, quarries transport of the past etc:http://thiswascumbria.uk 1909 historic Ruston - Proctor steam shovel working.Steam shovel excavator Hooley working at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbriahttp://thiswascumbria.uk/steam-digger-excavator-working-at-threlkeld-quarry-video youtube.com/watch?v=paFaA2WKCGY Vintage Excavators working weekend at Threlkeld Quarryhttp://thiswascumbria.uk/vintage-excavators-at-threlkeld-quarry-cumbria Vintage Excavator Trust websitethrelkeldquarryandminingmuseum.co.uk/vintage-excavator-trust Threlkeld Quarry websitethrelkeldquarryandminingmuseum.co.uk
Home Guard Westmorland shot pig oral history video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-13 | Home Guard practice at Levens Garth Westmorland and this oral history is of a lad who threw clods of earth to and from the Home Guard. Tank traps against Tiger tanks! Bayonet danger - on the bus. Target practice, oops a pig, ah, fresh meat!Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Soldier at war Algiers Rommel Italy oral history video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-13 | Started in Home Guard, guarding Thirlmere lake, one rifle one bullet for 2 nights a week, then trained in drill hall by WW1 sergeant. Then joined up in Royal Corps of Signals, trained in Wales. Devon Plymouth in big air raids, then moved to Scotland preparing for overseas. Then North Africa, Tunis grand march past, then Italy Taranto landings, Adriatic side of Italy. First Christmas in olive grove with chicken nearly ready for Christmas but ... Venice Florence Rome top of Vesuvius. Never in a bed for three years, finally in Austria at the end of the war, in a bed, but too comfortable and could not sleep!Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Soldiers describe D Day Arnhem Africa Italy three oral history videos Industrial Heritage 2019-10-13 | First soldier: Home Guard practice at Levens Garth Westmorland and this oral history is of a lad who threw clods of earth to and from the Home Guard. Tank traps against Tiger tanks! Bayonet danger - on the bus. Target practice, oops a pig, ah, fresh meat!Second soldier: Trained with Kings Regiment at Formby then Kent near Biggin Hill, guarding without ammunition. Volunteered (involuntarily) for D Day. Suddenly given ammunition, why, put on boats, oh dear shells coming this way - it was D Day + 1 with half the battalion killed, they being reserve, Fontenay more lost, officers targeted because they had ties, so soldiers were given ties! But NCOs had black boots and officers had brown boots. They were supposed to be reserve for Arnhem, but too wet so couldn't get through the mud to Arnhem. So went to Remagen Bridge for 3 months guarding it.Soldier 3 Started in Home Guard, guarding Thirlmere lake, one rifle one bullet for 2 nights a week, then trained in drill hall by WW1 sergeant. Then joined up in Royal Corps of Signals, trained in Wales. Devon Plymouth in big air raids, then moved to Scotland preparing for overseas. Then North Africa, Tunis grand march past, then Italy Teranto landings, Adriatic side of Italy. First Christmas in olive grove with chicken nearly ready for Christmas but ... Venice Florence Rome top of Vesuvius. Never in a bed for three years, finally in Austria at the end of the war, in a bed, but too comfortable and could not sleep!Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Home Guard Westmorland silent video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-13 | Silent video from home movie taken during World War 2 in Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). Home Guard practice using local transport to set up an ambush in the fells in Cumbria. Camouflage their car. Cycle patrols and motor cycle communication teams. Night exercise with soft shoes and blackened faces following each other by touch. Home Guard practice house to house fighting very realistically with Nazi actors. Inspection, field exercises, hand to hand combat, parade. Award of medals. 5mins 14secsPlease visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Digitised & Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Soldier describes D Day Arnhem in The Kings Regiment video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-13 | Ambleside Oral history group record a WW2 soldier's life from Kings Regiment Formby to Arnhem Bridge and Eindhoven Bridge. For an impression of the action at Arnhem see Operation Market Garden & "A Bridge Too Far". To find out more about the Regiment visit Carlisle Castle Army Museum.Trained with Kings Regiment at Formby then Kent near Biggin Hill, guarding without ammunition. Volunteered (involuntarily) for D Day. Suddenly given ammunition, why, put on boats, oh dear shells coming this way - it was D Day + 1 with half the battalion killed, they being reserve, Fontenay more lost, officers targeted because they had ties, so soldiers were given ties! But NCOs had black boots and officers had brown boots. They were supposed to be reserve for Arnhem, but too wet so couldn't get through the mud to Arnhem. So went to Remagen Bridge for 3 months guarding it.Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter NicholsonThis oral history required illustration but the only movie available when it was originally made for the Millennium Project of Cumbria Archives called "Voices of Cumbria" is of Home Guard in action in Cumberland and Westmorland. 4mins 28secs.
Servant in service 1930s Millom Museum Industrial Heritage 2019-10-12 | MY LIFE AT HOME AND MY WORK AS A SERVANTA lady explains how life was for her as a child at home. She explains how she left school at 14 years old in 1933 to work in service (as a servant) in the “big house”. It was a privilege to record this lady, now deceased, who will forever be remembered in these clips. She was in service to the gentry, the true life of upstairs downstairs. She was a barefoot child who could only go to school when the police charity ball funded her clogs. Her father was a night-soil cleaner at a time when toilets were a shared convenience. She explains the intimate and the odd and makes us realise how easy our modern life is.There must be many older people who have similar interesting stories to tell and it is our duty and privilege to record and communicate their stories. You can help save our community’s memories by talking to old people and recording on your camera or phone or computer and sending it to email@thiswasthen.org Sadly this fascinating lady has died but her story shows how important it is to act now to preserve unique and unrepeatable memories.Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Keswick Blue Box Theatre oral history video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-12 | Illustrated oral history of the blue ex military mobile trailers that were converted to a theatre that eventually stayed at Keswick and became The Theatre By The LakePlease visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Explosion at Broughton Moor Dump oral history video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-12 | Explosion at Broughton Moor Munitions DumpOral history about mother working at the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Broughton Moor inWest Cumbria. Huge shells were prepared and stored there and in WWII mother came home distressed but could not explain why to her daughter and had to go to work the next day. The secrecy was unveiled when the time restriction of the Official Secrets Act expired and there was a memorial service to those who died that day.Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Vintage Excavators at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbria Industrial Heritage 2019-10-12 | Before the days of hydraulic excavators (leaky incontinent things!) rope excavators were the ingenious and robust diggers, lifters and movers. I challenge the viewer to work out how a diesel engine, turning in one direction can have clutches, gears and levers that can throw buckets forward, back, pivot turn, move on tracks, extend the reach of the boom, then empty the bucket. The skill of the operator and the confusion of the mechanisms are shown in this video. Taken at Threlkeld Quarry at a Vintage Excavator working weekend by Peter Nicholson. Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter NicholsonPlease visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Mining and Minerals in Cumbria video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-12 | Cumbria's geology and mineral wealth has attracted mining for centuries and the landscape of the Lake District gives clues to the hard work and ingenuity of the people who sought and fought for the mineral rewards. Ian Tyler collected a wealth of minerals, tools, photos and experiences about mining in Cumbria and the north of England. He has written many books and until 2012 he created and ran a museum in Keswick that displayed many of those artefacts. Unfortunately the museum has now closed but on the last day, Peter Nicholson videoed Ian who explained about some of the exhibits and Peter quickly videoed the wall displays and tools before they were sold or removed. There is another video in which Ian explains the bricks that he collected from the mines and quarries of Cumbria and the north of England. These bricks are now in Peter Nicholson's collection. The video of Bricks of Cumbria is at youtu.be/b5TKpU2a_-0Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Keswick Railway oral history video Industrial Heritage 2019-10-12 | Oral history of Penrith to Keswick to Cockermouth railway. In 1944 this 16 years old applied to work on the Keswick to Penrith railway. The train was the main delivery service with parcels, mail and even live chickens - what a racket! The recording was made in 1999 as part of the Voices of Cumbria Millennium project in which 177 oral history cassette tapes were illustrated by Peter Nicholson for display on one computer that was moved between libraries and community centres. In 2000 the Internet was not capable of displaying this multimedia! I was allowed to use 1700 images to illustrate the 177 oral histories. Now, in 2019, you can help by putting an oral histories onto a video making program (many are free) and adding appropriate photos from the collection. Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Vintage Excavator Threlkeld Quarry Dragline and Tipper reversing Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | ...
Vintage Excavators Threlkeld Quarry Priestman Cub Blencathra behind Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | ...
Vintage Excavators Threlkeld Quarry Priestman Cub loading tipper Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | ...
Vintage Excavators Threlkeld Quarry Priestman Cub Tipper Dragline Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | ...
Brick collection from quarries and mines in Cumbria from 1850 Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | The buildings for Cumbria’s industry were built with bricks without which Cumbria's mineral wealth would not have been exploited. Ian Tyler explored the mines and quarries of the North of England and in his exploits he collected a wealth of minerals, tools, photos and bricks. Each brick has the name of the manufacturer on the brick and the name indicates the history of the business. When an entrepreneur bought some land so he could build a mine, there were no buildings, obviously, and so he might bring his own bricks which would be made in his home area. So bricks have names from all over the country. Also, some bricks were used as ballast when coal was exported to the Isle of Man, the empty sailing vessels would be unstable so Ramsay bricks became the ballast. One coal mining site had more clay than coal so the enterprising owner used the coal to fire the clay, and so Micklam briack became a local brick. The name was stamped on the frog and if the frog (indented part of the brick) had a separation then there were two stamps, that explains the brick called NORI ! So many companies embossed their name with pride on the brick with lettering style to show their specialness. The bricks also have a technology with colour, compression characteristics, heat resistance, permeability and shape being part of the technology of these key items of construction.Ian Tyler has written many books about mines and quarries. Until 2012 he created and ran a museum in Keswick that displayed many of those artefacts. Unfortunately the museum has now closed but on the last day, Peter Nicholson videoed Ian who explained about some of the exhibits These bricks are now in Peter Nicholson's collection, an interest that started when I was a labourer sent to collect hand made bricks, then later when renovating a house built in 1700 coming across hand made bricks with the finger marks still embossed in the clay and rubble brick.Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.Created / Uploaded by Peter Nicholson
Steel in Cumbria Sir Henry Bessemer A Tribute to the Inventor Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | Sir Henry Bessemer was a prolific inventor born in 1813. His genius created machines for production of glass, print, sugar and an eccentric anti rolling device for passenger ships. In the Crimean war he invented the rifled bore for accurately firing canon shells and improved the steel used for making canon by blasting air through the mould, a process which eventually led to his Bessemer Convertor which produced more steel than the rest of the world. His Bessemer Convertors used in the West Cumbria town of Workington enabled the integration of iron and steel works and rolling mill which made rail lines that were exported around the world.Sir Henry Bessemer was a prolific inventor and one of his greatest was the process of removing impurities from iron to convert it to steel. Bessemer Converters were installed at Workington Steel Works in Cumbria.Bessemer steel processbritannica.com/biography/Henry-Bessemerbritannica.com/technology/steel/Bessemer-steel#ref623007en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Bessemerblog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/onward-ever-sir-henry-bessemer-frs-19-1-1813-15-3-1898Please visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.
Steel Works rail rolling line in Workington Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | Workington produced steel for 125 years culminating in Corus creating annually enough rail to run from Workington to Istanbul along with 400,000 steel sleepers made in the plant. Daily 1000 tons of steel blooms were delivered from the latest steel works in the North East to Workington to be heated and rolled to the various profile shapes that were required by customers in Europe and Asia.Workington Steel Works in Cumbria had Bessemer Converters to make high quality steel which eventually was made into steel railway lines. This video is about the time when Corus owned the plant. The Bessemer Converters closed but the rolling mills continued until 2000sPlease visit http://thiswascumbria.uk to view images and video. For further information please contact peterincumbria at gmail dot com.
Steam Train and Vintage Excavators at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbria Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | visit http://thiswascumbria.uk
Steam Digger From The Deep Industrial Heritage 2013-08-21 | Working steam digger at Threlkeld Quarry. Ray Hooley organised volunteers to recover it from the flooded sand quarry where it had been left to rot. Apprentices at Ruston Proctor Lincoln works initially renovated it, then it was unused until transported to the Vintage Excavator Trust at Threlkeld Quarry where it was again extensively renovated. It operates on special steam weekends which are advertised on their website below. The recovery of this digger is recorded in a wonderful film by Anglia TV (with kind permission). It had literally dug itself into a hole - a deep gravel quarry that eventually flooded and was used as a boating and swimming pond at Arlesley. When the water level was high the crane was hidden, submerged, but when the water level dropped in a drought then the jib appeared, rising out of the water like the arm of a monster, so the locals said. However Ray Hooley recognised the jib boom as belonging to a rare steam excavator and he was an enthusiast and expert in the excavators that were made at the Ruston Proctor works in Lincoln. Realising that there was a unique but challenging recovery potential for the “monster in the deep” to be recovered from the pond at Arlesley, Ray charmed an army of volunteers to float, drag and crane it to its first renovation. Anglia TV made a video that records the recovery of this fine machine in their “bygones” series called “The Digger From The Deep”After its restoration it was stored at Lincoln Museum outside where weather and lack of use degraded it. So Threlkeld based Vintage Excavator Trust restored it to the original working state with Heritage Lottery funding. It can be seen on working weekends at Threlkeld Quarry, Cumbria with other rope excavators doing the job that they were made for, operated by skilled renovator and operator volunteers.A great debt of thanks must go from future generations to the people who recovered and renovated and still operate this unique example of one of the most important types of machines that built the industrial world at that time.Excuse any omissions but thanks to: Ray Hooley for being so audaciously optimistic to dream up this recovery; the amateur divers who were looking for a project and found a mega undertaking; the people who loaned the industrial flotation bags; the use of the first hydraulic crane in the UK that was on its way from France to the new owner and stopped off to help; the use of the one or two huge tracked bulldozers that helped tow it out with the help of the crane lifting it; the apprentices of Ruston works at Lincoln and their supervisors for initial renovation; the temporary home at Lincoln Museum; the volunteers and organisers of the Vintage Excavator Trust at Threlkeld who renovated it and maintain it and operate it; Ian Hartland for hosting the working machine at Threlkeld Quarry, near Keswick, Cumbria.Click links:Anglia TV program about the recovery of The Digger from The Deep!Video with kind permission of Anglia TV for education use only. Obtained and licenced to Peter Nicholson.http://thiswascumbria.uk/steam-digger-from-the-deep-videoIndustrial heritage of Cumbria with excavators, mines, quarries transport of the past etc:http://thiswascumbria.uk 1909 historic Ruston - Proctor steam shovel working.Steam shovel excavator Hooley working at Threlkeld Quarry Cumbriahttp://thiswascumbria.uk/steam-digger-excavator-working-at-threlkeld-quarry-video youtube.com/watch?v=paFaA2WKCGY Vintage Excavators working weekend at Threlkeld Quarryhttp://thiswascumbria.uk/vintage-excavators-at-threlkeld-quarry-cumbria Vintage Excavator Trust websitethrelkeldquarryandminingmuseum.co.uk/vintage-excavator-trust Threlkeld Quarry websitethrelkeldquarryandminingmuseum.co.uk
