These works were closed in 1992 and have been demolished. The site is to be re-developed. I worked there between 1988 and 1989 and took a number of photographs of the works.
Did you work there? If so feel free to
| Opened | 1950s |
| Closed | 1992 |
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These works were closed in 1992 and have been demolished. The site is to be re-developed. I worked there between 1988 and 1989 and took a number of photographs of the works. Did you work there? If so feel free to
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The Ravenscraig Steelworks was an Integrated Steelworks and Strip Steel Mill. The works manufactured Iron and Steel (Iron ore came by Ship to General Terminus and later the Hunterston Ore Terminal and was conveyed by train to Ravenscraig; Coking coal came from Bedlay colliery and later elsewhere; and Limestone came from Shap by train). The steel was then processed in either the Strip Mill or the Secondary Steel Making Unit.
Bottom of a blast furnace. The furnace is being
tapped and the locomotive is about to draw away a trainload of iron.
These photographs show the result of pouring
molten iron into a BOS (Basic Oxygen Steelmaking) vessel.
Once the steel had been through Concast (continuous
steel casting) it was then rolled. The first stage is a reversing rougher (shown
above). The steel came as large slabs from the Concast area.
A "Steelman" locomotive in the Coiled strip
steel yard.
The "Grey Ladies" (or "White Ladies") contained
limestone which was brought from the quarry at Shap to Mossend Yard. The train
was then be tripped down through the Ravenscraig coiled steel marshalling yard
and left at the scrap marshalling yard. A British Steel locomotive would then
draw it forwards to a reversing spur and then (after rounding) take the limestone
to the BOS area. Here the train is leaving the scrap marshalling yard (beyond
the bridge) and running down the reversing lines. The steelwork's locomotive
shed and repair shop was located by the reversing spur.
Locomotives being fitted with new wheels and
suspension in the locomotive shed.
Curiously, one of the ingredients for making
steel is steel. The photograph above shows the scrap marshalling yard. The locomotive
on the right is about to draw an empty set of scrap wagons out of the yard and
back to Mossend yard.
Looking north over locomotive shed towards blast
furnaces.
Limestone being delivered to yard #.1.