[andym]

Brymbo steelworks, or the remains of. The full history of this place can be found on my website, but a synopsis is, started by the Ironmaster John Wilkinson in 1796 (who also built Backbarrow Ironworks in Cumbria), had various owners until the 1960’s when it was nationalised and became part of the British Steel empire. Despite huge investment in the 70’s, it was closed in somewhat controversial circumstances in 1990. Apparently though demolition didn’t start until the late 90’s which meant it would have been an epic explore if I’d known about it back then :(

Due to the current economic problems, future developments for this place seem to have been put on hold, which is a shame as the guys who look after it are a decent bunch who are all ex-workers and want to see something live on. I just hope that when things pick up and some money can be found to spend on this place as the South Wales based agencies don’t seem interested in the place.

I don’t do this often but I took the decision to ask for permission to go on site, as the place is looked after by Brymbo Heritage Group, who sound like they’re having a bit of a hard time. And as they gave a tour to georgie when he got busted I thought I might as well just ask them up front, and they were happy to let me on site. I was shown round by a smashing chap who used to work there and he gave me freedom to look at what I wanted really, as well as telling me all about the place.


As it was at it’s largest. The rolling mill at back of the picture was used for about ten years, and then had most of the machinery sold to the Chinese. The only remaining buildings (machine shop and foundry) are just off to the right of the picture.


Wilkinsons original No.1 furnace. Can’t remember exactly when it was taken out of use, but it was definitely post WW2, which means it was in use for over 150 years!


Winding house for winding material up to the top of the modern furnaces (now demolished). This was another bit of the site that was built in the 60’s / 70’s and was relatively modern.


Foundry pattern.


Brass furnace in the foundry. Not sure why they cast brass here as well, but it was only small. Possibly for bearings for on site machinery?


The foundry managers beret. Legend has it that he threw it off in disgust when the place closed and it’s been hanging here ever since.


This machine was used to mix the sand for moulding the patterns - a mix of sand and coal dust.


Molten metal would flow down there channels from the furnaces. The long rods were used to plug the molten metal in the small furnaces with a clay bung, while similar ones with a pointy end where used for piercing the metal in the furnace to let it flow. Hot, hard work where metal splashes would be painful!

Roof of the joiners shop. This has happened this year, and I reckon that if we get any snow like last winter, the whole lot will come down.



View from the higher level over the foundry and machine shop. The tall chimnies are called cupola’s and are part of the foundry below.


75 ton Terex dump truck. Apparently the engine was removed before it was dragged up the hill to it’s current position. This means that some poor sod would have been at the wheel without power steering……


Internal ladle wagon for hauling molten steel round the site. Unlike the more modern steelworks I’ve been to at Redcar and Scunthorpe, Brymbo was built into a hill, which meant that the internal railway system had various inclines to get from BR mainline level.


Wheels of steel.


Close up of the ladle wagon.


A cupola flowers - geddit!!??!?! Sorry….


And that is all.