In October 2015 industrial giant Caparo Industries went into administration. Eventually the company and many of its vast fleet of metalworking factories were saved but in this process unfortunately three factories within the group were lost, The three to close were the two Clydesdale Forge sites at Netherton and Hartlepool and this factory, the former Atlas / GKN works at Darleston. I had previously checked out all three with no luck but today i was joined by @clebby to start round two and what do you know this time things had changed!
The works itself has little architectural merit (although nice GKN stone friezes survive on buildings a little further down that are now owned by a different firm) We did however manage to make it inside just in time to see the factory with nearly all of its original equipment still in situe. There were so many items of great, mainly british made, machinery in here i just didn't know where to point the camera next!
I think i will let the photos do the talking with this one other than to say if you wish to look be quick, viewing for the site auction is on Tuesday and by the 2nd March nearly everything on site will be sold.
Boltmakers - The first area i looked at and the start of the process. I won't pretend to be an expert on the manufacture of bolts but i believe these machines take the large coils of bar and forge them into what we would recognise as a fastener. Not only was the factory flooded with large equipment we also started to notice smaller interesting details like the 'night watchman lighting'
The works itself has little architectural merit (although nice GKN stone friezes survive on buildings a little further down that are now owned by a different firm) We did however manage to make it inside just in time to see the factory with nearly all of its original equipment still in situe. There were so many items of great, mainly british made, machinery in here i just didn't know where to point the camera next!
www.caparoatlasfastenings.com said:
I think i will let the photos do the talking with this one other than to say if you wish to look be quick, viewing for the site auction is on Tuesday and by the 2nd March nearly everything on site will be sold.
Boltmakers - The first area i looked at and the start of the process. I won't pretend to be an expert on the manufacture of bolts but i believe these machines take the large coils of bar and forge them into what we would recognise as a fastener. Not only was the factory flooded with large equipment we also started to notice smaller interesting details like the 'night watchman lighting'
Thread Rolling and Finishing - Moving across the site there was an area devoted to 'finishing' which seemed to consist of various miscellaneous machines, some that i recognised some that i didn't. There was also some large thread rolling equipment that obviously would have put the threads on...
looks like it was ... "down your tools and leave, mates" 
