Redcar Blast Furnace
Visited with @UrbandonedTeam, @DustySensorPhotography, @KPUrban_ and @huyt.urb
History credits to @Exploring with Andy
Engineering company Dorman Long had established themselves as builders of long-span bridges throughout the north of England. In 1917 they founded the Teesside Steelworks to produce the steel they needed for construction.
Visited with @UrbandonedTeam, @DustySensorPhotography, @KPUrban_ and @huyt.urb
History credits to @Exploring with Andy
Engineering company Dorman Long had established themselves as builders of long-span bridges throughout the north of England. In 1917 they founded the Teesside Steelworks to produce the steel they needed for construction.
Following the Second World War industries such as steel making was being nationalised under the Labour Party, and as such Teesside Steel was incorporated into British Steel Corporation. This remained until 1988 when Margaret Thatcher privatised the industry in 1988 to form British Steel PLC.
The British government had invested £100 Million into British Steel to establish an integrated plant at Redcar capable of producing 12 million tonnes of steel annually. Opening in 1979, the blast furnace was the largest in the UK and the second largest in Europe. It was capable of producing 10,000 tonnes of iron per day. The molten iron produced by the blast furnace was then moved to Lackenby Works to be converted into steel. The associated power station and compressor house was powered by by-products from the blast furnace and coke ovens.
After a spending a while completing some of the spots around the Redcar area, we decided to tackle Redcar Blast Furnace just after Christmas. The site is notorious for the sheer degree of difficulty induced by the immense amount of security, sensors, alarms, etc… We were up for a challenge; the idea of a true zone experience was one we were all missing. On the cold winter’s morning we set off in the dark to find our way on site. We checked some of the other industrial epics around the colossal structure before attempting to gain access to the blast furnace itself. A cautious approach finally got us elevated out of harms way and began a several hour explore. All in all a great way to end the year.
Working from the top downwards:
@UrbandonedTeam suspended above the ground.
A sense of scale added to Alistair’s position.
Redcar Power Station.
The views from the very top of the furnace (one layer above the images prior) were unbelievable.
Some closeups of the surrounding area:
Redcar Sinter Plant.
The gas holders and extending views.
We then began descending and started at an area housing silos and other similar machinery.
Each level below the top allowed for a new unique look over different parts of the site.
Continuing lower brought us to multiple walkways and areas surround the furnace.
And yet again more views.
We eventually hit the base, which contained the main attraction of the explore.
Closeup of the Tuyeres.
To be continued…
After a spending a while completing some of the spots around the Redcar area, we decided to tackle Redcar Blast Furnace just after Christmas. The site is notorious for the sheer degree of difficulty induced by the immense amount of security, sensors, alarms, etc… We were up for a challenge; the idea of a true zone experience was one we were all missing. On the cold winter’s morning we set off in the dark to find our way on site. We checked some of the other industrial epics around the colossal structure before attempting to gain access to the blast furnace itself. A cautious approach finally got us elevated out of harms way and began a several hour explore. All in all a great way to end the year.
Working from the top downwards:
@UrbandonedTeam suspended above the ground.
A sense of scale added to Alistair’s position.
Redcar Power Station.
The views from the very top of the furnace (one layer above the images prior) were unbelievable.
Some closeups of the surrounding area:
Redcar Sinter Plant.
The gas holders and extending views.
We then began descending and started at an area housing silos and other similar machinery.
Each level below the top allowed for a new unique look over different parts of the site.
Continuing lower brought us to multiple walkways and areas surround the furnace.
And yet again more views.
We eventually hit the base, which contained the main attraction of the explore.
Closeup of the Tuyeres.
To be continued…
