Smithywood coking plant

[Nekatom]

Too true, whats your name heavy?I'm Neil Baxter, apprentice Electrician then a shift sparkie.

[heavysection]

Hello Nekatom prefer the old name SPIT, good times at Smithy don't get to see anyone now but i am going to make an effort to catch up with a few.

[Nekatom]

Ha ha yer thats right, so i must know you?

[heavysection]

Now then Nekatom remember Roker and the land ladies Feasey and Blakey sound like characters out of a sit com, and when you brought a young lady into the guest house, always a laugh.

[Nekatom]

Ha ha great times, you must be a fitter apprentice?

[mh01]

One of my parents old neighbours was a sparky there, Arthur young

[heavysection]

Now then Nekatom back to an earlier message when you brought the girl back to the guest house can you remember John Durrans sat up watching when you'd done the dirty deed turns out he'd sprained his wrist doing the old knuckle shuffle there were three of us in that room and i slept through the lot- honest!.

[muckymurphy]

Thanks for explaining pushing an oven.

 

I remember the distinct smell if the wind was blowing your way and the bleeder flame, coming up the m1 you knew you were nearly home when you spotted it.

 

it was part of my job to light that bleeder flame. i had to climb the 80 foot stack and unhook the long pole near the top, this had a cup on the end into which i put a foot long 'firework' which i lit and raised up into the gas flow to ignite it. it always went up with a 'whoosh'. we got paid a quarter of a shift's pay just for doing this. the fun went when they fitted an electronic ignition system so it could be lit from the bottom of the stack. however, this often failed when it was windy so it was back to the hard way.

i remember being on a double shift with albert riley who tended the 'boosters', compressors that pumped the gas to the steelworks at stocksbridge. been on all night, a very windy one at that, and it was now 7am. he was troubled by the fact the the gas holder has been full all night but was now emtying rapidly and down to a quarter full. panic was beginning to set in. i looked at the gas flow chart which showed a full flow of gas to the holder. thinking things through with a sleepy head, i realise that the automatic overflow valve called a 'peebles' valve, must be open. rushing out of the cabin with a huge valve wrench in hand, i got to the gas holder to see that i was right. after closing the valve, the gas holder filled back up again, saving the day and a potential disaster. it transpired that the wind had affected the gas holder so much that on the shift change, when gas flow was low, the gas holder descended and because of the wind, the plate on the side of the holder has missed the lever that shuts and opens the valve, allowing the gas to continue going up the bleeder stack which had not been lit that night. phew!

 

---------- Post added 25-12-2013 at 13:52 ----------

 

Right then Mucky murphy first of all the pusher at Smithywood was'nt a huge hydraulic ram it was a rack and pinion set up and Trevor henshaw was an apprentice loathing personnel manager not assistant manager, i was an apprentice fitter here and did a year out of my time before it closed always a great set o lads more a family than owt else i'd go back tomorrow- good old days eh!!.

 

you are absolutely right on all points. hey hey!

 

used to be fun when the limit switch failed and the rack went right off the pinion!

[tmaz0]

can anyone remember who is in the picture (on the job for 158 year) http://www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/3586671764/in/photostream/

Edited December 26, 2013 by tmaz0

[Mjr1952]

My late Father, Frank, worked there from it being built to his retirement in 1979. I took him to watch the chimneys being demolished.

I knew him well and his brother Felix, i was their boss for a few years, i remember him living at ecclesfield and Felix at Burncross rd

 

---------- Post added 10-04-2015 at 20:53 ----------

 

I remember you all i am Mick Rowlinson and knew everything you are all talking about, I was there for 18 years from being an apprentice to foreman to the end. So anyone who wants to get in touch you are all welcome.