The Valley Foundry, March 2019

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HughieD

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People's Republic of South Yorkshire.
1. The History
The company dates back to just after the second world war when the iron founding operation specialised in making cast iron pipes for the water industry. In 1950 the foundry was acquired by new owners with the aim of supply castings to their railway wagon building business. A management buy-out followed in 1984, only for the company to close in 2002. Bought by new owners, they incorporated it in 2002. However in early 2014 it ran into financial difficulties after it lost a contract worth 70 per cent of its turnover.

After this, the company struggled to find enough work for its 16 employees, which included three directors. Even dropping its price failed to bring in new business and the company was further hit by foreign competition.

After it went into liquidation the receivers did a very good job managing to pay creditors 60p in the pound. Since then the works have been left abandoned.

2. The Explore
Met up with Bikin Glynn for this one (great to explore with you sir!). Big up to Mikeymutt for Intel. Hasn't seen many explorers this place, though there were several familiar names of the guest-board (see picture below). Access was easy and it turned out to be a fascinating and relaxed wander. The site is split in two with the old wooden pattern store and older brick buildings one side of a railway bridge and the main factory where most of the operations took place, the other. Plenty to see and left in situ. Really enjoyed the brightly coloured patterns and the rusty industrial machinery. So, overall, a very pleasurable way to spend an hour or so exploring in the spring sun.

3. The Pictures

Ivy-clad building on the way:

46590275705_372d400d2d_b.jpgimg0025 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The first thing that comes into view is the old wooden pattern shed:

32558758327_7042bc8aa1_b.jpgimg0023 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The first of many colourful patterns:

47505707181_42ff0b0f8f_b.jpgimg9945 by HughieDW, on Flickr

46781955164_1469c16aee_b.jpgimg9946 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Tatty head. Lol.

47452942202_7c0d7dc8cf_b.jpgimg9947 by HughieDW, on Flickr

More patterns:

32563487677_f3d8bd6e2a_b.jpgimg9949 by HughieDW, on Flickr

33628947438_cde793da71_b.jpgimg9950 by HughieDW, on Flickr

40539669613_b3c99ce554_b.jpgimg9951 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Can you tell this was my fave bit?

47452876502_2a5fe49654_b.jpgimg9958 by HughieDW, on Flickr

47452845662_3f0aa27921_b.jpgimg9959 by HughieDW, on Flickr

40539587333_3f4caff62e_b.jpgimg9963 by HughieDW, on Flickr

47510683761_434ae5dcdf_b.jpgValley Foundry 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Think this was my favourite casting:

46781784104_b526497a03_b.jpgimg9964 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On to the old buildings nearby. This has fallen into disuse before the main factory closed.

40539544663_ab47f55e74_b.jpgimg9968 by HughieDW, on Flickr

47457663322_70a13b3c8e_b.jpgimg9969 by HughieDW, on Flickr

More castings:

46786612264_9925cf1fb6_b.jpgimg9971 by HughieDW, on Flickr

33633980278_e9276a246d_b.jpgValley Foundry 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nature taking over:

46594862185_c5b97e3f4d_b.jpgimg9982 by HughieDW, on Flickr

46595237205_d3016a500b_b.jpgValley Foundry 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Inside looking out:

47457623492_c474e6dd5b_b.jpgimg9972 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This bit was on its way out:

47510392411_a5ebc24b44_b.jpgimg9974 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Love this shelving made out of old (WWII?) stretchers:

46786827454_65c0f66550_b.jpgValley Foundry 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr

47457563312_d4ee221666_b.jpgimg9977 by HughieDW, on Flickr

40544401623_a88249c7d2_b.jpgimg9978 by HughieDW, on Flickr

46786504074_34f8c526f9_b.jpgimg9979 by HughieDW, on Flickr

47510656271_ee4068b6fb_b.jpgValley Foundry 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On to the main factory:

32568056077_092e6aac7a_b.jpgimg9985 by HughieDW, on Flickr

40535021713_19162260b9_b.jpgimg0003 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Big hook!

46594799735_2f1105d106_b.jpgimg9986 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Some serious gear here:

47510239471_5dfd63e38f_b.jpgimg9990 by HughieDW, on Flickr

40572447023_19c9556823_b.jpgValley Foundry 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr

33633960258_c77817cbb7_b.jpgValley Foundry 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Love the ornateness of these patterns:

33624266478_c003fd70e8_b.jpgimg0004 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Shame this plaque didn’t find a home:

40534999403_135730b6bd_b.jpgimg0005 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Those that went before us. A few familiar names here

47538442651_b7204f6463_b.jpgValley Foundry 15 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A few manuals:

46777318474_90a0a9400f_b.jpgimg0012 by HughieDW, on Flickr

40534962913_fbbcbda921_b.jpgimg0013 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The heavy stuff:

46585570215_96ae489cd7_b.jpgimg0015 by HughieDW, on Flickr


46814787544_e5d869170e_b.jpgValley Foundry 16 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Some sort of hopper:

46777284154_c63574df38_b.jpgimg0017 by HughieDW, on Flickr

46786790394_a2a58d85b7_b.jpgValley Foundry 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Upstairs store room. Now reusing of old railway sleepers for the flooring!

32567997007_f91157c864_b.jpgimg9995 by HughieDW, on Flickr

46594734835_2d0822fc13_b.jpgimg9996 by HughieDW, on Flickr

47510176161_769b9acb26_b.jpgimg9997bw by HughieDW, on Flickr

47457399062_418ae4797d_b.jpgimg9999 by HughieDW, on Flickr

46786801524_0c52caef69_b.jpgValley Foundry 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Very nice that mate. Looks untouched. Some nice nature ingress also.
 
This place, along with a handful of others, is one of my favourite small scale British industry spots I've explored. Good to see nothing much has changed there either.
 
I'd guessed at machine castings in the other thread and yes - several shapes and words caught my eye. Tilting table for example. Many shapes of patterns resemble shaping machines, lathes and mills. It does make sense because cast iron based and machined on surfaces to mate with other castings. There are also large valve bodies like the ones you see carrying water or even fuel at refineries.
I still say the patterns should be saved but at the end of it all - who'd want them? Museums throw loads away these days. Perhaps the patterns could be saved and used as ornamental pieces in those expensive pubs? I dunno but they do have some real history to them.

Literature and other bits of paperwork. Awesome.
At Grove Rake mine someone left doors open and sheep wandered in for shelter. Long story short all of the paperwork ended on the floor and sheep poop then layered on top - about 2 inches thick. Someone found a piece of the paperwork and got rummaging (sorry I know - gross) and realised the importance of it all. They took all of the dirty papers home and one by one cleaned them and dried them correctly. They're now in a database at Nenthead.
I call that dedication!!
 
The remains of a small bankrupt company, which is an all too common sight in the UK - They made the whole of their eventual survival dependant on one contract and when their price was undercut by another foundry; they had no option, but to file for bankruptcy. Patterns like this were probably the most common surviving relic of the British manufacturing industries. When I was in my early 20's, the pattern shop stores of a number of Sheffield Companies were full of patterns dating back to Victorian times. Being relatively light and made of wood, they were easily disposed off - as an industrial placement in the summer of 1963, during my Chemical Engineering sandwich course revealed. Needing more laboratory space to house a new X-ray Fluorescent analysis machine, the firm converted an old pattern storeroom and me and my other two sandwich course mates, tended a rather large bonfire one afternoon!
 
A great set there hughie..it's such a quaint place ain't it.with some lovely remains.glad you enjoyed it
 
This place, along with a handful of others, is one of my favourite small scale British industry spots I've explored. Good to see nothing much has changed there either.

It's a fab place innit? Let's hope it stays that way Mook.

A great set there hughie..it's such a quaint place ain't it.with some lovely remains.glad you enjoyed it

Cheers mate, it is. Thank your for the heads up.
 

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