Ravenscraig

[scaryman2u]

(I used to borrow the stuff out of DaddyDoon's antique barometer years ago...)

You talk some shite for one person... really....its all boom bang bish bosh and no substance..do you really know what its like to do these things or is it al bravado ?

[Dexter St. Clair]

(I used to borrow the stuff out of DaddyDoon's antique barometer years ago...)

You talk some shite for one person... really....its all boom bang bish bosh and no substance..do you really know what its like to do these things or is it al bravado ?

Check previous posts for details.

[BrigitDoon]

(I used to borrow the stuff out of DaddyDoon's antique barometer years ago...)

You talk some shite for one person... really....its all boom bang bish bosh and no substance..do you really know what its like to do these things or is it al bravado ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barometer

The old boy had one of those banjo barometers that he kept on the living room wall for ornamental purposes. The mercury in it was therefore redundant. He also had a chemistry book dating from 1897 that Grandad had liberated from his school library. There were experiments in that book that involved mercury...

The book was in turn liberated by a gang of chemistry teachers who I'd tried to discourage from making mercuric fulminate one afternoon.

I don't *talk* shite, I *do* shite and then talk about it. Subtle difference.

[Seamey]

You can see a set of photos of Ravenscraig in its full glory from 1990 on my flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/57774948@N04/sets/72157627393430263/

[scotty]

Great pictures Seamey. Out of curiosity do you have them in colour as well? The fact that you couldn't even get on site to take some pictures says a lot about the tensions at the time.

[RDR]

Regularly drive through the Ravenscraig site on the new spine road.
There is nothing really left that would let you know it was once an enormous steel works except that you can see the Dalzell plate mill at the back of the site.
I've lived beside the 'craig for many years and most of my wife's family were at one time employed in the works.

[Seamey]

Hi Scotty - nope all B&W, back then it was only fancy clients that did colour and the STUC wasn't really a fancy client!

[Research Girl]

Hi

My Name is Christina and I am working on a project for NLC Museums and NLC Social Work Services. They are putting together a not for profit website which will be used to gather oral histories. The website will be used for reminiscence work and is all about Ravenscraig.

I have been reading your memories and comments on this forum, and I am hoping that any/some/all of you would be happy for me to use your comments as quotes for the website. I would also love any other information you may have that would make the website more unique.

Thanks for your help

Christina

[MacotheIsles]

Hi

My Name is Christina and I am working on a project for NLC Museums and NLC Social Work Services. They are putting together a not for profit website which will be used to gather oral histories. The website will be used for reminiscence work and is all about Ravenscraig.

I have been reading your memories and comments on this forum, and I am hoping that any/some/all of you would be happy for me to use your comments as quotes for the website. I would also love any other information you may have that would make the website more unique.

Thanks for your help

Christina

I'd be delighted to help.

[Research Girl]

Thanks Mac

I have sent you a message with some questions.

Christina

[RDR]

Hi

My Name is Christina and I am working on a project for NLC Museums and NLC Social Work Services. They are putting together a not for profit website which will be used to gather oral histories. The website will be used for reminiscence work and is all about Ravenscraig.

I have been reading your memories and comments on this forum, and I am hoping that any/some/all of you would be happy for me to use your comments as quotes for the website. I would also love any other information you may have that would make the website more unique.

Thanks for your help

Christina

I'm happy to help as well.

[Research Girl]

Thanks RDS, much appreciated!

I've decided it would be easier if I post the topics I am looking into. Then that way anyone can comment on what they wish. I have a lot of technical detail already, but what is lacking is the hands on experience.

Each of the topics below will have a webpage dedicated to it:

Overview of Ravenscraig
History of Motherwell
David Colville & Sons
British Steel
How Steel is Made
Ravenscraig Power Station
Ravenscraig Coke Ovens
Ravenscraig Iron Making
Ravenscraig Steel Making
Ravenscraig Hot Strip Steel Mill
Ravenscraig Slabbing Mill
Ravenscraig Railway and other Transport
Ravenscraig Social Spaces and Activities
Technical Terms associated with Scottish Steel Making
Jobs at Ravenscraig
People associated with Ravenscraig
Associated Businesses
Health & Safety (or lack of possibly)
The Closure of Ravenscraig
Regeneration

Whew, extensive I know, but any info much appreciated.

[Dexter St. Clair]

Thanks RDS, much appreciated!

I've decided it would be easier if I post the topics I am looking into. Then that way anyone can comment on what they wish. I have a lot of technical detail already, but what is lacking is the hands on experience.

Each of the topics below will have a webpage dedicated to it:

Overview of Ravenscraig
History of Motherwell
David Colville & Sons
British Steel
How Steel is Made
Ravenscraig Power Station
Ravenscraig Coke Ovens
Ravenscraig Iron Making
Ravenscraig Steel Making
Ravenscraig Hot Strip Steel Mill
Ravenscraig Slabbing Mill
Ravenscraig Railway and other Transport
Ravenscraig Social Spaces and Activities
Technical Terms associated with Scottish Steel Making
Jobs at Ravenscraig
People associated with Ravenscraig
Associated Businesses
Health & Safety (or lack of possibly)
The Closure of Ravenscraig
Regeneration

Whew, extensive I know, but any info much appreciated.

It's as if Scottish Labour History never existed. Were the steel works ever unionised one wonders and whether any of the former shop stewards would own up to being one and might have something to say.. Was there a social club at Ravenscraig? or did they all drink in the Lithanian.

Does anyone have a copy of Scottish Trade Union Review Number 2 Summer 1978
with the article "The Steel Industry in Scotland : The Fight for a Future " by A. Bell and D. Harrison which might help the still living but probably senile surviving workers reminisce?

[Josef]

It's as if Scottish Labour History never existed. Were the steel works ever unionised one wonders and whether any of the former shop stewards would own up to being one and might have something to say.. Was there a social club at Ravenscraig? or did they all drink in the Lithanian.

Does anyone have a copy of Scottish Trade Union Review Number 2 Summer 1978
with the article "The Steel Industry in Scotland : The Fight for a Future " by A. Bell and D. Harrison which might help the still living but probably senile surviving workers reminisce?

Erring on the side of generosity, I'll assume that you just haven't made whatever point you were trying to make clearly, since I'm unable to discern one. Please restate in comprehensible and non-offensive language.

Does anyone have a copy of Scottish Trade Union Review Number 2 Summer 1978

Don't be silly. Who doesn't?

[moonbeam]

They had problems meeting the specifications for the Ford Motor co for steel plate for Ford cars. I dont think they ever managed to meet Fords requirements. They did supply Pressed Steel at Linwood. That was why the Gartcosh rolling mill was built.

I have correspondence somewhere regarding the quality of Ravenscraig steel. Basically they were
having great difficulty matching the quality of steel produced in English and Welsh plants. What happened to
the "Finneston" plan at Hunterston? Not one Korf plant was purchased but two. I dont think the other
one was ever assembled.

Used to work as a metallurgist at the old Stewarts & LLoyds tube plants in Lanarkshire-Clydesdale, British,Imperial, Calder, Tollcross, Sun, Phoenix, etc An entire steel industry just sort of vanished. We had Hallside for armour plate and Craigneuk for more specialist steels. Plus Clyde Iron at Auchenshuggle! Dixons Blazes in the Gorbals etc

Not forgetting Gartsherrie and of course Blochairn. Just dont think of Ravenscraig. What might be more interesting is - Should Ravenscraig have been rebuilt/upgraded in 1957? T

he Tory government should really have bitten the bullet then and closed or run it down. But hey the Tories had more MPs in Scotland than any other party in 1957.So it was agreed to upgrade other plants in England and Wales as well.

Ravenscraig was hardly an economic proposition in 1957. Too far from major markets. Foreign Iron ore imported via the Clyde. Coking coal supplies from Twechar and Polkemmet giving rise to concerns over quality.

Its main market ,ship building on the Clyde, starting to decline.Plus quality problems of meeting specialist steels specifications like the motor and structural steel industries were now demanding. Plus foreign competitors like Germany and Japan with new equipment undercutting on price, quality and delivery.

I recall there was about a 20% reject rate on billets being made into steel tubes at Clydesdale-mainly due the age on the plant ie the RF(Rotary Forges)