# The foundry furnaces fade away... Nov 2017



## prettyvacant71 (Dec 14, 2017)

*Coalbrookdale/Aga Rangemaster Foundry*


Coalbrookdale sits next to the River Severn within the Ironbridge Gorge of Shropshire, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986. 

There is an important history to this site in terms of its industrial heritage. A new method of smelting iron, developed by Abraham Darby (1678-1717) involved charging the furnaces with coke instead of charcoal, which enabled a higher production of iron for the building of railways. The foundry undertook the creation of the world’s first cast iron bridge, which has become one of Britain’s most important historical assets, locally known as the internationally renowned Iron Bridge. The foundry has very much been at the heart of the industrial revolution and the local community for generations.


The closure of the Coalbrookdale/Aga Rangemaster Foundry represents a significant moment within the historical events of the Ironbridge Gorge, bringing to an end centuries of iron production on the site and removing the last major industrial name from the “Cradle of Industry”. The closure will impact on 35 jobs, although some foundry operators will move to other roles.


Product portfolio changes and reduced demand for cast-iron castings from sister companies within the group has significantly impacted on the plant’s ability to produce castings economically. Following an orderly and structured wind-down of manufacturing at Coalbrookdale, the company will be sourcing its castings from a number of third-party suppliers both in the UK and across Europe.

Aga, which has consulted with union officials, said "everything possible" is being done to mitigate the impact of any compulsory redundancies, but said that the foundry is no longer economically viable.
The company's factory at Ketley will be kept open, with iron for the Aga ovens assembled there being sourced from other foundries across the UK and the EU which are not part of the Aga Rangemaster group. All assembly of Aga and Rayburn products, including the enamelling process, will continue to be undertaken at their main manufacturing site at Ketley.

Aga Rangemaster was sold to Illinois-based food services giant Middleby Corporation in 2015, in a deal worth about £129 million.
_(The Shropshire Star)_


I spoke to a few local folks who were taking some photographs of the foundry gates, a couple of the guys had worked there. One said his father had also worked at the site so the foundry was kind of in the family. He sounded rather shell-shocked, although he knew the day would arrive, he hoped it would never happen. The gates were meant to close at the end of November but the final date was bought forward a week. 
Personally I feel saddened that this once thriving foundry, which was alive with the constant clanging of machinery, pungent smells from the burning coke and intense heat from the streams of white hot molten metal, has extinguished its burning fires for good. Just what is going on in Britain? We seem to be determined to sell off our few remaining manufacturing industries to foreign buyers, who either close them down or move the surviving parts abroad for cheaper production. It just doesn’t feel right when the last existing foundry situated on the oldest site in Europe, born within the heart of Britain’s Industrial Revolution furnaces can no longer roar.




*Here are some of the sights that I found...*



_MG_7405 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7427 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7440 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Some of the aluminium patterns used for making the moulds.




_MG_7439 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7449 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7464 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

More of the patterns used to cast the sand moulds.




_MG_7472 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Sand is filled inside these casings and the patterns put inside to create the mould.




_MG_7484 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7504 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Sacks of coke used for charging the furnaces.




_MG_7524 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

There were lots of types of metal working and drilling machines. 




_MG_7550 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

One of the canteen areas.



_MG_7548 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

If you make them it would be wrong not to use them!



_MG_7551 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7556 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7563 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7564 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7576 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

I love seeing messages left by the workers, it makes it the more personal. This person had a long stint here!




_MG_7578 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7580 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7596 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7599 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7603 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Somebody else that loves photography...or a change of scenery.




_MG_7605 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7598 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7615 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7617 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7627 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

The furnace.




_MG_7639 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7677 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7703 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7759 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr





_MG_7778 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7782 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7787 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7789 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7801 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7805 by Pretty 
Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7806 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7813 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7821 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7825 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7838 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




_MG_7886 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

More messages from the workers...




_MG_7888 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

I saw this just as I was about to leave, it’s very touching.



The Foundry 007 copy by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

I went back on the first day of the recent snow to try and get a few pic’s of the Ironbridge cooling towers before they sadly disappear too, so stopped to get a couple of external shots of the foundry. 




The Foundry 033 copy by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Some workers had tied their boots to the gate, it brings a tear to the eye!




The Foundry 205 copy by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

The 4 glorious pink cooling towers behind the foundry. The bridge in the distance is the Albert Edward Bridge built in 1863 by the Coalbrookdale Company, no need to guess were the iron was forged for that.

Well I hope you have enjoyed looking around this truly historic site, it made me feel rather sad looking through these photographs to upload them. Thanks for looking folks.


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## mockingbird (Dec 14, 2017)

Not my usual liking but you did a wonderful job documenting this place! Top stuff


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## mockney reject (Dec 14, 2017)

This is fucking epic !!!!

One of the best sets of pictures on this forum

Although i am a little gutted in the fact I drove passed this and thought nah its still open


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## smiler (Dec 14, 2017)

Proper Job PV, Thanks


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## Sam Haltin (Dec 14, 2017)

Well done. That must be the best post to close 2017. I also noticed a lot of personal items as well, makes me sad that they've worked there for over 40 years then all of a sudden its finished. You wouldn't think that a huge manufacturing company like that would just end. There's a lot of fine Victorian machinery there.


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## jsp77 (Dec 14, 2017)

Excellent report and plenty of nice detailed shots. Really like the gates in the snow


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## HughieD (Dec 14, 2017)

You've been putting in some fab reports recently but you just raised the EPIC scale! Fantastic.


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## Mikeymutt (Dec 14, 2017)

That is epic pv.like hughie said you have been doing some good stuff.this is the sort of place I would like to see.i love the detailed and alternative shots you always get.looks so much nicer in the snow too.hope you did not slip in the snow ha ha


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## HughieD (Dec 14, 2017)

You've been putting in some fab reports recently but you just raised the EPIC scale! Fantastic.


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## BikinGlynn (Dec 15, 2017)

Yes that is just a superb report, would love a look around here, well photographed.

I have another theory why this closed, the newer Rangemaster were .... er crap!
I had one, looked great cost a fortune, hot plate packed up in months, bits fell off & after a year of cleaning u couldnt see any of the numbers on the damn thing!!!

Anyway rant over, still a shame its shut!


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## MD (Dec 15, 2017)

top work there


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## mookster (Dec 15, 2017)

Absolutely awesome.

Although, dare I say it, a place better suited to the non-public area first I would have thought.


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## krela (Dec 15, 2017)

mookster said:


> Absolutely awesome.
> 
> Although, dare I say it, a place better suited to the non-public area first I would have thought.



I dare say you would, but urbex policing isn't welcome here. Please keep it to PMs if you really have to do it.


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## titimo82 (Dec 15, 2017)

nice report and pics, but so sad the picture of boots and gloves...end of an era


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## prettyvacant71 (Dec 16, 2017)

mockney reject said:


> This is fucking epic !!!!
> 
> One of the best sets of pictures on this forum
> 
> Although i am a little gutted in the fact I drove passed this and thought nah its still open



Thanks a lot Mockney Reject much appreciated I do think your Big Bruv bath shot is pretty epic though


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## prettyvacant71 (Dec 16, 2017)

Hugh Jorgan said:


> Well done. That must be the best post to close 2017. I also noticed a lot of personal items as well, makes me sad that they've worked there for over 40 years then all of a sudden its finished. You wouldn't think that a huge manufacturing company like that would just end. There's a lot of fine Victorian machinery there.



Thank you HJ. Yes I too find lookin at the personal bits left behind poignant, 40 years working in a place is someones working lifetime really.


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## prettyvacant71 (Dec 16, 2017)

HughieD said:


> You've been putting in some fab reports recently but you just raised the EPIC scale! Fantastic.



Thanks for that HD...every dog has it's day I think it goes, if it keeps on bloody tryin hahaha, I don't guess I will have this kinda luck again so I won't be gettin use to it!


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## prettyvacant71 (Dec 16, 2017)

Mikeymutt said:


> That is epic pv.like hughie said you have been doing some good stuff.this is the sort of place I would like to see.i love the detailed and alternative shots you always get.looks so much nicer in the snow too.hope you did not slip in the snow ha ha



Hahaha thanks Mikey that's very decent of you, oh and yep I did


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## mookster (Dec 16, 2017)

krela said:


> I dare say you would, but urbex policing isn't welcome here. Please keep it to PMs if you really have to do it.



No urbex policing here.

Just a little surprised is all as it's not often something this epic comes straight to here


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## Gosoftly (Dec 16, 2017)

Derelict? Hmmm...maybe, maybe not. Spectacular and highly important....definitely. Document this site over tise would be interesting as well. Thank you for this. You are quite right, what IS happening in Britain when we sell off our heritage like this to companies who asset strip and then hike their own prices up? You may recall David Cameron doing a deal for cheap Chinese steel which is likely to close down our remaining steelworks. I can only I,whine what will happen to the prices the moment our last smelting fires go out. Thepersonal touches in this report are what does it for me. That chap who spent over 40 years there.... others who left their boots tied to the gates. I hope the mods will consider this to be inkeeping with the site, even though there is no decay. Thank you.


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## krela (Dec 16, 2017)

Gosoftly said:


> Derelict? Hmmm...maybe, maybe not. I hope the mods will consider this to be inkeeping with the site, even though there is no decay. Thank you.



Thank you for your concern but...



> DerelictPlaces is a forum for people with an interest in the history and documentation of disused, derelict and abandoned buildings to come together and share their experiences, photography and historical findings.



...the remit of this website goes much further than just the derelict.


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## The Wombat (Dec 16, 2017)

Epic stuff, and awesome photos
Love the shots in the snow


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