# Templeborough Steel works (Magna), Rotherham, June 2017



## HughieD (Jun 30, 2017)

*1. The History*
Located in the Templeborough area of Rotherham and known locally as "Steelos", Steel, Peech and Tozer was one of the largest steel manufacturers in the area. In 1918 they merged with Samuel Fox and Company, based in Stocksbridge and Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company in Scunthorpe creating United Steel Companies (USC). The steelworks was reputed to be a mile long and at its peak in the mid-20th century, employed 10,000 people. In the 1950s Templeborough's open hearth furnaces had become outdated so USC set up “Operation SPEAR” (Steel Peech Electric Arc Reorganization). This involved the introduction of six modern electric arc furnaces to replace the 14 open hearth furnaces. This resulted in Templeborough Melting Shop becoming the largest electric arc steel making plant in the world, capable of producing 1.8 million tons per year. After nationalisation in 1967 it became part of the British Steel Corporation (BSC). The steelworks closed in 1993 and was subsequently partly converted into a museum, the £46 million Magna Centre, famous for its display called "The Big Melt" which demonstrates how steel was made in an electric arc furnace.

*2. The Explore*
This was a strange one. Not really considered this to be "reportable" on to be honest. I'd taken my son to a party there and with a couple of hours to kill and with no sites in driving distance had a poke around the immediate area. The majority of the former steel works are now part of Magna (see above) but on the periphery there are old unused parts of the steelworks that are slowly rusting away. They are effectively derelict and extremely photogenic so off I went.

*3. The Pictures*


img0969 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0972 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0970 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0992bw by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0975 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1018 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1021 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0978 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0979 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0980 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0981 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0982 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0993 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img0998 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1000 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1004 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1022 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1026 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1028 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1030 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1037 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## krela (Jun 30, 2017)

I was just about to say I can't believe Magna has closed down, but it hasn't.

Been there many times, never seen any of this though, thanks.


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## prettyvacant71 (Jun 30, 2017)

Love industrial stuff and rust, you got some great angles and picked out some interesting bits HD!


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## HughieD (Jun 30, 2017)

krela said:


> I was just about to say I can't believe Magna has closed down, but it hasn't.
> 
> Been there many times, never seen any of this though, thanks.





prettyvacant71 said:


> Love industrial stuff and rust, you got some great angles and picked out some interesting bits HD!



Cheers both. Yup - some real nice perspectives you can get on these aesthetic bits of rust!


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## tumble112 (Jun 30, 2017)

Nice shots and speaking from experience, a lot better way to pass the time than a kid's party!


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## HughieD (Jul 2, 2017)

Sludden said:


> Nice shots and speaking from experience, a lot better way to pass the time than a kid's party!



Ha ha...you got it Sludden!


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## Locksley (Jul 6, 2017)

Should have called in, I'm only 5 mins round the corner at Catcliffe  Some lovely photogenic rust around Magna, of course there used to be even more until they ripped a lot of it out  Every time i'm down there something else seems to have disappeared.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Jul 6, 2017)

Another very nice set Hughie. You should have been around with your camera when the Rotherham and Sheffield furnaces were illuminating the winter night skies! Something I can still see in my minds eye as Dad motored home to Doncaster after a business day in Sheffield and something I will never forget! Probably a boyhood impression, but those furnaces were a spectacular fireworks display.


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## smiler (Jul 6, 2017)

Did you give those stairs a try or were they a bit ropey? Great set Hughie, Loved it, Thanks


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## Mikeymutt (Jul 6, 2017)

That's a really nice set hughie.and right up my street that,


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