Blast furnace and coke ovens to go

[TeaCider]

I'm looking forward to looking out from the seafront and not seeing decaying derelict rust buckets on the horizon.

It's iconic, but it's not an attractive sight, and there's always photographs and videos.

 

[Norman_Conquest]

I worked there . The site is dangerous with lots of issues . Concast has underground water treatment tunnels , care must be taken , and I hope they use ex SSI people with the knowledge of the site to help with the re development . The blast is an eye sore on Redcar and needs flattening to give our area a chance .
Not many places have a beach you can walk on from the gare to saltburn .
I hope the People in charge of the re development think about all avenues , including Sirius .
The Gare to Saltburn could be a fantastic parade if people see the vision .
I won't live to see it , but I hope future generations will .

I had the brother in law up from London (originally local) and he was slating the area. I took him Mackerel fishing off the Gare and even he admitted how beautiful the view is looking towards Huntcliff.

During our fishing trip, he caught several Mackerel and lost just as many to the seals. He was overwhelmed with the experience.

 

[Nero]

No point keeping anything as a monument in my opinion. Build a dedicated museum by all means, but the Teesside area has to move on from steelmaking.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Get rid of the Cutty Sark, HMS Warrior. Just money-pits. If you can't convert it into trendy flats, get rid.

Comparing a derelict blast furnace to the Cutty Sark is ridiculous. There has been over 100 furnaces demolished over the years, so it's nothing new to the area.

 

[tripleheader]

Was speaking to a demolition company regarding a building of ours that will be coming down, when he knew I was from Teesside he told me of work his company had done on Teesside Steel complex, a has also been part of some destruction of plant already at SBCO. There are many dangerous chemicals in purging pipelines and Bi -products plants that will take serious care and tech and time to remove.
Also there has been all sorts tipped in areas behind SBCO. The sheer size of the place is incredible really.

Totally agree. I was heavily involved in the 'mothball' risk assessments which highlighted some of the toxic and highly flammable products in the gas mains which exist throughout the site from Redcar to Southbank. We were aware of most of these and It is going to be a highly dangerous and time consuming process which will require a lot of money to restore it to a brown field site. Fit for re-use.

 

[Caesium137]

I'm looking forward to looking out from the seafront and not seeing decaying derelict rust buckets on the horizon.

To be fair, once it is gone you'll just have a clearer view of the oil refineries, nuclear power station and oil rig recycling centre on the other side!

 

[TeaCider]

To be fair, once it is gone you'll just have a clearer view of the oil refineries, nuclear power station and oil rig recycling centre on the other side!

Probably, might look nicer on a hazy day like today though.

 

[BlindBoyGrunt]

I have been on a few shut downs on the furnaces and can still smell and taste the dust. It is so distinctive.

Horrible place to work, but sad to see them go.

Should have worked on the pellet plant. They used to grind iron ore to the consistency of talc and it got everywhere. It could not be contained.

 

[ticker_tape]

Even at the Riveside Stadium I could often smell the unmistakable waff of coke gas or guff of the charge steam from the other end of dockside rd.

 

[Smoginexile]

I worked there long ago on a short term project.
To be honest I was pleased when the job finished. I didn't feel safe at all.
But I learned a deeper respect for my grandad and great grandad who both made steel man and boy.
It's sad that it's gone and that it's just a part of our history now.
But I'm proud of that history.
Our steel is still being used all over the world.
Now we need to move on and make our own history.
Our grandparents did what was needed to look after their families.
We need to do the same.

 

[Muttley]

Comparing a derelict blast furnace to the Cutty Sark is ridiculous. There has been over 100 furnaces demolished over the years, so it's nothing new to the area.

In 50 years time how will we explain "The Ironopolis"?

You're right though, it is "nothing new", it is something old! And it is the last one, the last remnant of the Ironopolis.

I took this in 2009.

If you can't see the essence of "Teesside" in this image I can't help you. This is the last breath of the monster. I accept that it will be impossible to retain even the shell of the blast furnace but perhaps that shape, that icon can have an echo in the new landscape?

 

[Concrete Dreams]

In 50 years time how will we explain "The Ironopolis"?

You're right though, it is "nothing new", it is something old! And it is the last one, the last remnant of the Ironopolis.

I took this in 2009.

If you can't see the essence of "Teesside" in this image I can't help you. This is the last breath of the monster. I accept that it will be impossible to retain even the shell of the blast furnace but perhaps that shape, that icon can have an echo in the new landscape?

That is a brilliant photo. Love it.
I have a Bob Mitchell photo of the blast at night in my living room. Love the place.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

In 50 years time how will we explain "The Ironopolis"?

You're right though, it is "nothing new", it is something old! And it is the last one, the last remnant of the Ironopolis.

I took this in 2009.

If you can't see the essence of "Teesside" in this image I can't help you. This is the last breath of the monster. I accept that it will be impossible to retain even the shell of the blast furnace but perhaps that shape, that icon can have an echo in the new landscape?

The original response was about relocating the furnace to "somewhere in central Middlesbrough ".
Of course it's a huge part of our history and should never be forgotten.
Not sure why the little dig.
Nice picture by the way.

 

[tripleheader]

The 'Salamander' is perhaps something they can dig out and use, and perhaps a Steel ladle.

 

[Muttley]

Not sure why the little dig.

Sorry if that felt like a "dig", I agree that it is ridiculous to relocate the Blast Furnace anywhere (let alone central Middlesbrough) but I disagree that there is not a valid comparison with the Cutty Sark. Tea Clippers were working ships and I expect that (brace yourself) the working conditions on board were just as unpleasant and dangerous as working beside a Blast Furnace. Yeah, a Blast Furnace is not quite as pretty as the Cutty Sark but it is just as much part of history, particularly of Teesside.

 

[breakthewallsdown]

The blast is an eye sore on Redcar and needs flattening to give our area a chance .

Really?

Must be the Teesside in me but i love the sight of it all.

 

[Norfolkred1]

Can we sell the scrap metal to China.

 

[Anton_Berg]

As an aside, I see that steel demand is booming in China atm. Would have meant good news for all producers. Oh , well.

 

[Caesium137]

Is any of the big stuff coming down yet?

There was much fanfare about the demolition (and I think it was a 'five year project'), but we're coming up to two years from this article and all looks broadly the same from over the river.

Anyone on here working on decommissioning, site clean up or demolition of the old works?

 

[motownjunk]

Is any of the big stuff coming down yet?

There was much fanfare about the demolition (and I think it was a 'five year project'), but we're coming up to two years from this article and all looks broadly the same from over the river.

Anyone on here working on decommissioning, site clean up or demolition of the old works?

They have basically ran out of money any works need to paid for by leasing bits of land that have already been cleared or what is currently happening selling the scrap metal off