Blast furnace and coke ovens to go

Earlier in the week we had lots of people arguing again about the A66 cutting a swathe through Middlesbrough and destroying the Royal Exchange. At the time it was defended as progress and a way of opening up the south bank of the Tees for jobs etc. And in part it succeeded in this but people have never forgotten or forgiven the planners for destroying this heritage.
Thing is back in the 80s the Royal Exchange had stood empty, dark and soot covered for many years and was largely unloved and thought of by many as a dinosaur from the past. In fact when I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s Victorian architecture was still pretty unpopular with many, particularly the older generations that had grown up less than half a century after Victoria died.
The point being that in 30 years time what will people truly think of the decision to destroy so much of our iron and steel heritage?

This rusting heap of steelwork is one of the biggest tourist sites in the whole of Germany. That could have been a future option here. A major tourism draw to the mouth of the river alongside industry for the future.

germany steelworks.jpg
 
This rusting heap of steelwork is one of the biggest tourist sites in the whole of Germany. That could have been a future option here. A major tourism draw to the mouth of the river alongside industry for the future.

There is already Magna near Sheffield.
 
There is already Magna near Sheffield.
Teesside is a long way from Magma. But maybe that proves there is demand. And there are several coal mining museums around the UK.
But I wasn't suggesting a museum - it is too late now of course but the idea was to retain some of the structure as a landmark and for different adventure sports etc. Next to industry for the future. Next to the River Tees and South Gare. People always like Lands Ends type places, Like Spurn etc. South Gare is very much edgelands. Landschaftspark in Germany is absolutely massive in terms of numbers attracted, it absolutely dwarfs Magma as an attraction.
 
A better option as a memorial to our past would be to erect either some suitably designed Antony Gormley/Angel of the North type statue or a, based on the shape of a blast furnace, tower along the lines of the Spinnaker in Portsmouth.
Failing that stick some ladle's on roundabouts :)
 
I camped at he gare a couple of weeks ago and it is shocking to see how little of the site is left
 
Many of us on this website have lots of past and maybe current family members who sweated and toiled at the likes of Dorman Longs for their entire lives, quite often working 12+ hours a day and suffering with their health and sanity all for the chance to put bread on the table. Many lost their lives through the lack of health and safety on the job, many died on the job or never got to see an average life expectancy. My Grandad died when he was 66 from throat cancer and other bouts of cancer whilst working for British Steel, he served for the better part of 40 years, which included I might add stints at the Wales and Sheffield sites. He, like many before and after him, worked tirelessly through the early war years at various plants before being relocated to Dorman Long where he worked until his sad death in the early 1970s. So what's my point, I think we need the British Government to step up and give our great servants to the British steel-making industry a lasting tribute/memory with monument-- one which defines their lasting spirit to the cause, and can be celebrated as an ever-lasting tribute to those who dared to serve under conditions so hostile that even the most fearless often trembled when working in the confines of the coke ovens or the furnaces. RIP the fearless British Steel workers.
 
Earlier in the week we had lots of people arguing again about the A66 cutting a swathe through Middlesbrough and destroying the Royal Exchange. At the time it was defended as progress and a way of opening up the south bank of the Tees for jobs etc. And in part it succeeded in this but people have never forgotten or forgiven the planners for destroying this heritage.
Thing is back in the 80s the Royal Exchange had stood empty, dark and soot covered for many years and was largely unloved and thought of by many as a dinosaur from the past. In fact when I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s Victorian architecture was still pretty unpopular with many, particularly the older generations that had grown up less than half a century after Victoria died.
The point being that in 30 years time what will people truly think of the decision to destroy so much of our iron and steel heritage?

This rusting heap of steelwork is one of the biggest tourist sites in the whole of Germany. That could have been a future option here. A major tourism draw to the mouth of the river alongside industry for the future.

View attachment 40359
Yeah, I've seen than. Designed in 1991 after being abandoned in 1985, the trouble is the lack of investment and foresight in our area is chronic (from all sides)
I did see an argument was made to save EVERYTHING around the time talks were going on to save the Dorman Long Tower, well intentioned folks but the ideas were not practical and they didn't really have anything beyond some wannabe career politicians saying "it would be really cool maaan"

We lost the Dorman Long Tower because no one in the council had bothered their asre over it it for donkeys years.. like everything else we have lost. Not one person in local government lifted a finger now the whole industrial landscape has became a shooting fish in a barrel exercise for the 2019 intake tories.

Land Grab, Scrap Metal, Demolition Contracts.. money to be made by the right individuals

Hopefully the area does see jobs brought in.. regardless of the ridiculously high cost to bring them in.

The Dorman Long Tower was the one to save and it was criminal that they were allowed to get away with it, helped in no small way by the hapless Labour Councillors and politicians who stood by and did nothing. Idiots and crooks the lot of them

 
I remember the East Durham coal mining pits closing in the early 60s.... villages losing vast amounts of cash , businesses closing and warm communities ripped apart as coal miners relocated to the mines in leicestershire .... these mines were flattened and nothing remains ..... most villages around there (Wingate, Horden, Thornley, Easington) have a token pit wheel somewhere in view ..... sad if Redcar works is just flattened without a nod to the past
 
I was part of the control room staff that blew the furnace in in 1979.
I helped commission it - checking instruments, connectivity etc - it was a weird experience, at first there were occasions when we'd be looking at something that would come to life before we were ready - had to be on our toes and always check with the control & test people that they weren't going to start something when we were on it.

Amazing the day it came alive...I left about 3 weeks after as our job was done.
 
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