Redcar Blast Furnace - A Dad's Story
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- When I bought my first drone, my friend suggested documenting the Redcar Blast Furnace demolition. I envisaged turning up one day to film the explosion. As time went on, the explosion part seemed to fade in importance as I started to realise how much of a job it was going to be, and that documenting the removal over time was going to be the main aim.
I was often thinking of my dad, as I got to meet people taking photographs or dog walking and they were the ones that told me where he worked and what he was like to work with.
We lost contact for 27 years, but in the latter years, when we got together, I could see a missing part of me. This film was made as a memory for him and the local people who have some interest in what's is happening to our landscape as is part of our local history.
A Dad's Story is based on my dad's story, but hope it resonates with others too.
My dad worked in the Beam mill for most of his life. He died 18 months ago. He would have loved watching your video, I watched it on his behalf and thank you for saving this important part of history for so many.
Aw thanks for sharing
Beautifully captured video. I used to work at the blast until it closed. Criminal to see and live through what happened
Thank you 😊
Wonderful. Dad was a steel man.
This is not the whole story, there were 3 blast furnaces planned and feeder plants as well as rolling mills built out to sea. We only got one and nothing else. I worked at BS, Corus and Tata for 35 years, my brother Doman Long, BS, Corus and Tata for 44 years, he even worked on the ironworks on Redcar site before Redcar site was built, ' Warrenby ' works. When I started in 1975, there were 32000 people employed on South Teesside Works. Let's hope that future developments after the clearing of the site can employ as many young people as possible.
A life in steel was interesting and varied as were the people. In my job you never really knew what the next working day would involve. I worked from one end of South Teesside works to the other and even had a year secondment at Hartlepool South Works, Alan Melrose being the most 'colourful'
character i ever worked with. Happy days as well as hard ones but all full of memories I will take with me to my grave.
Hope you enjoyed the film.
Or mate, it is qaulity what you have done. It just not the same when we drive past with the dogs to go to the gare. It is so thought provoking, it really gave me a warm content feeling when looking back. Reminds me of my grandad getting ready to go on his shift or coming home filthy. Brilliant
Ah thanks for the comment and sharing the memories. Much appreciated
I started my working life as an Electrical Technician Apprentice back in '75 at Clay Lane Training Centre, then spent time on nearly all the plants on Teesside. Met and worked with some amazing guys, from fitters' mates to plant managers, all one big family. Survived the Steel Strike (we apprentices seemed to fall down a gap, no help from unions and no pay). I actually left and worked for a computer company in Marske. I got a call from a plant manager asking me to come back and work in the Central Workshops.
I spent a few years there, got seconded to a computer contractor, and ended up joining them.
It's so sad the death of the steel industry, it built our country, it made Teesside.
thanks for sharing much appreciated
My dad was at Clay Lane before the RBF
Nicely done.
Brilliant piece ❤❤
Thank you
Fantastic Mike. Every word really clung to me, and echoed my own life story and passion for the industry in Steel and Iron Making., Really well produced, thank you for the time taken and for uploading. 👍🏼
Thanks bud, means a lot. Been a long time in the making.
Beautiful. But so sad at the same time. 😢
Yeah can't disagree.
Nicely done Mike, it puts a personal perspective on the footage shown 👍🏻
Thanks . Wasn't sure what the end result would be, a few happy accidents on the way and letting it happen as is mostly the case.
Wish someone had made something like this when Ravenscraig was closed and dismantled. 😢
My first job from school (Acklam Hall) was Acklam Works, then Britannia, then Lakenby, then back to Britannia. Something of a way of life on Teesside, steelworks or ICI.
Where were the Acklam Works, please?
Brought down by cheep and inferior Chinese steel