I don't know if this is the correct section, but if it isn't, could someone please move it (or even bin it !)

Part of the "when we had a manufacturing industry" theme.

I've often seen these from the toll booths, so one day, I diverted, asked if I could have a look around, and so (amazingly with permission !) I did.

SMMS (Stone Manganese Marine Shipcare) of Birkenhead, design ships propellers, they used to make them, here in the UK, but no longer. However, they still have one or two left in Birkenhead, should the MOD need any.

SMMS Website

I pass them most days, coming out of the tunnel, after paying £1.40 for the Merseytravel Automotive Urbex opportunity.



You don't often get as close as this:




Sexy Curves:





Information Data:





twins:



baby:

I pass them most days, coming out of the tunnel, after paying £1.40 for the Merseytravel Automotive Urbex opportunity.

:r:Love it.

Seriously great input dude.Nice closeup pics mate.

lol...

Heres the bronze one being transported around the yard before being repaired

WATCH MY CAR! lol

Checkout the truck they use to move em

WOW!! Cracking pictures!! The two "curves" pictures could even pass for modern art pictures May I save those two please, for my own use, not to use on another site or anything?? Just because I like them

Wow,that`s an old truck in the background.

Looks like an old fire truck, green goddess type shape.

nice pix mate cool

Wow, Manganese Bronze: what memories.

While looking into my relations conection with traction engines and steam lorry's on the Wirral (steam road vehicles in another thread) i went to a small steam show at Acton Bridge, someone i met there was kind enough to show me some pictures, one showed a traction engine at the Manganese works in Birkenhead towing the largest propeller they had made upto that date, i think i was told the picture was taken at the end of the second world war. What a pity !!!, i should have asked if i could have had a copy !!.

I used to do work in there in the 90`s on the furnaces! Was a great place to wander round, loads of different workshops.
I remember even in summer and with the furnaces on that it was sooo cold in there, because (I was told) of all the steel in the building, draws the heat out of the air!!
Used to love watching the guys make the moulds with fire bricks then sand in the BIG pits in the ground, think there where 4 or 5 of them!! All done by hand! Then when cast and cooled, lifted out with the overhead crane and into the machining shop.
There they had a large horizontal boring machine to face off the centre boss, used to lift the props up bit by bit on a 100 ton jack.
Was funny just after the 1st Gulf war, they had Tons of new minted coins sent over with Saddams head on them, obviously he had them minted for his forthcoming victory...NOT!!! Because the props are an alloy, these coins were mixed in with the rest of the product, mainly copper water tanks and pipework!!!!
Was also onsite when they filled in the pits and gutted the buildings!
And was working on the demolition machines (Technical Demolition) when clearing the site!!
Wow,memories!!

what a shame this place has ceased production, I was taken around 25 years ago, it was chocker.

Believe they made props for some of the UKs most famous ships.

and I heard a few huge props have been robbed for scrap

Thanks for that Hoseman. Great description of long lost skills. Moulding and foundry work is an art.

They caught two of my mates sons last year trying to steal a prop from there......... YOU SEEN THE SIZE IF THEM??? Brain dead!!!
They got 3 yrs each i think!!!

Was that in physiotherapy after trying to lift them?

I was told that most of those remaining were spares for the MoD. Nicking them is a challenge - one of those above is 86430 Kilos !

were they propelled quickly to jail by a good screw.

An ebay mag cover. It's an artist's impression but there must have been some chunky machinery used in their production at Manganese Bronze.

How did they machine the blade shape in the old days or were they accurate castings polished up?

Did Lairds make their own or did they buy in from M Bronze and others?
Bri

If you look in the gallery there is a photo of an old pnuematic hammer which was used, its still there in one of the buildings that are waiting for demolition.

As for the theft, it was an inside job, the security firm employed some new lad, he was only there 3 weeks when it happened, as well as the propelor apparently they tried to steal 2 brass proppelors from outside the offices.

I work there and know the security gaurds, this is inside info so its true.

The security gaurd involved was not checked before recruitement and it turned out he had previous for deception.

Maybe next time they will vet their staff properly!

Btw, if you want pics of the proppelors you are best asking as EVERY vehicle that enters and exits is logged, everything is also recorded via 24/7 CCTV and security is 24/7.
They won`t mind if you ask politely

Thanks for that.

Not sure which gallery you mean.

You'd expect security to be pretty tight in view of the value of the item involved!

I asked the security guard, looked dumb (easy) and he let me have the run of the place.

I was told the majority were MoD spares.

Lairds did not make there own props, they bought them in

I guessed so because it would be a very specialised trade and not all that many propellors would be required per year in the yard.
Thanks for that.
Bri

hi people just thought i would drop by and say hi as i worked at stone manganese for about 5 years and so did my father and uncle approx 40 years between them.... just seen article of the theft this still happened when i worked there people tried weighing in at local scrappies with bits of bronze smuggled out of the factory

Interesting, welcome to wiki johnny, have a look around theres lots of history on here

lol ste we should of took those pictures at the time i asked about them lol

nice pics cool info

Theres still more there robbo