Pilkington Glass - Doncaster - February 2012

[sammydoublewhammy]

History from Mutley

Pilkingtons were originally established in St Helens, Lancs in 1826.
Around the time of WW1 they looked to establish another site in the UK, supposedly to protect against European competitors entering the British market.
The site chosen for this was Kirk Sandall near Doncaster, favoured for its canal side location and ready access to local coal and sand. The plant opened at great cost in 1922, apparently consuming most of the company's reserves plus an additional £1m in new capital.
In 1923 Pilkingtons, in collaboration with Ford in the State, developed a continuous flow process for the manufacture of glass plate and a method of continuous grinding. Doncaster was quickly converted to this new technology, again at huge expense.
In the 1950's Pilkingtons developed the "float" method of glass production (the molten glass is poured onto a bath of molten tin at 1000C). This was much cheaper as it did not require the grinding and polishing processes. Pilkingtons quickly set about converting all their factories to this new technology...except Doncaster.
By 1963 Doncaster was the only Pilkington factory producing polished plate glass and by 1966 was only running at 56% of capacity and production was suspended and the plant mothballed.
Not sure what happened in the intervening years, but there was obviously an upturn in fortunes as the plant was producing up to December 2008.

Well I think this is the best place that I've been this year so far.

Visited with CANDF Geovdub and Only2eyes




























































I've got some more on my blog if you are wanting to see more.

Cheers boss

[coops]

Really like the look of this place sorry I couldnt have joined you boys didnt get Cloughs text til late by that time I had my bin lids for the day

[NickUk]

Looks decent fella!

[MJS]

winningtons

[Wakey Lad]

Cracking piccys there! Looks like i will be taking a look myself

[mr beardy]

Looks good wakey count me in if you do

[Clough]

Nice I took around 900 pics most probs, one day I will be able to sort through that mass I when I come out the other side ill post em too! Lovely seeing only2eyes again too

[sqwasher]

Nice industrial goodiness!

[Only2Eyes]

Splendid, Sir.

Lovely seeing only2eyes again too

Aye, you too boss.

[Nicola]

Cracking shots of that place.