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The Birmid

Bill Parker

master brummie
I hope no one will mind me posting this here as strictly speaking Im out of the Birmingham boundary by I guess, a few miles.

Does anyone here have any connections with "The Birmid" it always seemed that local people always used the definite article when referring to it.

I worked for Dartmouth Auto Castings, who had three foundries in the area, the most recent opened in , I believe, 1965 and designed specifically for the productin of shell moulded crankshafts using S.G./ Nodular iron.

No3 was virtually in Brum anyway as it was half way down Raybone lane and is still in operation as Darcast Crankshafts and claiming to be formed in the 1930s, which to my mind is stretching the imagination a bit.

Effectivly they have adopted the history of the original Birmid owned concern and used it as their own (norty). Other foundries all within the group where............

Midland Motor Cylinder (MMC) Birmingham Aluminium Castings (BAC)

Pneulec was also part of the group and other plants existed in and around the area.

Production was all directly for the Motor Industry and all the Major car and tractor manufacturers would have been supplied with either S.G. or Grey Iron castings and not forgetting the Aluminium ones from BAC.

I seem to remember the groups own newspaper (Pivot) covering the fact that BAC cast the aluminium wheels for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and Birmabright, at Clapgate, Quinton, made the aluminium used for the land Rover panels.

Sorry if it not totally related but after all Smethwick is only "up the road"
 
Hi Bill,
I worked for a short period at Birmetals(as it was called then) in Clapgate Lane I was on transport (internal) and used to transfer aluminium billets from one section of the factory to another to be extruded into tubing,
these billets were about 12" long by about 9" dia. and were heavy.
When it snowed I was on night call-out and had to go and clear all the roads one night with a huge mechanical shovel, snow swirling all around, and no bl***y windows in the thing.
 
my dad was the workers club steward for Birmetals of Bartley Green or Halesowen in the 50's and we went to some brilliant Christmas shows and parties. any one else remember them.
 
Hi Bill,
I worked for a short period at Birmetals(as it was called then) in Clapgate Lane I was on transport (internal) and used to transfer aluminium billets from one section of the factory to another to be extruded into tubing,
these billets were about 12" long by about 9" dia. and were heavy.
When it snowed I was on night call-out and had to go and clear all the roads one night with a huge mechanical shovel, snow swirling all around, and no bl***y windows in the thing.
John and I used to work on the billets in the casting shop on the lathes till just before they went on strike in the Thatcher Days days:redface:
 
As my name implies, I am a member of the Bartley Green local history group. We have been asked by the company that now occupies, some, of the site previously occupied by Birmetals if we can assist with any information, stories or photos of Birmetals. The company will be celebrating their 20th anniversary next year.

We have a small amount of information but wonder if any of you can assist with memories, etc.:rolleyes:
 
Hi all, My father ( John Howell) worked at the Birmid for a good few years in B.A.C as a band saw operator, he cut the excess metal"risers" off newly cast engine cylinder blocks before shot blasting and sand blasting them to finish the outer surface.His foreman I recall was Arthur Motram, and my father was partnered by a West Indian I only ever knew as Theo. I started there as an apprentice in 1976, and although at Warley College for several days each week, was most at home in the piston foundry. Pistons were rough cast in pressure dies which clamped shut in two halves prior to being filled with molten aluminium from a pot besides each worker. The pot was topped up regularly from a main smelting furnace by forklift, this was driven by my cousin Michael Brookes. I had several relatives working at the Birmid as the Brookes family lived nearby in Great Arthur street. The pistons were then rough turned prior to being shipped out to various firms , from small diameter pistons for Suffolk lawnmowers to large diameter pistons for bigger engines including Ford, Austin and Talbot etc.... amongst others.
As an apprentice in quality control, I had to take samples at various stages, measure all dimensions for accuracy, and test the metal for gas inclusions, porosity and general strength, which varied depending on which alloy was being used.( The alloy make up varied greatly from each job, some requiring harder, softer, or more tensile metals for different uses once made up into the various products )
The work was hard ,dirty, and sometimes dangerous, but still holds a lot of memories not only of my late father, but of the people that made up the community of Smethwick. This was before race riots , when you could share a pot of food with a person of different race without the stigma attached today. Happy days. I'm 50 now and can say with hand on heart that those were the happiest days of my working life.
 
Hiya, having posted a reply to the initial thread I then saw the photograph , and an almost certain it is the piston bay at B.A.C. I was tthere in the middle seventies, and recall taking the wheeled bins ( blue heavy duty plastic) with the newly cast pistons from the position in front of the die operator, to the machinists further along who rough turned them on preset lathes at great speed. As they were cast, they came out of the machine with a 'riser' attached , like a long handle, which was where the molten metal had been poured into the casting die. This was solid enough, ( most of the time! ) to be knocked off into a seperate bin by the operator for collection to be re-smelted so as not to waste any metal. Every once in a while the operator would have to skim off any scum that formed on the surface of his pot, as this would affect the castings , and I recall the dies were sprayed each time they opened, to coat the inside with something which stopped the casting from sticking to the die when it opened. The whole operation continued virtually non-stop with the noise of pneumatic powered die casting machines ringing in your ears long after your shift finished !
 
Hello clubsie,

thanks for the conformation regarding that picture Alf posted, I thought it was BAC in my response to the interesting picture, it looked to clean to be any of the Iron Foundries!!

As I think I have mentioned I worked for Dartmouth Auto Castings they had three large Iron Foundries in the Smethwick/West Bromwich area. I worked at both the Dartmouth Road plant and the Rabone Lane plant and pccasionally at No2 plant on the Border between West Brom and Smethwick. In 1977 the powers to be decided to get up to date and install a vaccuum spectrometer this would allow far more rapid determination of the various elements that made up the Iron alloy and would also allow for more elements to be analysed. Prior to the spectrograph installation all the analysis was carried out using the classic "wet" methods ie real chemistry but using the "analoid" method ie using pre weighted tablets so that constant weighting out of the various reagents was reduced but this still was both time consuming and required chemists that could work both accurately and rapidly, the latter was something that we did day in day out but it was heavy on man power and the spectrograph would allow some staff to take up responsibilities elswhere, it did not cause any job loses.

A colleague and myself were given the job , under the Chief Chemist, Frank Hooper, to get the spectrograph running and we did eventually manage just that but we used to pop over to pick the brains of the chief operator over the road at MMC, this meant nipping via the main entry to BAC, there was a superb display case in the foyer with polished Aluminium castings on display and a commisionaire in full uniform. The other thing I remember was the smell of what I assume was polish, it had a sort of nice clean minty smell to it.
 






BIRMETALS AS I SAW IT (1954-1968)






Introduction


During my employment at Birmetals I worked in many production departments throughout the factory and some of the offices. I hope those who read my observations and experiences will be able to reflect upon their time of employment. Some, I am sure, will have conflicting opinions so I trust you will correct me to set the record straight. Please remember I am reflecting upon occurrences of nearly 40-55 years past!!

Situation

I am unaware of the exact reasons for the establishment of such a comprehensive large specialised factory as Birmetals.
Those who have been employed at the factory will be well aware of its isolation and large size considering it was built around 1937/39. I wonder, was it inspired by government policy to develop military build up due to the rise of power by Germany. The factory seemed totally geared up to produce raw materials especially for the aircraft industry.
It would be known, I presume, as a “shadow factory” well out of the way of aircraft attack as would occur if developed in the accustomed city suburbs. The buildings were very well camouflaged.
Strangely most of the heavy processing machines were of German manufacture and I believe installed by German engineers.
Due to the factory’s isolation and potential work force of, I believe often around the 1000, employees were bussed in from Black Country towns such as Blackheath, Oldbury, Tipton, Rowley Regis and Halesowen. To accommodate large numbers of coaches arriving in Clapgate Lane a large road-side car park was established beyond the factory gates. Cycle sheds were provided for those who had the energy to pedal to work, maybe from Harborne, Bartley Green, Quinton or Northfield. Those who could afford travelled by car but sadly the distinction between staff and works personnel still prevailed which meant that staff could park their vehicles with more security within the confines of the factory fence.
As was the norm in those times, works employees had to clock in and out, whilst staff workers simply arrived. In general the work day commenced at 6:30am ending at 4:00pm. Staff usually started at 8:40am finishing at 5:30pm.

Casting Shop

The casting shop was a huge high building set on its own site, separated by a long straight internal road from, the rolling mill, extrusion mills, tube mill inspection dept., despatch and laboratories.
Harry Whymper was the manager of the department with Cliff Hollies his general foreman. Dick Mills was in charge of heat weighing (establishing the composition and content of metals to be added to a furnace for a known alloy) and delivery of scrap, clippings, billet ends and virgin aluminium ingots to a furnace was organised by Jack Brown. Magnesium furnace feeding followed the same procedure.
All melting furnaces were oil fired, holding furnaces used for pouring aluminium alloys into slabs or billets, were electrically heated. Aluminium alloys were melted in large brick lined furnaces fired with several oil burners. They had a capacity of 8-10 tons. Magnesium alloys, whether melted in E shop or M shop, in steel crucibles holding somewhere around 400Ib to 1000Ib respectively.
Charging furnaces was by manual labour which always resulted in copious amounts of sweat! The metal charge was simply tipped by the side of the furnace, depending on its nature, would be shovelled or larger pieces thrown in my hand. Aluminium ingots were a little easier to handle. These would arrive at the furnace door on trailers, each ingot being placed on a special hollow spoon shaped charging rod. This rod was directed, via a roller on the mouth of the furnace door, to a selected place on the hearth and gently tipped off. Ingots weighed approximately 56 Ib.
Great care had to be taken charging an empty furnace with ingots. They had to be carefully stacked in a formation allowing maximum melting potential from the oil burners, either directly, or reflected from the refractory lining bricks. Where possible, furnaces would be charged with lighter scrap metal which was allowed to melt. This bath of molten metal would then act as a cushion for the charging of heavier pieces. At all times splashes of molten metal were hazards. Badly corroded pieces, if large, would explode in a molten bath.
Once a furnace load was molten addition of alloying metals was possible as prescribed on alloy schedules supplied by Dick Mills. These additions would include silicon, manganese, copper, magnesium all in recognised alloy form for aluminium. Magnesium alloying metals would include aluminium, beryllium, zirconium, manganese.
Both aluminium and magnesium alloys were cast into slabs or billets. Billets were made in sizes 92mm, 145mm, 220mm, 295mm and 395mm. Aluminium slabs, were, as far as I can recall, up to 42 inches wide by 9 inches thick. Those of magnesium were somewhat smaller maybe 24x7 inches. Lengths of slabs and billets were dependent on the final sheet or extrusion specification.
Slabs and billets were produced by the direct chill casting process to a length of about 20ft, depending on the casting pit into which they were lowered. Magnesium castings were poured directly from the crucible whilst aluminium was poured from an electrically heated holding furnace with a tilting mechanism. Holding furnaces held about half of a main oil fired furnace capacity, this enabled a furnace to be recharged so that melting times were a minimum. It was while in the holding furnace that aluminium alloys were degassed by a proprietary product called hexachlorethane.
There were four or five casting stations available each capable of being changed by the means of a different table top having various mould types. The machine comprised a deep pit filled with water and a central ram on top of which a platform of steel was attached. The ram was lowered during casting and raised on completion to discharge the product.
Table top moulds varied according to the shape required i.e. slab or billet, large or small. A table would contain two rows each of say 92mm billet size copper moulds, there would be about 6 per row. Larger size products would be few in number, there probably being only two for the very large slab sizes. The copper moulds projected perhaps 9 inches below the surface of the table top, mating up with an insert, or stool, fixed to the mobile ram. Liquid metal would be gradually poured into these moulds via launders (asbestos lined feeder) which by careful control with asbestos inserts an operator could adjust the flow to fill each mould, at the same time allowing the ram to descend. The outsides of the copper moulds, projecting from below the table, were copiously sprayed with water thereby ensuring the metal had solidified before being lowered into the pit. On completion of the cycle the table top was removed and the remaining castings hauled out by chain pulled by overhead crane.
Slabs and billets were then cut to length according to requirements of the final product. Slabs were always surface machined to remove the slightly rough cast surface. For high quality extrusions billets were occasionally surface machined in lathes. Swarf from such sources would be recycled in furnace batches. Care was needed to correct the analysis of some alloy swarf since segregation of certain elements occurred to the outer skin of the slab or billet, giving a different figure compared with the whole mass.
Certain cast products were subject to macro examination. This required 1 inch cross section samples to be taken across a billet/slab. Following surface facing the macros would be etched in caustic (Al) or acetic acid (Mg) to reveal shrinkage cracks or entrapped flux and debris which may have occurred during casting. All cast products were carefully identified by stamp numbering; this number would follow the complete production process.
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (U.K.A.E.A.) were most particular about the quality of material used for their fabrication, so all of the magnesium alloys involved would be macro etched and examined by lab technician Charlie Higgs. X-ray examination, when necessary was overseen by Dennis Wiley.
Finished slabs and billets would be transferred from the casting shop using standard trailers pulled by small tractors or flat bed Lister vehicles. The same means of transport was then used to transfer process scrap back to the casting shop for recycling. It was often said that many atoms never left the factory!!

Rolling Mills

The manager of the rolling mill was Jim Lowe, the only person’s name I can remember.
There were two mills used to initially roll slabs to a more manageable product. The larger, known as the B.D. mill (breaking down) consisted of a complex of roller conveyors, flying shears, edge trimmers, slitters and coilers. The smaller mill was a simple machine handling smaller slabs, mainly magnesium alloys. On rare occasions this mill was used for producing checker plate with two main patterns. Rolls were machined with a mirror image of a triangular pattern made up of half inch dia impressions or a simple three lined stripe. In fact they are the types of checker plate seen on commercial vehicle floors and around gantry stairways. These were cold rolled on to pre rolled plate.
In all instances slabs were rolled hot being heated in electric furnaces for specified times and temperatures. Furnaces were of course adjacent to the mill used.
Aluminium slabs were rolled under copious amounts of suds lubricant. For flawless bright finished sheet, fixed scrappers were used on the rolls to eliminate build up of debris.
Rolls were in the order of 4ft diameter and 8ft wide. Surfaces of rolls were periodically re-ground to restore the surface to prime condition. The much specialised roll grinding machine was set well away from the resounding thud of metal as it was progressively rolled down. The foundations for the grinding machine contained a hard rubber barrier to eliminate the effects of vibration.
With the advent of aluminium alloy beer barrels a strong alloy was required for the main body, while pure aluminium inner lining, being less corrosive, was needed for the inside. This was achieved by simply adding a thinner pure aluminium blank to the rolling slab surface, pre heating the assembly as one and then rolling the entire package together. Under the consequent heat and pressure, fusion of the two mating surfaces was assured. The customer would then press the resultant compact into a barrel.
Reduction in size of a slab by passing it to and fro between ever closing rolls to a thickness of 0.375 inch would require maybe 15 passes. This product could then be cut into blanks of a size suitable to produce single sheets or wound into one large coil. In both cases it was usual for annealing prior to further processing. The smaller rolling mill was only able to go on to produce blanks.
To form even larger coils several would be butt welded together in a machine which held prepared ends together. An electric discharge from a large condenser would provide sufficient heat to promote welding when the coil ends were forced together. Facing off of weld excesses would follow. This welded joint was discharged when the finished sheets were eventually rolled.
The subsequent welded larger coils were processed by rolling in a specialised mill which had coiling and uncoiling facilities either side of the main rolls. These coils would, as a consequence, have many hundreds of feet at say a finishing thickness of perhaps 0.064 inch. An oil lubricant was used during the rolling process. Stray oil around the machine became very slippery under foot.
Sheets of aluminium were required in different degrees of hardness to suit customers’ fabrication needs. Hardness values were denoted as either, soft, ¼ hard, ½ hard or hard. The soft option was simply obtained by annealing the sheet, whereas the intermediate to hard requirements were manufactured by one of two methods. The first method was produced by “temper annealing”. Sheets rolled to their final gauge in a fully hard condition would be placed individually on a slow moving conveyor within a furnace set at a specific temperature and driven at a set speed. By adjusting either condition, sheets could be tempered to a range of hardness.
The alternative method was called “temper rolling”. Here, sheets were fully annealed at a gauge marginally greater than the finish required. The sheets were then rolled to their finished gauge having a hardness related to the amount of reduction they had undergone. An annealed sheet reduced 10% from its starting gauge to the final one would be less hard than one reduced 15% to its finished thickness.
The main difference between these two methods of rolling was the elongation value of the metal when stretched. Temper annealed material would be more ductile than the temper rolled. Customers therefore, had a wide choice to suit their needs.
On the arrival of a new coil rolling mill a factory building had to be built. The new Sendzimir mill far outweighed the efficiency of the older large roll coil mill. This new mill had 2.5 inch diameter main rolls, backed up behind, both top and bottom work rolls, by a cluster of about 10 slightly larger ones. These backing up rolls provided support for the small diameter work rolls, saving them from bending under load. To offset the bending tendency in the traditional large diameter rolls they were ground with a convex camber.
A second much slower, work intensive, method of obtaining sheets in both aluminium and magnesium was by single blank rolling. This simply needed a blank of suitable thickness and size to be reduced and extended by passing it between two large rollers. On emerging, the material was directed by hand over the top of the rollers where it was again despatched through slightly closer rollers. Rollers were adjusted up or down either by electric motor or by swinging on a 10ft diameter wheel, at the mill side, which was connected to a series of cogs. If needed, sheets would be annealed part way through the sizing process to obtain the required degree of hardness.
If sheets had to have a superior finish, then as processing went on, each sheet was separated from its neighbour by brown paper. Also at the blank stage it was possible to pickle in caustic soda to remove debris thereby enhancing sheet surface.
Single sheet rolling was often used to obtain properties in the material not possible by the coil process. Wider sheets could also be produced.
Magnesium alloy slabs were suitably preheated and rolled on the smaller of the two breaking down mills. Butt welding of rolled length was never done. Generally, orders were far smaller with blanks being used to obtain a final sheet. More often than not, blanks would be pickled in acid to provide a clean starting surface.
A smaller section of the rolling mill was devoted to production of specialised small and narrow coils of aluminium alloys. Here, machines were far smaller and dealt with coils of maybe 15 inches wide. And 0.1 inch thick. These smaller coils were produced from larger ones which had been slit into say 3 coils. Small coils were reduced in thickness by passing from one coil drum, through rolls, and onto a second coil drum. Paper maybe interleaved between the coils to reduce blemishing.
Venetian blind strips were rolled in this department. These were developed from wide coils from which they were slit to width.
Where appropriate, samples for mechanical testing were selected, prepared into standard shapes and sent on to the laboratory.

Extrusion Mills

Two extrusion mills existed at the factory. The smaller no. 1 mill managed by Reg Box and the much larger no. 2 mill managed by George Newton with Cyril Noakes as foreman. Both mills dealt with magnesium and aluminium alloys, no. 2 mill handling the larger diameter billets.
All billets were pre heated in electric furnaces adjacent to each extrusion press. Furnaces were in the region of 40ft long, pre heating times and temperatures depended on the metallurgical structure of the finished product. One special induction furnace was operated in no. 1 extrusion mill to preheat 145mm aluminium alloy billets. This was a very compact machine and relied on induced heat, produced by surrounding wires, into the billet within its core. Time for one heat cycle was about 1 minute.
The principle of extrusion relied upon the force of a hydraulic ram, operating in a strong heated steel cylinder of a similar diameter, forcing a preheated inserted billet metal--through a die of shape required, into a long length of product. During the flow of metal within the billet most of the outer cast skin would collect close to the ram and at a set percentage thickness, compared with the original billet length, this would be discarded and recycled.
It was possible to extrude a multitude of profiles, from simple flat strips to glazing bars. More complex dies were manufactured to create hollow section extrusions such as ladder sides and rungs to multi-hollow sections like helicopter blades. Depending on the die design hollow sections were produced with either self weld structures or a coherent form. The former method of extrusion could result in minor faults within the welds, whereas the later method was not liable to any problems.
Once extruded, lengths were processed in an adjacent fettling section to ensure they were straight. Simple shapes were lightly stretched, complicated sections were straightened by hand methods and deeper profiles stretched and twisted straight in rotating head machines.
Lengths of extrusions were then cut to desired length by various hand operated electric saws.
Certain aluminium alloys, i.e. those with high copper content, had their properties increased by a special heat treating process. This involved the immersion of the extruded section into a bath of liquid sodium nitrate set to a specific temperature. After a set period this was withdrawn and immediately quenched into a cold water bath. From there it was treated in an electric furnace at a comparatively low temperature to make full use of metallurgical changes which increased alloy strength. Fettling and cutting to size followed this procedure.
Depending upon customer requirements and specification, samples were taken for mechanical testing and/or macro examination. Macro examination required full cross section samples to be etched thereby revealing any metal faults. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority required additional tests such as grain size measurements and ultrasonic testing. This was essential for their products were, in the main, used in the core of atomic reactors.

Tube Mill

This department, I believe, was under the management of George Newton.
The basic product for the tube mill was extruded mainly in No. 2 extrusion department. These would often be called the “shells”. Internal transport would convey them to the tube mill.
Processing would commence by forming a reduced diameter nozzle on one end of each tube, thus enabling it to pass through the tube reducing die, where it could be clamped on by a pulling device. To keep the tube wall a desired thickness, a plug, suitably fixed to a long rod, would be inserted within the tube, with the plug fixed in the die aperture. To arrive at a finished tube of desired inside and outside diameters die and plug changes were needed after each draw pass.
Intermediate annealing of tubes may have been required especially to arrive at specific degrees of hardness. Degreasing was often needed in trichlorethylene vapour to remove lubricants required for the drawing process.
A cheaper, but not necessarily stronger, tube was made from rolled strip. This process required the strip to be drawn through formers which progressively curled the strip into a tube. Most of this tube was used for T.V. aerials.
Tubes were straightened in machines with sets of almost opposing concave rollers. These rollers were set to take out minor kinks at the same time driving the tube forward. Some of the smaller tubes maybe straightened by slight stretching. Tube lengths were finally cut to customer requirements.
A much specialised order manufactured in the tube mill was one for a company called Wright Rain. They supplied irrigation systems. In the early days large drawn tubes of approximately 4 inches diameter were manufactured having cast aluminium couplings welded to tube ends. Later a method using formed flat strip was developed. Here flat rolled strip was progressively drawn into a tube form through dies. Whilst the tube was drawn through its last former an overhead welding system completed the joint. High pressure water testing followed to reveal any weaknesses.

Press Forming and Forging Department

This was a small facility set aside the No. 2 extrusion mill; again George Newton was the manager.
There were probably three presses, orders being fairly specialised with few customers. By far the largest customer was the U.K.A.E.A. whose orders were for thousands of components, of magnesium alloys, for atomic reactor cores. Amongst some of the items produced were end cap fittings to seal in uranium rods held in cans extruded in No. 2 extrusion mill in magnesium alloy called Magnox. A cup and alternate core spider fitting was also made. These screwed into the end caps providing support for the cans when placed in the reactor one on top of the other. The spider configuration used with other components kept the assembly vertical. A very strict customer requirement was to have a certain grain size and metal flow pattern. Those were developed by the Birmetals’ laboratories where production samples were routinely checked.

Fabrication Department

This was a small outfit producing fabricated sheet and extrusion into various shapes by welding.

Tool Rooms

Manager Bert Stringer was in charge of this very important department. Here the dies were designed and produced for extrusion mills. These designs could be very complex needing knowledge of the shrinkage of metal after extrusion and how to create enough bearing within the die face to ensure metal flowed in a straight line. Thin section metal flowed slower than thicker parts so by increasing the die bearing face in a thick cross section then its speed of extrusion could match that of the thin.
In conjunction with the tool room Ray Amphlet managed an office where the complete measurements of a customer’s extrusion shape were drawn. From this the circumference and cross sectioned area were calculated. These figures took into account the very small details of fine corner fillets. These values were used to estimate the cost per foot length of any one product. I imagine correlation tables were used where the figures encompassed die costs, extrusion costs, fettling cost. I suppose a small cross sectioned area with a large circumference would, therefore, be a more costly item.

Printing Plate

A small, one man operated department, manufactured magnesium alloy printing plates, I believe they were for a firm called Dow. The operative was John Wheatley.
Magnesium alloy sheets about 4mm thick, 70cm wide and 1mt long were coated with a photographic emulsion. This was exposed to a desired image which was “fixed”, this being resistant to further treatment. The whole plate was then placed horizontally in an acid bath where unprotected metal was etched away leaving the resistant image standing proud in relief. Finished plates could be used for printing in the flat state or plates rolled into a cylinder drum as an alternative method.
This printing plate venture suffered many problems and as a consequence failed to establish itself and as a profitable line.

Maintenance Department

A factory using such heavy machinery was always struggling to keep production on target – both mechanically and electrically.
Mr Ripley was the head mechanical engineer, head electrical engineer, Mr James, were completely different characters!
Engineers were responsible for changing the huge rolling mill rolls as delicately and as fast as possible. Various pumps and seals for extrusion presses needed attention as did items like the numerous overhead cranes, both electrically and mechanically. Replacement parts if not available, would, where possible, be made up in the engineering workshop.
Instrumentation, measuring furnace temperatures, was a continuous and full time job. Details of time and temperature were recorded on purpose made paper cylinders. These were stored for future reference so that after months details of manufacture could be established if customers requested so.

Inspection and Despatch

George Linekar was manager of the inspection department.
There were many requirements regarding the inspection of finished products. At the highest level Ministry regulations had to be adhered to, down to the lowest where a product was only given a cursory examination as its use was of little significance.
Generally inspection could include finished size, surface quality, mechanical test results, chemical analysis figures, X-ray, ultrasonic and grain size.
Satisfactory end products would then be sent to the despatch department. Surface damage was a constant problem; therefore, wooden crates were the best option. These had to be kept to a minimum due to cost and extra weight for transit. High quality water resistant paper was often used, this helped stop scratching and corrosion. Some sheets were coated in an oil film if the customer wished. Export items required clearance papers.
A high proportion of deliveries were made by Birmetals’ own transport fleet.

Laboratories

These were housed in a conglomeration of assorted buildings, nothing like the new laboratory block built in 1966-67.
The technical director was Cyril Smith having Brian Burke and Harold White as managers.
There were four main laboratories but work in each overlapped.
The metallurgical laboratory was involved with the structure of alloys when put through a production process. Assurance was needed to know that the production programme so devised was reproducible every time. Brian Burke was the manager.
During the early years in the development of atomic power stations the laboratory was almost entirely immersed in metal research. The structure and flow of metal in forgings, including grain size, were of paramount importance, as was the finished grain size in extruded can material. Tens of thousands of these units were made, supplying such stations as: Wylfa, Dungeness, Hinkley Point, Bradwell, Berekely, Sizewell, Hunterston and a reactor in Japan.
The detailed metallurgical reports to the U.K.A.E.A. were compiled in the laboratory with photographs of the micro and macrostructures taken by either Angela Godwin or Jeff Webb. These were often prepared by apprentices Jan Campbell, David Kind, and Alan Parr under the supervision of Brian Burke.
Harold White was in charge of the mechanical and non-destructive testing lab together with the surface treatment lab which was run by Fred Fox. Harold White also ran the Production Control Lab.
This lab was involved mainly with the processing of materials, ensuring the observation in the factory, of working procedures such as slab/billet pre heat times and temperatures, rolling mill, extrusion mill and casting shop production.
It was also responsible for macro inspection of cast slabs and billets together with macro sections from extrusions. Charlie Higgs was responsible for obtaining and correlating results.
A major section of this lab carried out mechanical testing of sheets and extrusions to confirm that results correspond with those of customers’ requirements. Bernice Evans was one of the main operatives in this section. The non-destructive side of this lab was run by Denis Wiley.
The chemical analysis laboratory was managed by Eddie Gale with Jim Hodges his assistant manager. Here they analysed casting shop furnace samples to ascertain if correct elements were present. The samples were of a standard flat topped mushroom shape about 4 inches long and suitably identified to a prescribed batch. This cast number would follow process production to its conclusion. The flat surface of the cast would be machined in order to provide a suitable surface to enable spectrographic analysis. An arc would be struck from a carbon rod to the prepared surface. The properties of elements in the arc would then be assessed against a standard. The machine was kept in a dedicated clean room.
Further chemical analysis would be obtained from the cast sample by obtaining swarf after drilling. This swarf would be carefully weighed on balances and processed to a dedicated chemical analysis directive. One element at a time would be evaluated by thus method.
The smallest laboratory was the surface finish one. Here the emphasis was on product surface finish and corrosion resistance. Routine samples would also be taken for anodising assessment.
On a lighter note one of the characters of the laboratories was cleaner Fanny Booton. She ran a catalogue club. After her work was done she would be seen around the factory taking orders.

General Stores


A very comprehensive well run general stores was situated on a site furthest away from the casting shop. The stock was extensive, from steel sheets and angles, nails, chemicals, welding supplies, hand wipers (every worker had a hand wiper!) moleskin gloves (actually they were made of thick cotton), swarfega etc. etc. The stores was responsible for “goods inwards” ordered by the buying office.

Office Block

This building was the first to be seen on approaching the factory along Clapgate Lane. It stood behind large well kept lawns, very imposing.
The usual offices were located there, accounts, wages, time and motion study, buying, sales, drawing office, chief electrician, board room, M.D office for Mr Jordon.

Canteen


A purpose built canteen situated alongside the main thoroughfare of the factory, supplied lunches and snacks.
Lunch break was only 30mins so naturally there was a rush to get in the queue. Clocking in was required after lunch leaving little time to eat.
Although staff did their best to prepare good meals sadly they were second rate. I can recall having mashed potato, cabbage and tough beef three days running set in a mass of dried gravy. Dinners appeared to be “plated up” for days in advance. There was no selection.
Three canteens existed. The works canteen with large white enamel tables and benches either side. A staff canteen with small tables, chairs and tablecloths and then a green room for dictors and managers.
As the factory was built in the country, next to a working farm, in the early days fresh milk was delivered in churns by pony and trap.
On one occasion the works canteen was host to “Workers Playtime”, a relic of wartime entertainment. Harry Worth, a comedian amused all for 30mins.

Planning Office

This department was managed by Billy Harrison. Here the detailed customer requirements were established on working procedure agendas called lot tickets. These documents started with the creation of the cast slab/billet right through to the final despatch of the product. Details were taken from these tickets for piece work payments by clerks in small offices set in each manufacturing department. This was known as “clocking on”. When not on piece work, due to reasons of metal transfer or break downs, a period called “clocking off” was established. This period would allow workers “day work” rates which did not affect their piece work times.

Apprentices


In my time of employment at Birmetals, apprenticeships were considered to be the most satisfactory way of training future generations of qualified workers.
Birmid Industries maintained large and well catered for apprenticeship schemes. At Birmetals this was overseen by the personnel manager Captain Harrison.
There were two schemes involved. One was the well known general apprenticeship where the student had one day at college per week with four days working at his chosen subject i.e. mechanical or electrical. Time at might school would also be needed. The second type of apprenticeship was the “sandwich course”. Here the student had three months full time at college for the first three years. This was followed by six months for the last two years. In between full time college attendance students worked their way round the factory departments.
In both schemes H.N.C. qualifications would be possible. In the sandwich course H.N.C. certificates were aimed for in metallurgy and production engineering. In addition more time could be allocated to attend the University of Aston for passing examinations leading to Institute Membership of Production Engineering and Metallurgy.
Several apprentices were given the opportunity to attend the Outward Bound School at Aberdovey for 28 days. These courses were designed to develop self confidence and discipline with emphasis on personal endurance. Activities included sailing, mountain walking and climbing, athletics and parade ground drills.

Other Interests Provided by Birmetals


Opposite the main factory gate stood a large playing field area complete with pavilion. This was known as the Percy Prichard Playing Field. I still don't know who this was!
Here the cricket pitch was kept to a very high standard, providing inter-departmental matches for employees. A football pitch was also available. The original sports pavilion was replaced by a splendid new building. This provided changing rooms, showers, and a full sized snooker table.
At one end of the playing field tennis courts and a .22 calibre rifle range were provided. Selly Oak Institute was available for badminton, netball, at Bartley Green Grammar School for Girls and I heard of the formation of a male voice choir. Sadly not all activities were patronized, many falling by the way side.
I have a copy of Birmid News of April 1959 which includes a photograph of the firm’s football team. I can only recall the face of Clive James.
Every year, usually in July, a Birmid Gala was provided. This was quite a spectacular affair set on Birmetals’ playing field. It included tight rope acts side shows, craft tent and athletic events.
The athletics included all the well known field events with handicap systems in the 100yds and 220yds based on the previous year’s results. It was a great day out for all employees.
Many hundreds usually attended the gala but sadly, I believe, at the 1959 gala fighting broke out between certain factions resulting in police involvement and I expect the end of future galas.
It was about this time, due to the lack of support, that the Birmetals’ Social Club building was closed down.

It was not too long after I left Birmetals that, due to country-wide unrest, strikes prevailed leading ultimately to the closure of the plant. It was subsequently pulled down and the site given over to new premises.
I hope those of you who have had the inclination to read my account will find it of interest and perhaps feel you could correct some of my observations.
As I said at the beginning this was about 40-55 years ago!
 
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I have to say that I am staggered that no-one has commented on the social side of birmetals as it must have been huge, I remember one christmas party that must have had at least 300 kids there with top name acts like mr pastry some one surly has some photo's or memories of the 40's/50's at the hay day of birmetals.
 
My friend was in a group in the 60's and 70's called the crescendo's and they were also called malt hops and barley, they used to play at the birmid loads does anyone remember them I have put a photo of them on the nightclubs page ages ago
 
What a mine of information - thanks a million. We have a copy of a Birmid Gala for 1949 and this was recently displayed, along with other posters and photos, at the 20th anniversary of Keiper UK. I was particularly interested in the mention of the local farm (Broadhidley), the man who delivered the milk in those days still lives in the area and has passed on a lot of information. Also the playing fields; we will try and find out who Percy Prichard was. Would you be willing to let us have copy of the Birmid News for 1959 or copy of the firm's football team? Naturally you will be acknowledged as the originator in our records.
Again, many thanks for passing on this comprehensive information.
 
I was very interested to read all that you have put on here about Burmid Dartmouth autocastings as my late grandfather worked for this company in late 1950s-1960s, he was tragically killed whilst working for the company on 28th May 1961, whilst at work he was hit by an overhead crane in the foundry. He was a maintenance engineer fitter. Does anyone remember my grandfather George Bernard Wilcox
 
johannna Sorry to hear of your Grandfather"s death. When Iwas an apprentjce Iwas on a visit to I believe BAC and we were shown a large sand core furnace in which an employee had been sadley locked in He must have suffered a terrible death . As a consequnce of this horror safety doors were installed.Has anyone else heard of this tragic event?
 
Local History-----A young girl named Betty Sudale , in the mid 50"s used to deliver milk by pony and trap from the local farm to Birmetals. She later worked for the company
 
Thank you for your kind words. My grandfather died whilst being hit by the overhead crane at the age of 35, he consequently died of Uraemia due to renal failure, following fracture of pelvis..... recorded as Accidental death. Very sad to hear of the employee locked in the sand furnace too, it appears there were some sad times for the employees at Burmid.
 
Hello Johanna, I to was sorry to hear about your grandfathers death at Dartmouth Auto Castings. particularly as it was me who started this thread and also the fact that I worked for the same company. I joined in 1967 just prior to Birmid Industries merging with Qualcast and thus becoming the largest foundry group in Europe.

Foundries are dangerous places, most of my time was spent in the laboratories but occasionally it was necessary to go into the foundry and apart from the noise there was the ever present danger of being hit by a ladle of molten metal. The casters pushed the ladles along an overhead rail from the hot metal recievers to the casting area. They could see very little in front of them I assume they would be on piece-work so they did not hang around so it was upto me to keep out of their way.

In many ways Im suprised there were not more accidents than there were, large Iron foundries are not just areas were casting look place there were many other dangers in areas like the sand plant and the moulding areas plus as we now know areas were maintenance fitters had to access in order to rectify breakdowns.

At the time you mentioned ie Late 50s do you happen to know at which foundry this took place. Dartmouth Auto Castings had at this time, two foundries. No 1 plant in Dartmouth Road, Smethwick and No2 Plant just on the West Bromwich border, the latter was built later and was larger and tended to specialise in gearbox casings for the likes of David Brown and several tractor manufacturers.
 
Thank you also for your kind words. Yes, my grandfather was at No1 plant in Smethwick. I have searched the internet for obituaries hoping to find out more information but to present have not found anything. I was hoping to come across a newspaper article relating to my grandfathers death.
 
Im sure his death would have been recorded in a local paper. The local paper during this time would have been the "Smethwick Telephone" but as this is ,as far as I know, defunct thats noy going to be of much help. I wonder if the Smethwick Heritage Centre might be able to help?

https://smethwick-heritage.co.uk/products.htm


It would laso be worth contacting Sandwell Libraries as I think they may well have copies of the afore mentioned Smethwick Telephone and I would imagine this tradgedy would have been covered by them.
 
Hi,I started work at Birmetals in 1961 as a Commercial Apprentice in the office block.After passing my exams at Chance Tech.College and Wednesbury College I had a difference of opinion with Capt.Harrison and transferred to the Inspection department.I was checking helicopter blades,uranium pile rod containers,hollow sections,etc.Most of my family worked there,mother was in time and motion office,sister was in accounts,my other sister worked in the rolling mill dept,and both of my brothers were electricians.As soon as I reached 21 I left to work at the Austin where my father worked.I cant say my time at Birmetals was a happy one,too much class distinction between staff and shop floor,but this helped me in my future jobs in dealing with and considering people as equals.My surname is Facer,someone might remember me or my family from those days.
 
Hi Chrisdfacer....Yes Captain Harrison was a funny guy , don;t know we had to call him capt. though . There mst have been in those days many more brave ex soldiers than him !!

I left in 1968 so our paths must have crossed very often ,though I can;t recall your name . You surely must have come across Charlie Higgs ,he was a larger than life character (ex RAF with a DFC !!) He was involved with macro inspection of just the items you describe in your piece


I probably met you as I worked in the met lab and was well involved with uranium cans ( Magnox.) and the helicopter blades . Perhaps you came across Alan Parr ,he also worked in Process control

Yes the factory was a Them and Us ,but a shame such a factory closed down..It must have affected me as when I left I moved to Wales and bought a small holding !!!
 
For those who are still perhaps reading this thread here are a few interesting details about the various companies that once formed part of the group. This is by no means up to date but for those "Birmidites" who are about and still interested here it is........................

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Birmid_Industries

The only tangible part of this group that still exists at the Smethwick end is Darcast Crankshafts,Rabone Lane, that was once the third and final foundry owned by Dartmouth Auto Castings. It was built on part of the former Tangye works I worked at this plant for about 4 years and I was very happy there as it was smaller than the other two foundries that DAC had and being smaller but by no means small I should add, it was possible to get to know most of the people who worked there.

Its odd the way things work out in 1977 I was at the above mentioned No3 when I was asked if I would return to the labs at No1 foundry as they were going to install a Vacuum Spectrometer, a Quantovac 28 to be precise, and they wanted me to go back to become the second operator covering for the first operator should be unavailable.

I did go back and two years later in 1979 we all got made redundant from No 1 foundry, had a not been asked to return to No1 I would probably have still been working there. A few months back I met a colleage who I had not seen since the 70s and he is still there and about to retire this August, small world eh??
 
Hi All
I worked at BAC for 12 years started as a apprentice in 1976 worked in the Metrology Department for 5 years before moving up to the Sand Foundry across the railway bridge as Quality Foreman.
I certainly remember having to walk across the picket lines in the late 70's because apprentices could not go out on strike.
I can even remember having pay rises of up to 15% oh for those days again & who remembers the "Cremlin" & the brilliant food that used to get served at lunch time, I still remember Pie & Chips for 12.5p.
Spent many day in Browns Lane (Jaguar) getting rollockins for the quality of the supplied Cylinder Heads & Blocks also in Rolls Royce crewe & Perkins shrewsburylol
Great days certainly set me up for the future seem to remember there were thousands worked across BAC MMC & Darcast ended up a few hundred when I left in 1988, ended up there thanks to a Mr Swan who promised me an apprenticeship after my father got killed at MMC in Middlemore Road back in 1971.
 
I can add a little to the history of Birmetals as I worked there for a short time in 1970 by a strange coincidence doing the same job that my father had done in the early 1950s which is why two elderly gentlemen in the office who knew my dad always called me Sir which to a 25 year old was a strange experience.

As an earlier writer on this thread has mentioned the factory was built in 1937/39. It was in fact a government shadow factory built during the run up to the Second World War. Although people are critical of Nevile Chamberlain, the truth is that he was buying time whilst we were preparing for war. I remember looking through the plant inventory and much of the heavy plant had been purchased from the Ministry of Supply in 1948 when Birmetals acquired the ownership of the factory. There was also another Birmid company involved called Birmabright Ltd but this was only a "paper" company selling alluminium and magnezium alloys under this trade name.

There was also a small company further down Clapgate Lane called Birmidal Developments Ltd.,
 
Hi All
I worked at BAC for 12 years started as a apprentice in 1976 worked in the Metrology Department for 5 years before moving up to the Sand Foundry across the railway bridge as Quality Foreman.
I certainly remember having to walk across the picket lines in the late 70's because apprentices could not go out on strike.
I can even remember having pay rises of up to 15% oh for those days again & who remembers the "Cremlin" & the brilliant food that used to get served at lunch time, I still remember Pie & Chips for 12.5p.
Spent many day in Browns Lane (Jaguar) getting rollockins for the quality of the supplied Cylinder Heads & Blocks also in Rolls Royce crewe & Perkins shrewsburylol
Great days certainly set me up for the future seem to remember there were thousands worked across BAC MMC & Darcast ended up a few hundred when I left in 1988, ended up there thanks to a Mr Swan who promised me an apprenticeship after my father got killed at MMC in Middlemore Road back in 1971.


Hello Terry,

sorry to hear that your dad lost his life at MMC. I well remember the "Kremlin" and the previous canteen althought I rarely used either of them. From memory i think the new canteen was built in the early to mid 70s. I seem to remember it was also called "The Gin Palace"
There was a particularly attracive young lady who operated the till at the new canteen and I asked here out, I was single than, and guess what? she said she was anout to join the army! Thats the best reason any attractive young lady has given for not going out with me:( I wonder what she is doing now?
 
I worked at Foseco from 1972 - 1982, and recall someone in the Tamworth factory labs who'd worked at a Birmid non-ferrous foundry prior to his joining Foseco. Your name seems familiar, but obviously it wasn't you!

Big Gee
 
Birmidal Developments, adjacent to Birmetals, carried out many tests such as creep resistance and tensile testing on many of the alloys used in the nuclear industry. I believe they also developed best methods to adopt for sand casting of products used in the mass production of steel components for MMC and DAC.
 
I worked at Foseco from 1972 - 1982, and recall someone in the Tamworth factory labs who'd worked at a Birmid non-ferrous foundry prior to his joining Foseco. Your name seems familiar, but obviously it wasn't you!

Big Gee

I was with DAC from 1967 until 1979 when DAC No1 foundry closed. DAC No2 at Colliery Road, West Bromwich carried on for a year or so but then also closed, what was DAC No3 Rabone Lane, Smethwick, is still very much in operation . What was Birmid-Qualcast, after the 1967 merger, was bought by Blue Circle who then seemed to sell profitable parts off. The german Thyssen group developed No3 as it was designed for shell casting crankshafts in Speroidal graphite (Nodular) iron ans there was still a good market. It traded as "Darcast Components" and was later sold to what might have been a management buy out, Im not sure. It now trades as "Darcast Crankshafts" and is the only tangible piece of the "Birmid" still in operation at the Smethwick end at least.

I am trying to think if any of the lab staff I knew went to Foseco but unfortunately I cant, I have uploaded quite a few photos taken at Darcast they can be seen on "Flickr" This link will take you to some of them, they are all in a DAC set.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/48235702@N06/sets/72157628094799727/
 
I was very interested to read all that you have put on here about Burmid Dartmouth autocastings as my late grandfather worked for this company in late 1950s-1960s, he was tragically killed whilst working for the company on 28th May 1961, whilst at work he was hit by an overhead crane in the foundry. He was a maintenance engineer fitter. Does anyone remember my grandfather George Bernard Wilcox
Hi johanna, I worked at DACLtd no2 I new of your Grand father George Wilcox and his brother Jack. The accident was before the days of Health and Safety, and the conditions at that foundry were not very safe. Between the Crane and the sand hopper where the accident happened the clearance was 125mm - 4 Inches. If I can be of more help contact me. The Ice Man.
 
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