Vulcan Foundry

The Vulcan Works – Making the Lion roar again

29 December 201329 December 2013 Steven Dowd

During the early part of 1979, Ruston Diesels Limited, the Company then occupying the historic Vulcan Foundry site, agreed to restore the locomotive Lion which had been a static exhibit for many years in the Transport Gallery of Liverpool Museum. This was to provide project work for apprentices and graduate trainees, and to enable Lion to participate in the forth-coming ‘Rocket 150’ celebrations. On 4 April, the engine arrived at Ruston’s looking rather incongruous on the back of an articulated lorry and during the next few weeks it was stripped…

A history of the Vulcan Foundry

25 September 20117 April 2018 Steven Dowd

In September, 1830, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened, and to digress, here is a brief account of the ceremony. Being one of the first passenger lines in the country, its development must have had a profound influence on the policy and prosperity of the Vulcan Foundry, and the Locomotive industry as a whole during its early years, apart from its interest to all dwellers in South West Lancashire in its effect on the industrial life of the district. T. & S. Stone. The original stone inscribed T. &…

The Fable of the Inspector and the Bolts

27 July 201022 December 2013 Steven Dowd

VULCAN MAGAZINE , Autumn 1958 THE FABLE OF THE INSPECTOR AND THE BOLTS There dwelt in the City of Newt an Inspector of a Factory, and his Chief spake unto him saying:- “Lo, there is in the wilderness of Vul a maker of bolts, and he has made two score and five special bolts. These be Sooper-Dooper bolts and great is the tensile strength thereof, that they may fix, even the very top of a cylinder casing, even unto the very bottom. Get thee hence and inspect them. And take…

History of the Vulcan Foundry

28 March 201012 August 2024 Steven Dowd

History of the Vulcan Foundry, Newton le Willows 1781 George Stephenson was born at Wylam-on-Tyne, Northumberland. 1785 Charles Tayleur was born. 1803 Robert Stephenson was born at Willington Quay, Northumberland. 1816 Daniel Gooch was born in Bedlington, Northumberland, on 24th August, 1816. 1823 George Stephenson founded a locomotive works at Newcastle-on-Tyne. 1829 The Rocket was built by Robert Stephenson & Co. and won the prize of £500 at the Rainhill Trials that were held to determine the most suitable type of locomotive for the new Liverpool and Manchester Railway.…

1872 – Vulcan Foundry Rules

13 January 200822 December 2013 Steven Dowd

Ken Harding one of the website visitors sent me quite a few local photos that he had scanned, one of the items he scanned was this document, Its a copy of the Rules and Regulations from the Vulcan Foundry, dated Jan 1st, 1872. I added the photos Ken sent into the photo gallery, but the rules document would not have been readable displayed in the gallery, so I have transcribed it for you to read If you click the read more link below this text, you will be able to…

A visit to the works of the Vulcan Foundry, 1927

16 April 200722 December 2013 Steven Dowd

The party travelled by 1.0 p.m. train from Exchange Station, Manchester, to Earlstown Junction, a saloon having been engaged for their accomodation. On arrival at the works at 1.45 p.m., the party were welcomed by Mr. Whalley, and also Mr. Lane, Works Manager, who together with other members of the staff, personally conducted the members round the works. Much interest was displayed in the three-cylinder compound engines which were being built for the L.M.S. Railway Company. There was evidence on every side of up-to-date methods of manufacture and good workmanship.…

The Vulcan Foundry Ltd, 5th MAY 1954

2 October 200622 December 2013 Steven Dowd

The party was split up into groups of approximately seven, each group being in charge of a guide from The Vulcan Foundry staff. The small size of the groups made it possible to allow extra time at any point where the members found anything to inspect of particular interest, without holding up the schedule of the visit to any appreciable extent. A brief description of the factory was given in Journal (Vol. 43 No. 233) with the account of the visit during the Summer Meeting held in May 1953. Since…