Hi all, I was wondering, just how BIG were Vickers-Armstrong's facilities in Elswick? I am guessing they must have comprised multiple factories spread out over a wide area? This thought was spurred by an image I have obtained from the Tank Museum of an Archer in an industrial setting. I doubt that the building behind it is actually the factory (but I don't know!). I don't think I should post the full image since I've licensed it for my book, but I don't think they're going to care if I post background details for study & research: Another curious detail in the background is some writing an object - I don't know if it could possibly be a rail car? It seems to read "IMS <something> 287404" I'm also curious about this ridged ground surface that has been laid down, like you can see in the lower right of the second photo. What was that made of?
Chris, That would be LMS - London, Midland and Scottish Railway - the wagons owners. The ridged floor is probably an old cobbled roadway. Think it's just the angle makes it looked ridged cheers
By 1953 the Elswick Works covered 70 acres and spread for a mile along the banks of the River Tyne. Photographs of “The Elswick Works“ - Britain’s major arms developer before and during World War I More info & pics here: Elswick Works, Newcastle Part 3 (1928 - 1982) | BAE Systems | International
We who have been on this forum for many years often see the statement: “I wish I had asked him/her when I was younger and he/she was still alive”. That’s the case here for me. My paternal grandad worked at Vickers Armstrong Elswick works. My father was born and went to school in Elswick, as did all of his brothers and as did Pte Adam Wakenshaw VC - all at the same school. I wish I had asked grandad and dad more about their lives there when they were still with us. Frankly, I wasn’t interested back then. I was more interested in sport and other distractions… The aforementioned had hard lives and were tough people. I read a good history of the Elswick works about six months ago which, if I remember correctly, was published by the local Newspaper - the Evening Chronicle (now the Chronicle). If I track it down again, I will post it up on this thread.
Have a look at the old maps on here to see the size of the place . Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland
What an amazing way to compare maps! That's fantastic I was a little hesitant to label the photograph in my book as at Elswick, but it does look pretty likely.
Thank you very much for your thoughts - and if you do find the account, please post it. I did get a couple of nice photos of Valentine tanks being constructed from the Tyne & Wear Archive for my book. The digital collections seem to be closed at the moment though.
Brilliant! Maybe I'll have a zoom in and see if I can make out cobbles. Also, I think your MLS identification makes me feel secure in claiming this photo is from Elswick and I'm very happy about that. Thank you!
I'm still not sure it's cobbles, but I realize how limited what I showed was before. It really looks like long strips rather than cobbles. Could it have been metal? You can see how there are gaps between sections in which the strips run at different angles. But possibly my understanding of what cobbles can be is limited.
The photo album from the article can be found here;- Armstrong Vickers: Workshop of the World Example Images are from the Tyne/Wear Museums 1. Shervick Tractors at the, Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, April 1948. These tractors were manufactured by Vickers after the Second World War, using Sherman tanks, which had become surplus to military requirements. Image from Tyne & Wear Archives.(Image: Tyne & Wear Archives) 2. Bofors Gun Mounting at the Scotswood Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, September 1946, image from Tyne & Wear Archives(Image: Tyne & Wear Archives) 3. View of the Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, c1900, image from Tyne & Wear Archives(Image: Tyne & Wear Archives) 4.Heavy Gun Machine Shop, Elswick Works, c1900, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Inside the Elswick Steel Works, View of hydraulic forging presses in a bay at the Elswick Steel Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, c1905, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Gun Inspection Department, Elswick Work, Newcastle upon Tyne, c1905, image from Tyne & Wear Archives The sawmills, Scotswood Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, c1905, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Carden-Loyd Carriers at the Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, c1930, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Armoured cars outside the Elswick Works Armoured cars outside the Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, c1931, image from Tyne & Wear Archives A Valentine Tank ready for delivery, inside the Tank Shop, Elswick Works, Newcastle upon tyne, 21 September 1942, image from Tyne & Wear Archives 3.7 anti-aircraft gun at the Scotswood Works, Scotswood Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, 30 June 1942, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Coastal Defence Mounting at the Scotswood Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, 11 June 1942, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Mobile Howitzer Gun at the Scotswood Works 5.5 inch Mobile Howitzer Gun in 22 Shop, Scotswood Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, 23 October 1942, image from Tyne & Wear Archives Kyle
Hi all, I was just watching a video from the Tank Museum about the Swiss Centurion they just received, and there were some shots - posting here - from Elswick. The second photo looks like it matches the location of my Archer - if you look at the windows in my uppermost image with the rounded tops, they match the first photo here. For a minute I thought MAYBE the small building in the right of the second image, is the same one as in the second image I posted, just from the other POV. But the concrete lips don't match. Still, that could have changed in the intervening years. In any case I thought you might enjoy the images. PS I am not sure whether these two shots were taken on the same day or not. .
