Photo - brick press at Pumpherston.
code: LVSAV2019.110
Description
B&W negative copied in 1990 from official albums then held at Grangemouth refinery.
Caption reads: "Pumpherston Refinery: Brick Making Plant showing Pan Mill and Conveyer in rear and Brick Making Machine and moulded bricks being loaded on trolley prior to "baking" in the Autoclave". In 1934, Scottish Oils Ltd began production of "SOL" bricks at Pumpherston using spend shale quarried from the bings, After initial problems over the durability of these bricks, production was increased so that by 1950, the works were producing 3,000 bricks per hour.
This view show the interior of the brick making plant at Pumpherston. In the background if the pan mill in which spent shale was pulverised and mixed with lime. This mixture was then fed forward by conveyer to the brick making machine which moulded the bricks. The fragile soft bricks were then skillfully loaded onto bogies leaving sufficient space between each to permit steam to circulate around them during the autoclaving process in which the bricks were hardened.
