Founded in 1848, this firm merged in 1947 with John Fowler & Co. to become Marshall-Fowler Ltd.
AKA Britannia Iron Works
These works, belonging to Messrs. Marshall Sons and Co., were established on a very small scale in 1848. At the present time they occupy a total area of over 16 acres, of which 11½ acres are covered with substantial buildings, many of them two storeys high, constructed mostly of bricks made on the spot. The nominal power required to drive the machine-tools is 400 HP., the indicated power being probably 1200 HP.; steam is supplied by boilers of 490 aggregate nominal HP. The total length of main-line shafting in the shops is 5610 feet; and there are over 35,000 feet of belting. From 1800 to 1900 mechanics are employed, besides foremen and office staff. The works are situated on the west side of the main line of the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway; and an approach road leading to the railway station divides them into two parts, known as the north and south sides, which are connected by a tunnel under the road. As the station is situated on ground about 28 feet higher than the works, this facilitates the delivery of raw material brought in by the line. Finished articles are put directly on the trucks in the packing department, which is in immediate communication with the railway sidings. Although the works have been built up piece by piece as extensions have been required, the shops are so planned that the work shall as far as possible be always moving forwards in the successive stages of its progress, seldom going over the same ground twice.
The north side comprises offices, engineering department, iron foundry, and boiler shop, all arranged with a view to economizing labour to the fullest extent possible. When extensive alterations now in progress are completed, the later labour-saving devices introduced will enable this aim to be even yet more fully realized.
The south side, covering a larger area than the north, consists of the smithy, the wood-working departments, and the shops devoted to the ironwork in connection with thrashing, corn-grinding, tea and coffee preparing, and other machinery. The greater part of the buildings on the south side are of bricks made on the spot in Foster's kiln, the output being about 60,000 bricks per week when working one press only.
The engine erecting and general tool shop is a building of three bays, covering a total area of 57,644 square feet; the centre span is 56 feet, and the two others 38 feet each, with galleries all round for lighter tools. Power is supplied by three 18-HP. wall engines, for which steam is furnished by two 40-HP. Lancashire boilers. There are considerably over 200 machine-tools, of which a large proportion are of special make to suit the particular work required. The shop is lighted both by Crompton's electric light and by gas, and is heated by steam in hollow columns. On the ground floor and also connected with the gallery are two smiths' shops for making and grinding the tools pertaining to the many special labour-saving machines used. Adjoining are the engine stores, where the finished parts of engines are kept on two floors, the heavy parts of the lower floor and the lighter details on the upper. The paint shop, adjoining the principal testing shed, has a floor space capable of accommodating 24 engines at a time.
The foundry, including the fettling shop at the north end, has at present an area of 20,420 square feet. In the east bay there are two 20-ton jib-cranes; also smaller hand-cranes, a 10-ton overhead traveler, the usual sand-mixing machinery, and two 48-inch Lloyd fans. Extensions in progress will when completed increase the foundry area to 59,700 square feet. The clay excavated for these extensions is being made up into bricks on the premises.
The boiler shop, entirely remodeled within the last few years, covers an area of 70,820 square feet, and is built entirely of brick, and divided into seven bays, each for a separate branch of work. At one corner is the entrance for railway trucks, which are brought direct into the boiler-plate stores, where the plates are unloaded by means of two 2-ton traveling jib-cranes, and are deposited in rows according to size and quality. At the other end of the same bay is a multiple punch, which will take in and punch boiler plates up to 12 feet long and 4 feet wide, and will punch 27 holes at a time, with any pitch and with an accuracy of 1-5,000th of an inch. The next bay contains large punching and shearing presses and other general tools, and a special 4-spindle drill for firebox frames; also a large plate-furnace, a 4-ton overhead traveling crane, and a number of 1-ton jib-cranes attached to columns and walls. The heat of the plate-furnace is utilized for a 40-HP. Lancashire boiler made entirely of steel; and the application of waste gases for steam generation is generally carried out throughout the works. The next bay contains another large plate-heating furnace, in connection with a 100-ton hydraulic flanging press, which is the first Piedboeuf flanging press erected in England for commercial purposes. The next bay is for machine-riveting, and contains four steam and three hydraulic riveting machines with the necessary rivet furnaces; also a special boiler-shell drilling machine. The roof of this bay is higher than of the rest, so as to cover a riveting tower for riveting up large Cornish and Lancashire boilers on end; the tower is provided with two 15-ton steam lifts, so that loads up to 30 tons can be conveniently handled. The hand-riveting bay comes next, in which there are several special tools, including a man-hole milling machine, and a 3-spindle horizontal drill for drilling through boiler shells and flanges of tube-plates when in position. At one end of this bay is a watertight gallery, made entirely of iron, where all boilers of the locomotive and vertical type are tested by hydraulic pressure before leaving.
In the general smithy are 73 fires, nine steam-hammers, and two drop-hammers, besides a large number of foot olivers, punching and shearing presses, and nut-forging, drilling, and stamping machines. Blast is supplied by two 48-inch Lloyd fans. The machinery is driven by a 12-HP. horizontal engine and two 14-HP. vertical engines. Two 40-HP. Lancashire boilers supply steam for the engines and steam-hammers. Balling furnaces are about to be put down for making special forgings of remade iron. A building at the end of the smiths' shop is being fitted up for the eight electric-light engines and four dynamo machines. The engines are vertical, 14 HP. each, made in the works, a duplicate being provided to each machine; and steam is supplied by two Lancashire boilers in an adjoining house.
The fitting and machine-tool shop is arranged for preparing the general ironwork for the thrashing-machine department, and also includes mill work, saw benches, tea and coffee machinery, steam capstans, shafting, pulleys, &c. The machinery is driven by two 35-HP. horizontal engines made in the works, supplied with steam by three 50-HP. under-fired multi-tubular boilers. There are 67 lathes, and about as many other machine-tools of various kinds, all of modern make. In the gallery are milling machines, lathes, emery wheels, &c.
The thrashing-machine framing and elevator department contains 42 double and 19 single benches, with the necessary tools and appliances. Above it is the thrashing-machine erecting shop, 313 feet long and 63 feet wide, containing 25 double and 32 single benches, with hoists and runners, circular saws, drilling machines, and all other necessary tools. These shops are in connection with the machine stores, which contain a floor area of 14,229 square feet. The saw mill is about 130 feet square, divided into four bays, and completely equipped with wood-working machinery of all kinds.
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