Location:
- Grid reference: NZ31496620
- x=431490
- y=566200
- 54°59'22"N; 1°30'28"W
- Civil Parish: Wallsend, Northumberland
Clinker manufacture operational: ?1871-1911
Approximate total clinker production: 430,000 tonnes
Raw materials:
- Thames chalk ballast and fresh Thames Chalk by sea
- Boulder Clay (Pelaw Clay Member) from pits at 431300,566500
Ownership: Union Cement Co. Ltd
The plant was built on a previously-undeveloped land lot and reclaimed foreshore to the east of the Wallsend colliery wharfs. The plant began with four wet process bottle kilns, expanded to six (160 t/week) by 1888, at which time a block of eight chamber kilns (240 t/week) was added. This makes up Davis’ 1907 capacity of 400 t/week. It stopped due to the price war in 9/1908, and restarted 3/1909 at reduced output. It appears in directories up to 1910, but is absent in 1916. It probably stopped at the end of 1911 or early 1912. A re-start was rendered impossible by WWI. Unlike the other Tyne plants, it had substantial rail facilities, but undoubtedly used water predominantly. The site was cleared after closure and was absorbed into the adjacent shipbuilding sites.
Power supply
The plant was direct-driven by a steam engine.
Rawmills
There were two washmills, probably followed by flat stones.
No rotary kilns were installed.
Sources: