3500 ton Horizontal Extrusion Press, view showing partial erection with a set of hydraulic control valves, O/No. 9698, c.1941

Order 9698 from Air Ministry, for I.C.I., Gowerton c.1941

D7338/14/5/1/3362
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/10/3363
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/5/1/3364
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/7/3/3364
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/5/1/3365
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/5/1/3366
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/5/1/3367
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/10/3368
Gloucestershire Archives

For manufacture of solid aluminium extrusions.

(The erection of this press was undertaken in Bay 3 of Hydraulic 1.  This was a newly completed extension at the time and the 40 ton overhead crane can be seen in the background.  Note photo 1: not much space for the lathe operator! A typical set of hydraulic control valves for a 3500 ton press are also illustrated).

Note:- This press has been attributed to the I.C.I. Gowerton Works as the handing of the prefill valve conforms to the site view shown here However, it could be from an earlier build around 1939/40 for James Booth Co., Kitts Green, Birmingham, for which no photos are available.

The quality fourth image was located in 2018 from a batch of early photos, scanned and added to the page.

Click on a photograph to enlarge an image.

Click on the hyperlink to see other Notable Orders from the 1940s.

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