9000 ton Multi-Daylight (Hot) Platen Press, views taken on site during commissioning, O/No. 63170, c.1964
Order 63170 for B S & W Whiteley, Yorkshire, c.1964
D7338/14/10/6483
Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/10/6484
Gloucestershire Archives
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Gloucestershire Archives
D7338/14/10/6489
Gloucestershire Archives
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Gloucestershire Archives
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Gloucestershire Archives
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Gloucestershire Archives
This large 20 – Daylight (Hot) Platen Press was first-time site erected, some further pictures of early assembly can be found here.
This press was designed to produce ‘Elephantide’ electrical insulating pressboard 14 ft/sq. in multiples of 20.
Click on a photograph to enlarge an image.
Click on the hyperlink to see a brief Engineering Specification for this press.
Click on the hyperlink to see other Notable Orders from the 1960s
If you remember designing, machining, fitting, installing, maintaining, or working with this machine please share your memories at the bottom of the page by clicking on the words Add a comment about this page.
Comments about this page
I worked on this Platen Press for two to three weeks, just as testing was starting. The memory of this has really blotted out the other jobs we apprentices did.
I recall there were two of us apprentices, John Gale and myself.
My memory is of Tony Barton giving us both a bucket full of diesel and a sack full of rags. And we started cleaning the preservative from the platens.
The platens were 16ft square and I think there were eight platens, if my memory is right.
Additionally the platens were just having low steam on test. John and I had diesel-soaked overalls where it had run down our arms (and elsewhere!).
We worked very hard but we were a good team with plenty of banter thrown about.
Ed: What a great story to relate! Thanks, David, for sharing it with us. John B
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