RANDOM SNAPSHOTS - Blurring Reality, Industrial Belly: Brightside Lane, Sheffield

Filmed 6 August, 2021
This is a second in a series called, Industrial Belly, where I go into the heart of Sheffield's steel production areas. This short video is shot in the Brightside area of Sheffield, on Brightside Lane. On either side of the lane are two very important buildings associated with the history of Sheffield's steel industry. They are now grade II listed and cannot be pulled down.
I have also discovered a little lane coming off Brightside Lane called, Colliery Lane. It is disgusting that people can dump their household waste here!
BRIGHTSIDE
Brightside is an industrial area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England lying on a hill north of Attercliffe and the River Don. By 1860, industries were growing in the area, with steel and cutlery manufacture being the main trades. Industry continued to grow, and by the early 1970s, it was mostly industrial, and home to a major railway marshalling yard.
THE VICKERS BUILDING
The Vickers engineering role in the British armaments industry of World Wars I and II was immense! Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. The company went public in 1867 as Vickers, Sons & Company and gradually acquired more businesses, branching out into various sectors. In 1868 Vickers began to manufacture marine shafts. In 1872 they began casting marine propellers and in 1882 they set up a forging press. Vickers produced their first armour plate in 1888 and their first artillery piece in 1890.
This building was completed in 1907 as the Head Office for the Vickers company. It was subsequently occupied by English Steel, British Steel and Sheffield Forgemasters.
Initially the building were steel works officers, workshops and living accommodation for the Vickers family and their staff. It was one of the most advanced buildings in its day. The interior contained reinforced concrete floors and innovative heating and air conditioning systems. These systems included tile-lined air ducts and 'vacuum steam' heating, and a ducted vacuum cleaning system with outlets throughout the building.
Walls were largely clad in polished marble and terrazzo. The Boardroom had green and grey marble walls and fireplace, and mahogany woodwork. Marble lined first floor corridor had arches at intervals, terrazzo floor and bronze-finished 3-light chandeliers. The second floor landing had marble clad triple arcade, with terrazzo stair and landing and marble clad balustrade and capping. There was also an Art Nouveau style metal screen lift and the office interiors had moveable partition walls.
Sadly, the company name disintegrated in 1999 and the building is now empty.
SHEFFIELD FORGEMASTERS
Sheffield Forgemasters is a heavy engineering firm located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The company specialises in the production of large bespoke steel castings and forgings, as well as standard rolls, ingots and bars.
Sheffield Forgemasters traces its origins to a 1750s blacksmith forge, and then Naylor Vickers and Co. founded by George Naylor and Edward Vickers - the predecessor of Vickers Limited. Vickers built the River Don Works in 1865. In 1983, the River Don Works - then part of state-owned British Steel - merged with Firth Brown Steels to create Sheffield Forgemaster.
In the 1980s, Forgemasters manufactured components for the Iraqi Project Babylon 'supergun', which it had believed were for a petrochemical refinery. The British investigation exonerated the company's directors!
In 1998, the company was divided and sold to American companies. Allegheny Teledyne bought the aerospace business. Atchison Casting Corp bought the River Don and Rolls businesses, which retained the Sheffield Forgemasters name. Forgemasters was threatened with liquidation in 2002. Atchison went bankrupt in 2003 and was acquired by KPS. In 2005, Graham Honeyman led a successful effort to buy Forgemasters; Honeyman became the company's chief executive and majority shareholder.
Forgemasters experienced a work stoppage from severe flooding in the summer of 2007 when the works were inundated by the River Don. Three weeks after the event, repairs were ahead of schedule and the works were approaching full production.
The company was nationalised in July 2021, becoming wholly owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence.

[@VirtualWalkAnywhere]

I love industrial view 👍

[@zaptabby]

Many thanks for supporting my channel. Glad you liked it ♥️👍

[@luckyjanetravel]

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[@zaptabby]

ขอบคุณที่รับชมและแสดงความคิดเห็นดีๆ ใช่อาคารเหล่านี้ใหญ่มาก👍

[@AMikeOnLine]

Funny old film this...but i get it...I absolutely get it... Thank you for doing it. Great bit film this.

[@zaptabby]

Many thanks for your kind words 👍 Glad you liked it.

[@greentuesday9220]

I just love this video. I had to watch it again as promised. 💟👍

[@masudofficial76news12]

Wow nice view 👍

[@zaptabby]

Thanks, glad you liked it 👍

[@CelticPaths4k]

I love how you have shown these industrial areas, in a very original and creative way. Wonderful footage, like 👍

[@zaptabby]

Many thanks for your kind words and thanks for watching. Glad you liked it 👍

[@ivarmaldeikis]

I love videos in this style! Thanks!

[@zaptabby]

Me too. Many thanks for watching and leaving a comment ❤️

[@greentuesday9220]

I grew in hackney but never been to Sheffield but I'm so happy i can see it now and there's so many historical and wonderful things in Sheffield.will visit Sheffield one day. I just had to watch this video twice . Great job again 💟👍

[@zaptabby]

Thank you so much for watching. Sheffield has more to offer and see outside the historical steel making, especially the Peak District. In the city centre you must see the Winter Gardens. This is a positive and fresher look than the grime. Will be filming this soon. At the moment I am just depicting Sheffield from a historical point of view. Thanks again for leaving a comment 👍

[@greentuesday9220]

Zap you've done an awesome job. Keep it up my friend.You got my support anytime. This video smashed it.

[@LayilaFaon]

Really love the footage!

[@zaptabby]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Glad you liked it 👍

[@VolgaWalk]

It can be seen that Sheffield's steel heritage is very large, these remnants of industrial enterprises are still living evidence of the past. Interesting description, thanks for being in Russian! And as always - great editing and color correction! Like!👍

[@zaptabby]

Thank you so much for watching and leaving a comment. I am glad the translation is working. Yes, these buildings are huge! I am so glad these buildings are grade II listed, which means they cannot be pulled down. There is another location and company where my dad worked which has been completely flattened.

[@VolgaWalk]

@@zaptabby These buildings are undoubtedly important for history, so that descendants remember and know the basis of the industry of their country. It's good that these buildings will not be demolished, you need to protect the memory and history of your country!

[@zaptabby]

@@VolgaWalk Absolutely! Or the soul will be gone forever,

[@tomdmann]

Love your style of film making...can I ask what equipment you film footage with?

[@zaptabby]

Many thanks for your kind words. I shoot with GoPro Hero Black 7. With this video, it was a combination of using the inbuilt stabilisation, taken it off for shake and also used the GoPro Gimbal. For the sound, I sometimes use the inbuilt GoPro or H1n Zoom Handy Recorder with surround sound ear phones. 👍

[@AluminumOxide]

Sheffield forgemasters

[@zaptabby]

Yes it is 👍 Thanks for watching