Dutch beachview

[Ace]

But not the one you might expect :mrgreen:
This is the steelplant of Corus, in between my town and the beach, as seen from the pier:

But no worries, usually there are girls sunbathing, it was just a quiet time of day I'm afraid it's not all steel bussiness around our turf. Besides, where would we be without steel tubing ? They gotta make it somewhere, right ? :mrgreen:
I'm just glad we have a big stretch of dunes for cycling. With tarmac ofcourse, and no motorised vehicles.

 

[cashman]

Interesting pic!!! That is a large plant to have two furnaces. We had a steelplant in our town until it closed in 2000. They recently dismantled the stoves and the blast furnace and are planning to implode the stockhouse and the chimneys soon. I've been keeping a photo diary of the demolition. So sad to say the least. I can still smell the coke ovens. Thanks!!!

 

[Ace]

Actually this is furnace 6 and 7, and yes, they are pretty big. This plant started in around 1925, and 1, 2 and 3 have been long gone. Furnace 4 and 5 is where I was taught as a processing engineer how to make steel from cokes and iron some 20 years ago, but they in turn are also gone now. Sold to Taiwan and rebuilt there. I don't envy them, they were crappy little furnaces, but all the luck to them. :mrgreen:

Myself I am long gone there too, didn't like it that much in the end, what a dirty plant that is. For the past 13 years I have been working at a communal wastewater sludgedrying plant as a mechanic/engineer. We make little grains from sludge left over by watertreatment, which are used as fuel in our cementindustry. Sounds like a crappy job, I know :lol: but it closes the gab instead of polluting even more...and believe it or not, this factory is way cleaner !

On a sidenote: as a hardcore Hawkwind fan I was at the recording of a live DVD called Space Melt, which was recorded inside the old Martin Steel plant of Magna Centre in Rotherham UK - 'oresome' setting that was 8) http://www.visitmagna.co.uk

I would be interested in some of those demopics from your diary, care to send me a few ? Cheers !

 

[cashman]

Sure! I've got some film pics from before I went digital and I'll scan some and send you a PM when I get them together. I worked in there one summer just after highschool as a summer replacement. They put me in the labor pool and had us working at the base of the blast furnace in the pig room which was basically taking a shovel and digging ditches in the core sand for the pigs in between turns. They could do about 6 - 7 turns each shift. They had two furnaces in operation then and I was at #1 furnace which was built around 1910. It was dismantled during the 1980's. #2 furnace was built during WWII and was larger and it was the one recently dismantled. I remember the first shift I worked there. The foreman gathered the labor gang together and showed us how dangerous it was. They were just starting a turn and he reached and got a broom and stuck it down in the flow and all that was left was the handle in his hand. He said that's what would happen if we got our feet or hands in it. That was our only safety meeting. I worked there 21 shifts and they laid me off thank God. Never wanted to go back to work there, but I do feel sorry for the 2000+ people whose jobs were lost. Thanks!!!

 

[Ace]

Funny to meet a fellow ironman over here :mrgreen: I started out as a melter the first half a year, you gotta start at the bottom when learning. Still the heaviest job I had so far, and indeed quite risky and dangerous. No second chance when you don't pay attention.

Thanks for scanning those analogue pics, but be sure not to go through too much trouble, allright ?
Much appreciated though !

 

[Boris]

...And here is the Corus steel works near my hometown in England! .....

Crazy! almost the same site! Used to be ''British Steel'' fired from coke made from british coal...those days are gone lol! All my 'lot' where coal miners...none left now ...loveing Hawkwind here also!!!!!

 

[Boris]

Just thought, sorry to 'steel' your thread Ace! but here is a pic from pretty much from the same angle when they where filming the movie ''Atonement'' they recreated the beach to look like Dunkirk ...it was great to watch

 

[Ace]

No worries, I like your pics too, it is quite similar !
Cheers 8)

Our Dutch "Hoogovens" were taken over by Corus first, and since then by Tata Steel - went from 20,000+ jobs some 25 years ago, to 8,000 nowadays...but at least it's still there providing jobs. It's about quality steel, not quantity mesh, otherwise it would have been long gone by now.

PS: been to any Hawkwind gigs in the UK last few years ? Or any HawkFest ?
Big chance I was there too :mrgreen:

 

[Bunbury]

This is a cool thread, it's always interesting to learn about industry from the people who have been there... It's also cool to see traction kites on both beaches! 8)

 

[Boris]

This is a cool thread, it's always interesting to learn about industry from the people who have been there... It's also cool to see traction kites on both beaches! 8)

Bunbury! I spotted that as well!.....Its amazing to watch...but those guys are crazy! Also we have the wind surfer kite guys Some of them seem to go 20 odd feet into the air! Do you do it? I surf....much safer!

 

[blink]

where my mom lives, in wilmington, NC, there are many Kiteboarders that go out by the piers.
its amazing to watch....i have seen them go upwards to 30 feet in the air.

from Flickr....

 

[Boris]

where my mom lives, in wilmington, NC, there are many Kiteboarders that go out by the piers.
its amazing to watch....i have seen them go upwards to 30 feet in the air.

from Flickr....

HEY! fantastic pic!! and Yep! they are mad .....but it must be an amazing feeling!...i would love to have a go!!

 

[Ace]

I'ld rather stick to tarmac :mrgreen: we get a lot of kitesurfers on our stretch of beach, but unfortunately what goes up, must come down, and that doesn't always go as planned...brave or stupid, I'm not sure...

 

[Bunbury]

Re: Warhammer online gold

Warhammer online gold.. blah blah blah...

At least the idiot spammer brought this thread back to life. To respond to Boris, no I'm more of a surfer and windsurfer. I've kitesurfed a few times, but the potential to get seriously hurt is more than my health insurance will bear :shock:

 

[Ace]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch :mrgreen: we were biking up the dunes to the beach yesterday:

It was a nice, but quiet day:

I love that autumn smell in the air 8)

 

[Danimal3]

My bad. haha
Moet je met hts dan nog zo zwaar werken? :shock:
Daarom dacht ik dat.

Prettige kerstdagen!

 

[Ace]

Pssst Daniel...your mailbox is the other button :mrgreen: merry X-mas !

 

[Danimal3]

Ik had de mail in de inbox al gedelete.
Dus ging alleen maar zo.
Maar boeit verder niet.
Fijne feestdagen.

Groeten.

 

[mrbill]

Hello Ace,

Do you ever get over to Den Helder?
Here's de Lang Jaap.
Cheers.

 

[Ace]

To tell you the truth, I hardly ever visit Den Helder - it's only 50 kms north from here, but not much to do around there. Any particular reason you asked ? Family or friends over there ?