I recently bid and won this makers plate on Ebay.
🔗Personal-Album-856-Image-55644[linkphoto]Personal-Album-856-Image-55644[/linkphoto][/link]
I thought I knew most of the G.R.Turner history as a wagon builder, steel section maker etc but was unaware of any Mining connections.... has any one come across the Turner-Davies brand and whats might KEPS stand for :flowers: ? Thanks ICLOK

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Probably irrelevant but 'Keps' were the small catches that the cage rested on at the shaft top?

Just been through all my .."The Colliery Guardian" may 1888 and other years. also "The Mining Journal" Oct 1893 and other dates...nothing. other stuff to check out if anything..let you know.

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Cheers Morlock... I remember now seeing a picture of Keps on here on a disused shaft now you come to mention it so thanks for that, Thanks Minerat for looking... I just been onto a couple of old lads who remember the company but they can't remember mining stuff from there.... its got me wondering if they built mine Tubs as well as mainline wagons?

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Found in 'The Guide to the Coalfields' 1953 edition

Wow and a very very big thankyou :flowers: ..... major result as I really never knew they made this stuff in any quantity! So likely my plate off the KEPS of some defunct colliery..... kinda nice to have as they just levelled the old place and the remains of Lankley Mill pottery too... Asda now dominates!!! THanks for the Poster .... 🙂
ICLOK

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What else do they make Iclock?

I`ve tried typing the link in,but does`nt work for some reason,
I`m doing something wrong most likely.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7618/img0286k.jpg 

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=14791 

http://www.heanorhistory.org.uk/industries.htm 

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Thanks,interesting.

Sorry for not getting back to you, was doing picture files last night and eh voila 5 hrs gone!!!
They were part of the United Steels group eventually closing post nationalisation in 1974, I remember riveted sections coming out of there by lorry in the early 70s. You could see into their yard (with its mega tight curved rail tracks) from 'High' bridge which cut thru the roof of the factory and then went across Langley Mill siding and the mainline!! We were often up there as my mates Dad used to take us trainspotting up there. I don't remember wagons coming out of there but they built 1000s and I have seen them in Argentina, Sri Lanka and a few in preservation over here, their builders plates are very ornate and much sought after. After bchasd posted I rang another more remote contact from the local history guys and he thinks they did NCB platework and special fabrications for the local pits that were outside the general workshop capability, but that their core work was as I thought riveted/welded sections for heavy industry and wagons.
I remember the site with very Bright BRS lorries on after they took it over, and I knew the factories well later on as I stored loco parts, engines, etc there via Heanor Haulage who who I knew very well as my main Haulier for loco bogies... wish I'd took my camera.
Sad to say there is nothing left now of the whole industrial skyline surrounding 'High' railway bridge, the Huge Aristoc building and former main employer is now housing, Turners Steel and Langley Mill Pottery are an Asda.... how time has flown.... 😞 A very evocative picture at-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31704690@N05/4257725590/ 

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I remember Turner - Davies equipment being used in the tub handling circuit underground at Cronton Colliery in the 1960s. They made squeezers that controlled the speed of the tubs going to the shaft, then at the shaft there was an interlinked system for loading the tubs. There where stop-blocks next to the shaft ,and a ram, in the cage where stop-blocks at each end to keep the tubs in.
When the ram was activated the stop-block next to the shaft was lowered this was interlinked to the two in the cage which also lowered. The full tubs would be rammed in pushing out the empties at the other side. When the ram was almost fully out the interlinks would operate putting up the stop-blocks to hold the tubs in the cage and to protect the shaft from full tubs waiting to be wound up pit.

This is great stuff and again a big thanks as very little seems to be written re their product range.... as the plate clearly says KEPS and given your reply to this post I am now pretty sure this plate probably came off such a handler integrated into the KEPS set up at pit top.
Brilliant reply so thanks 🙂

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Two illustrations of keps - different manufacturer though.
Collapsing keps:
🔗Personal-Album-54-Image-55766[linkphoto]Personal-Album-54-Image-55766[/linkphoto][/link]
Normal keps:
🔗Personal-Album-54-Image-55767[linkphoto]Personal-Album-54-Image-55767[/linkphoto][/link]

Enjoy.

Grahami

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Fascinating stuff... I can always rely on you for a diagram 😉 Cheers IanCC

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Fascinating stuff... I can always rely on you for a diagram 😉 Cheers IanCC

Don't tempt me! :lol:

Grahami

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