Grays

Anchor Logo Brooks, Shoobridge Anchor Brand.

Location:

Clinker manufacture operational: 1871-1922

Approximate total clinker production: 1.07 million tonnes

Raw materials:

Ownership:

Otherwise known as Brooks or Anchor Works. There were initially four small wet process bottle kilns: these expanded to eight (80 t/week) by 1873. In 1880, six small Johnson chamber kilns (86 t/week) were installed. In 1885, these were extended to 17 (245 t/week), and the bottle kilns were decommissioned. After the merger with Hilton Anderson, a large expansion took place, with another 28 chamber kilns (845 t/week) in place by 1895. During 1896-1904, the older small kilns were replaced with 16 Hilton kilns (510 t/week), leaving the final total capacity of 1355 t/week. The site probably ceased operation during WWI, but restarted (probably only the Hilton kilns) during 1919-1922. The remains of the plant were described in detail in the APCM 1924 schedule. Although the plant stood beside the main railway to Tilbury, it had no rail link, and despatched all product by barge. The site remained abandoned until after WWII, when it was redeveloped for industry, but is now under housing: the wharf area is a small park.

Power supply

The plant was originally direct-driven by steam, with separate engines for rawmills (250 HP double expansion) and finish mills (two 250 HP double expansion). With replacement of the finish mills with ball-and-tube mills, gas engines (220 HP and 500 HP) were used.

Rawmills

Washmills were used, with the final arrangement being two 18' rough mills, a 25' intermediate mill, a 21' screener and two 18' screeners.

No rotary kilns were installed.


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