Imperial Flag Brand.
Location:
- Grid reference: TQ63047436
- x=563040
- y=174360
- 51°26'41"N; 0°20'46"E
- Civil Parish: Northfleet, Kent
Clinker manufacture operational: 1898-1914, 1920-1922
Approximate total clinker production: 560,000 tonnes
Raw materials:
- Upper Chalk (Seaford Chalk Formation: 85-88 Ma) from Tolhurst’s quarry at 563100,173900
- Thames and Medway Alluvial Clay
Ownership:
- 1898-1900 Imperial Portland Cement Co. Ltd
- 1900-1912 APCM (Blue Circle)
- 1912-1922 BPCM (Blue Circle)
There were initially nine chamber kilns, output 205 t/week. A further 25 kilns were installed in the period 1899-1907 in 4 sets: two sets of 5 each of capacity 150 t/week, 9 (260 t/week) and 6 (175 t/week), giving a final capacity of 940 t/week. There was no rail link, and all product was despatched by barge. The plant's operations were amalgamated with those of Red Lion from 1912, and re-assigned to BPCM. The plant was described in detail in the APCM 1924 schedule. The kilns were demolished in 1923, and the site remained derelict for many years before absorption into the Northfleet power station, now also cleared.
Power supply
The plant was entirely direct-driven by steam; a 140 HP and a 200 HP double expansion engine drove the rawmills, and two 200 HP double expansiion engines drove the finish mills.
Rawmills
There were two washmills, followed by Clarke's screeners.
No rotary kilns were installed.
Sources:
- Primary Sources:
- Greenhithe Archive
- APCM 1924 schedule
- Ordnance Survey 1:2500 mapping
- BGS mapping and monographs
- Confirmatory Sources: