# Magna Centre



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I'm getting old







and when you get old, you get nostalgic









So I dragged my family up to Jonbaz / raketakat territory and spent the last three days in Sheffield and Rotherham.

I lived in Sheffield for 10 happy years but hadn't been back for nearly 20 years







, so it was great to see the place again. I also love heavy industry - thanks Jon, for your recent topic on the foundry - so a trip to the Magna Centre in Rotherham was in order. It is housed in the old, cavernous Templeborough Steelworks sheds...anyone else been?









In no particular order, and I'm sure Jon can explain what you're looking at better than I 









































































Sheffield isn't all heavy industry. The south-west side of the city is very green....so a couple of shots of Ladybower Resevoir near Bamford.



















Cheers

Paul


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

I hope you enjoyed your trip to Magna, Paul









I know the place very well - I spent two years designing the interactive exhibitions.

Here are a few pics from my portfolio:

General view of the Water Pavilion exhibition:










General view of the Fire Pavilion exhibition:










General view of the Air Pavilion exhibition:










An exhibit about flight:










An exhibit using air to make sounds:










Rotherham also happens to be my home town - I left in 1966 and it was great to go back and do some work there.

We lived close to the Templeborough works, 'Steelo's' as it was known, in the 50s & 60's.

Back then it was a major employer. As kids we used to love going to watch, and listen to, the dramatic steelmaking process


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

dapper said:


> I hope you enjoyed your trip to Magna, Paul


I did Alan...shame I had the kids with me...I would have stayed longer.









I recognise most of your photos, but not those two jet engine type things in the Air Pavilion ones...although I did see the two screens of Galloping Gerty...

I'd love to have gone round the works when it was still operating







. The Big Melt gives a good indication of what it must have been like, but to see the real thing.....

Where you involved in The Big Melt? What sound system did they use for that?














The whole place shakes...very realistic.


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## DAVID (Mar 17, 2003)

Went with the kids this time last year - well worth a day out, though incredible to think that approx 12000 people used to make a living on the site - disconcerting to think it wasnt that long ago, especially with the news that the remains of Corus/Britsh steel is now Indian owned .

D.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Alan what a cool job







 never been to Magna but it looks great from the pictures.

I enjoy visiting places like Magna but do find it a sad experience ....







.... being brought up in Teesside surrounded by heavy industry I guess I just get melancholy when I see former industrial sites used as museums.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

JoT said:


> Alan what a cool job
> 
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And good pictures they are Paul


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

Brilliant photos chaps, I would love to see that.

Heavy industry is so impressive, I did the beginning of my apprenticeship at GEC in Stafford, destruction testing power-station transformers and turbines, never forgotten it.

Andy


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Nice pictures Paul







.

I must admit that I've never been there even though it's only a cock's stride away.

Like John, I find it rather sad







.

It's amazing what's disappeared during the past thirty years in Yorkshire. It looks like a bomb has hit the place.

Incidentally, I watched "Threads" on DVD last week. The BBC film which portrays a nuclear attack on Sheffield and it's aftermath







.

That was made in 1983 and it's a different world. The "egg box" town hall wing got flattened, but now it's gone anyway  .

RAF Finningley ( now Robin Hood airport ) gets evaporated first though







.

It's still quite a powerful film, and worth watching.

It was written by Barry Hines who wrote "KES". Now there is a film that I can relate to  .


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Threads

Here's a synopsis and a few screenshots for anybody who is interested.

Wikipedia also has info. .


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

raketakat said:


> Like John, I find it rather sad
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Me too...and thank goodness Magna has not disturbed the origanal equipment within the buildings....it is one of its best points in my view...to still see those huge electric arc furnaces, cranes etc











raketakat said:


> The "egg box" town hall wing got flattened, but now it's gone anyway  .


Yeh, I noticed that! Why did they get rid of those? I quite like them...they were not very old.











raketakat said:


> RAF Finningley ( now Robin Hood airport ) gets evaporated first though
> 
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Crikey, has that gone as well?


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

I quite liked the "egg box" too Paul, but you know what the anti-modernists like when they get a bee in their bonnet







.

They want us all living in Liliput Lane







.

I think there were some structural problems with the building, but I think 30 years hence people will regret pulling it down and sticking that corporate "let's pretend everything is super" monstrosity up instead  .

If you come again and have half a hour spare, I'll give you the "Beautiful Barnsley" tour 







.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

raketakat said:


> If you come again and have half a hour spare, I'll give you the "Beautiful Barnsley" tour
> 
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> ...


Another 10 years time then Ian









But that "Beautiful Barnsley" tour wouldn't take as long as 30 mins, would it?


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Silver Hawk said:


> But that "Beautiful Barnsley" tour wouldn't take as long as 30 mins, would it?










How dare you







.

I was going to take you for pie, sloppy peas, and mint sauce ont' market, but I sharnt now







.


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