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Original Text (Annotation: EPW055791 / 1472347)
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Sinfin Lane industry started with a tannery (Richardsons), and in 1923 a boiler making company started to the East of Sinfin Lane (George Usher). This company became known as International Combustion Ltd (locally always known as ‘Combustion’ or just plain ‘Combo’). Specialised in building steam generating plant for power stations, together with their associated equipment.
The use of cast iron required a foundry on the site, this was demolished in the 1980s as there was a reduced need for castings. Welding was introduced in the 1930s.
The first major order in 1927 was for a small boiler at Brimsdown, N London. Boilers were also exported- to Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and the USA. Boiler sizes grew to meet the needs of ever larger power generators- soon to exceed 500MW. One of the large boilers could exceed the capacity of the 17 boilers at Battersea power station.
By 1959 Sinfin was producing pressure vessels for nuclear power stations including the AGCR at Windscale and also at Trawsfynydd..
Privatisation of power production in the 1980's and reduced orders for new power stations r brought consolidation - forming NEI which was purchased by Rolls Royce and the Sinfin site became less and less used finally only fabrication shops were left. The remnants of ICL passed to ABB Group in 1997. The final buildings at Sinfin site were demolished c 2013.
Source: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/
Original source: Alan Gifford and Ron Blount.
Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License '
