Found by Ian Suddaby in High Bonnybridge, Bonnybridge.
This example is not in my possession.
The manufacturer is unknown.
The find location would suggest this is a Scottish product and manufactured by one of several fire brick makers in the area for the Indian Railways.
It is possible that SIR may stand for South Indian Railway – On 1st July 1874 the Great Southern of India Railway Company (GSIR) and the Carnatic Railway, were amalgamated under the title of the South Indian Railway.
At the time of amalgamation, the GSIR had constructed a broad gauge (BG) line from Negapatam to Trichinopoly and on to Erode where it connected to the Madras Railway and the Carnatic Railway had constructed a metre gauge (MG) line from Arkonam Junction to Conjeeveram.
From 1875 the originally constructed BG lines were converted to MG in order to have a seamless flow of traffic since all the other lines around Trichinopoly were MG. The Negapatam to Trichinopoly section converted in 1875 and to Erode by the end of 1879.
The construction of the Pondicherry Railway in French territory by the SIR commenced in 1878 simultaneously with a SIR branch, so when opened in 1879 connected Pondicherry to the SIR mainline at Villupuram. The line was maintained and worked by the SIR under the management of the SIR Agent which had remained at the original Negapatam. The joint Agent finally moved to Trichinopoly in 1880.
Ownership of the SIR and other lines passed to the Government of India (GoI) on 31 December 1890 and a new company, ‘ The South Indian Railway Company Limited’ was formed to work the system so created under contract; this contract was extended in 1909.
The year previously (1908), the Jalarpet to Mangalore broad gauge section had been transferred to the SIR from the Madras Railway. In turn, the Katpadi section was relinquished and became part of the newly formed Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.
On 1 April 1944, the GoI took over direct control of the SIR.
In 1951, the SIR became a constituent part of ‘Southern Railway’, a zone of Indian Railways.
Found at the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. This is a broken special product. The top, left and right sides are intact and shaped as you see them but it is broken along the bottom edge. The manufacturer is unknown but the find site would suggest it was made at the Manuel Brickworks. GAH may well represent…
Found Manuel Works, Whitecross. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire The ‘B & W’ is likely to stand for Babcock and Wilcox. Babcock and Wilcox history. 1881 – Nathaniel Pratt, who would be B&W’s…
Found Manuel Works, Whitecross. Probably a J G Stein product. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire Alternatively, this looks like it may be a cement-based refractory castable and thus may have been manufactured…
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the old Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. ST Mull = Stein Mullite Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire KTG is…
Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire The reference to Bigelow on this special undoubtedly refers to the Bigelow…
Found by Brian Whyte in the Dundee area. This example is not in my possession. WD – Woodall Duckham. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire.
The following bricks were found on the D’day beach Juno, Normandy, France by Jean luc Marchais. Castlecary Fireclay & Lime Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. The B & W probably refers to Babcock and Wilcox who made boilers for ships. . . Below – Castlecary B & W ?62. Below – AP Green Mexico MO B 2123?…
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the Dykehead Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Firebrick Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (Note – SBH – I believe this was manufactured for The Karrena Furnace Engineering Limited). . .
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the Dykehead Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Firebrick Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (Note – SBH – I believe this was manufactured for The Karrena Furnace Engineering Limited). . .
Found in the Alloa area. The brick is stamped ‘Wilson’ to one side and ‘Stirling’ to the other. Note the elongated ‘L’ in Wilson. The manufacturer is not known for certain. If, as suspected it is the Bonnybridge Sillica and Fireclay Company, then the reason for the Wilson stamp is unknown. Following on from the…
