Bolt shop

This shop produced a range of products, including nuts, bolts, rivets and wheel spokes, which were used within the works and sold externally. It was a noisy place, with most of the fast-paced work done by people at machines.

Fitters and turners made bolts by cutting iron bars into the required length. These pieces were heated and rounded at one end using a swage die. The bolthead was formed at the opposite end using a different die. Sharp edges were then removed and tips and threads added. A nut was then screwed onto each bolt. To produce a hard finish, bolts were heated in a furnace then rapidly cooled in water. From the 1920s women were employed to do some of these tasks.