IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Foundry Lane, SMETHWICK, B66 2LP

The power house occupied the space in front of the wall with the three blocked windows. The power house generated electricity for the site. Initially there were steam engines driving DC generators which powered arc lights in critical section of the foundry. Following World War 2, Siemens diesel generating sets were installed, taken out of impounded German submarines. In its final stage, it became a substation taking power from the grid. Taken on the occasion of a guided tour of the site, which the tour organiser informed us would probably be the last time such a tour would be possible.

Although in a poor condition, the buildings are Listed Grade II* because of the extent of original Boulton and Watt buildings incorporated in and underlying the site. In addition, the site is a scheduled monument, the area of which extends beyond the remaining buildings to prevent disturbance of earlier foundations that are likely to survive. The immediate area behind the fence is the site of the works power house where electricity was generated. Taken on the occasion of a guided tour of the site, which the tour organiser informed us would probably be the last time such a tour would be possible.

Boulton & Watt's Soho Foundry originally had two rows of cottages for senior staff and Avery, the site's owner since 1895, has retained one row. The nearest cottage is believed to have been used by the gas pioneer William Murdock. This site remains one of the cradles of steam engine building as well as being at the cutting edge of modern weighing technology.

These are affixed to the cottage used by William Murdock. Soho Foundry is still a working site and this was a special visit organised by Soho House Museum. The guides were very enthusiastic and the weather was fine. A definitive history of the Soho Engine Works by Laurence Ince is available from ISSES and I can arrange copies (at a price) for anybody interested.

This is a view between the modern buildings of Avery-Weightronix to the old Cottages on the left of the road and the more modern entrance beyond. A public house is opposite the entrance and just visible. The modern buildings actually incorporate parts of the older works beneath the cladding. This is a most historic site and has been in use from 1796 to date.

This pair of cottages was more commodious that the rest of the row to the right http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6262166, and was always intended for more senior employees at the Boulton & Watt foundry. Listed Grade II. Murdock was employed by Boulton & Watt to install and maintain their engines as well as carrying out his own development of gas lighting and locomotives. He lived in the house for a short while before moving to his own new house nearby.

Now shut away behind the gates of the businesses on the foundry site (WT Avery, manufacturers of industrial weighbridges and weighing equipment) these former cottages date from the early to mid 19th century, and have been used as offices in the more recent past; they are currently unused as at mid 2019. They were Grade II listed https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101216064-office-row-west-of-east-gate-at-soho-foundry-soho-and-victoria-ward#.XRUrzehKjcs & https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1216064 in 1987. Photograph taken with permission of the company on this occasion, as I was there on business.

Built c.1801 for the Boulton and Watt company employees. The end pair were more commodious and intended for senior employees. The nearest one was for a period the home of William Murdock https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073996 . Following the purchase of the Soho Foundry by W & T Avery, the cottages were converted to office use in the early 20th century. There were used to provide a variety of welfare facilities, the forerunners of modern HR. This was a pioneering development by Avery's ahead of government regulations requiring large firms to provide such facilities which were introduced during World War 1. The row is Listed Grade II but currently unoccupied, with no obvious prospect of further use. At the far end can be seen the rear of the new office block built by Avery's in 1925, also Listed Grade II but also currently unoccupied. The row of cottages originally continued as far as the street, comprising 8 small cottages with a match pair of larger cottages at each end. There was also a second similar block continuing to the west, demolished in the late 19th century for factory expansion. Taken on the occasion of a guided tour of the site, which the tour organiser informed us would probably be the last time such a tour would be possible.

The famous steam engine builder Boulton & Watt built the foundry in 1796 as the world's first dedicated steam engine factory capable of producing complete engines. Prior to that B & W's Soho Manufactury (demolished) had built the intricate high value parts with large castings being subcontracted and much of the engines being on site joiner work (wood was a major component of the early engines). In 1895 the works closed and was taken over by Avery, the weighing machine manufacturers. Avery, under American ownership, is still in production on what is now a very large site. This building is the foundry, now disused, where castings were produced. Avery's rebuilt this but it does retain some of the original structure and original bricks were redressed and reused in its reconstruction. It is listed and English Heritage paid in part for the structure that is keeping the weather out while its future is up for discussion.

Currently covered & protected by this large 'scaffold & cladding' construction, The Soho Foundry is arguably one of the West Mids' most important industrial heritage locations. The yard in which it stands is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, proven by excavations in the very early 21st century to contain extensive buried remains of a series of foundries, pattern stores, foundry stores, boring mill etc. All are associated with the site which was developed around 1796 by Matthew Boulton & James Watt, manufacturers of steam engines for assorted purposes. These included, in the 1850s, the engines for the SS Great Britain, Isambard Kingdom Brunel's ship which started life as a passenger liner, but later laid the first transatlantic telecommunications cable in 1866. The foundry building itself, here under its protective cover, is hard to access, as it lies within the yard of WT Avery, makers of modern weighbridges and smaller-scale weighing machines; they are understandably reluctant to let the public on site, never mind wander willy-nilly around the old building. It was Grade II* listed https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101268451-soho-foundry-former-boulton-and-watt-foundry-pattern-stores-and-erecting-shops-soho-and-victoria-ward#.XRjVY-hKjcs & https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1268451 in 1996.