IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Ashby Road, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE12 9BE

The filling station formerly sold Total fuel

The Shell petrol station on the A512 west of Shepshed.

Charnwood Brick, Shepshed, is a component of Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC, producing traditional hand made bricks with an emphasis on use in the heritage restoration sector and new build where a traditional finish is desirable. Clay from the quarry is brought into the works on a conveyor belt http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857633 before being ground in a roller mill http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857638 and then passed through a pugging mill from which the clay emerges at the right consistency for moulding http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857691 . Wooden boxes, which include of various sizes compatible with a range of historic brick sizes http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857642 are used to mould the bricks. On the production line http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857645 clay is thrown in the moulds, sized, and placed on trolleys for transfer to a drying kiln http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857649 . This reduces the moisture content to ensure that bricks do not distort during final firing. The dried bricks are stacked for firing, seen here in the natural clay colour http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857654, the final colour being the result of the high temperature firing http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857658 . Finally, the bricks are palleted ready for dispatch (this view). The variety of products available can be seen in the construction of the modern office block and alongside. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857666 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857668 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857677 I am grateful to the local management for facilitating a visit to the works and agreeing to the images being presented.

http://www.meggitt.com/

Charnwood Brick, Shepshed, is a component of Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC, producing traditional hand made bricks with an emphasis on use in the heritage restoration sector and new build where a traditional finish is desirable. Clay from the quarry is brought into the works on a conveyor belt (this view) before being ground in a roller mill http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857638 and then passed through a pugging mill from which the clay emerges at the right consistency for moulding http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857691 . Wooden boxes, which include of various sizes compatible with a range of historic brick sizes http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857642 are used to mould the bricks. On the production line http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857645 clay is thrown in the moulds, sized, and placed on trolleys for transfer to a drying kiln http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857649 . This reduces the moisture content to ensure that bricks do not distort during final firing. The dried bricks are stacked for firing, seen here in the natural clay colour http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857654, the final colour being the result of the high temperature firing http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857658 . Finally, the bricks are palleted ready for dispatch http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857662 . The variety of products available can be seen in the construction of the modern office block and alongside. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857666 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857668 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5857677 I am grateful to the local management for facilitating a visit to the works and agreeing to the images being presented.

The road is heading east towards junction 23 of the M1.

Clay being applied to a plaster mould to create a complex block. Natural drying will shrink the clay away from the mould before the latter is removed. The production process starts with the creation of a plaster pattern of the piece to be created http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862632 . The pattern is approximately 6% larger than the finished piece to allow for natural clay shrinkage in both the drying and firing phases. The forming of the pattern may include profiling with a template http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862636 and the addition of decorative elements moulded in clay. The pattern is coated in shellac http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862637 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862638 and is then used to create negative moulds in which the terracotta pieces will be formed. Multiple moulds can be made from one pattern where large numbers of identical pieces are required http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862639 , and the shellac ensures that mould and pattern can be separated without damage to delicate detail. For complex pieces the mould will be made up of several elements http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862641 to enable easy separation from the piece. The final piece is formed by building up clay inside the mould manually (this view) to form a skin about two inches (5cm) thick, creating a large hollow block. The piece is allowed time to partially dry, shrinking slightly with the water removal, with the result that the mould can be easily removed and reused. The item can if required be finally hand finished at this stage http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862644 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862647 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862648 . This may also include adding a colour glaze http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862650 . Colour-glazed terracotta is normally referred to as faience, but there is no essential difference. The piece is then fired at high temperature http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862652 and is now ready for installation http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862655 . Use this link http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=85940965 to see the sequence as a slideshow. I am grateful to the management at Hathern Terra Cotta for facilitating my visit, allowing photos to be published and checking text details for accuracy.

Plaster pattern being shellacked. Drawings on the wall indicate in green the specific units to be manufactured. The production process starts with the creation of a plaster pattern of the piece to be created http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862632 . The pattern is approximately 6% larger than the finished piece to allow for natural clay shrinkage in both the drying and firing phases. The forming of the pattern may include profiling with a template http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862636 and the addition of decorative elements moulded in clay. The pattern is coated in shellac ( http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862637 and this view) and is then used to create negative moulds in which the terracotta pieces will be formed. Multiple moulds can be made from one pattern where large numbers of identical pieces are required http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862639 , and the shellac ensures that mould and pattern can be separated without damage to delicate detail. For complex pieces the mould will be made up of several elements http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862641 to enable easy separation from the piece. The final piece is formed by building up clay inside the mould manually http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862642 to form a skin about two inches (5cm) thick, creating a large hollow block. The piece is allowed time to partially dry, shrinking slightly with the water removal, with the result that the mould can be easily removed and reused. The item can if required be finally hand finished at this stage http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862644 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862647 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862648 . This may also include adding a colour glaze http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862650 . Colour-glazed terracotta is normally referred to as faience, but there is no essential difference. The piece is then fired at high temperature http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862652 and is now ready for installation http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5862655 . Use this link http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=85940965 to see the sequence as a slideshow. I am grateful to the management at Hathern Terra Cotta for facilitating my visit, allowing photos to be published and checking text details for accuracy.