Sheffield Independent – Friday 07 January 1938
Turkish Workmen Come to Wombwell
Turks are lie seen in the streets of Wombwell. They have come to England under an arrangement for interchange of labour in connection with developments at Mitchell Main Colliery.
Messrs. Simon Carves and Company, who are constructing coking plant at Mitchell Main, are carrying out a similar contract for the Turkish Government.
The Turks have come here familiarise themselves with the various phases of coke oven operation, and men from the Mitchell Main plant are going Turkey. At the moment the Turks have been transferred to another contract Job in this country, but they are to return to Mitchell Main in few days’ time.
“Likeable Fellows”
I was informed at Wombwell yesterday that the Turks are very likeable fellows, and have made themselves thoroughly at home. “They are very intelligent,” said an official, “and quick to pick up details. Our fellows have got on very well with them. “They wear English dress and arc very much like English workmen except that they speak only a few words of English.”
An important stage in the completion of the Mitchell Main plant was reached yesterday, when for the first time fires were put into the new oven.
There was no ceremony as the operation was purely of technical character. It is expected that coke will be pushed for the first time at the end of February.
Quenching Tower
The new battery consists of 20 ovens of the Otto twin flue under jet type. The ovens embody all the modern principles, and a feature of the plant is the large quenching lower. The coke ejected will be automatically cooled, and the water will continue in circuit.
The plant supersedes one erected years ago by Simon Carves and Company, and which was one of the first plants of the kind in the Dearne Valley area.
Mr. G. W. Chambers, who has been manager of the old works, will hold a similar position in relation to the new plant.
It is expected that the new works will give rise to increased activity at Mitchell Main Colliery and also at Darfield Main, which is owned and operated by the same company.
“The new plant will absorb practically all the slack we can produce Mitchell Main Colliery,” an official said yesterday. “We shall reserve only a small quantity for contracts,’’ Construction work has been in progress for about ten months.